Licensure guide · California
How to get a California speech-language pathology license
Speech-language pathologists in California are licensed by the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. Below is what the board requires, from education to renewal, with every requirement linked to the board page it comes from. Checked October 22, 2026.
Step by step
Getting licensed
- Education
- You need a master's degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology from an accredited educational institution, plus 300 hours of supervised clinical practicum in three different clinical settings. [2]
- National exam
- You must pass the ETS Praxis speech-language pathology exam with a minimum score of 162, taken within the last five years. Report your score to the board with code R8544. [2]
- Background check
- All applicants must pass a DOJ and FBI background check. California residents must use Live Scan; applicants outside California submit FD-258 fingerprint hard cards with a $49 processing fee. [3]
- Fees
- The SLP application and license fee is $150. Applicants who already paid the $35 RPE temporary license application fee pay the remaining $115. A 6-month temporary license for out-of-state licensees costs $30. [4]
- Where to apply
- Applications are submitted through the 'Application Package' links (DCA online forms) on the board's Speech-Language Pathologist applicant page, one per licensure pathway. [2] Open the application →
- Processing time
- The board asks applicants to allow at least four weeks from receipt for processing. Times may be longer in the peak season, about May through October. [8]
Moving to the state
Already licensed somewhere else?
California is not a member of the ASLP-IC: audiologists and speech-language pathologists licensed in another state need a full California license before starting.
- Licensed in another state
- SLPs licensed in another state apply under the 'Licensed in Another State' pathway, which offers both a temporary and a full license application. Holders of a current ASHA CCC must use the Equivalent Qualifications pathway instead. [2]
- Interstate compact
- California is not among the states issuing ASLP-IC compact privileges. Registration is open only to practitioners licensed in Louisiana, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia. [7]
Before your full license
New graduates and clinical fellows
- Temporary or provisional license
- New graduates complete their Required Professional Experience (RPE) under an RPE temporary license: 36 weeks full-time or 72 weeks part-time. California also offers a one-time 6-month temporary license to SLPs who hold a current license in another state. [2]
After you are licensed
Keeping the license active
- Renewal
- SLP licenses renew every 2 years, on the last day of your birth month. [5]
- Continuing education
- SLPs need 24 hours of continuing professional development per two-year renewal (12 hours for a first renewal). No more than 12 hours may be self-study, and no more than 6 hours may be indirect patient/client care. [6]
Working in California
Pay and openings
Speech-language pathologists in California earn a mean of $118,600 a year (BLS). Most of our California searches are confidential and never posted; tell us what you want and we will match you quietly.
Sources
Every requirement above was checked against the official page listed here on October 22, 2026. Boards change fees and rules, so confirm with the California board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.
- [1] https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/
- [2] https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/applicants/slp/index.html
- [3] https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/applicants/slp/fingerprinting_requirements.html
- [4] https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/forms_pubs/pdf/fee_schedule.pdf
- [5] https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/licensees/renew_license.html
- [6] https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/licensees/ce/slp_aud_da_ce.html
- [7] https://aslpcompact.com/
- [8] https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/applicants/faqs/applicant.html
Other California licenses
Speech-language pathology licenses in other states
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