Licensure guide · Massachusetts

How to get a Massachusetts speech-language pathology license

Speech-language pathologists in Massachusetts are licensed by the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. 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: Applicants must hold at least a bachelor's degree and a master's degree (or equivalents) in speech-language pathology from an institution whose program includes the coursework and supervised training required by the national certifying body, and must complete the required period of supervised professional practice. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass an examination approved by the Board, which the Board may waive for applicants holding a current and valid certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology from the national certifying body. [2]
Background check: Board staff review records of criminal convictions and pending criminal cases received from the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services to decide whether an applicant who discloses convictions must be reviewed by or appear before the Board. [3]
Fees: The initial application and licensure fee is $68 for a Speech-Language Pathologist license and $68 for a Provisional Speech-Language Pathologist license; fees are non-refundable. [4]
Where to apply: Applications are submitted online through the Health Professions Licensing Portal, linked from the Board's application page. [8] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Massachusetts is not a member of the ASLP-IC: audiologists and speech-language pathologists licensed in another state need a full Massachusetts license before starting.

Licensed in another state: The Board may, at its discretion and without examination, license a speech-language pathologist who holds a current valid license in another U.S. state or territory, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a foreign jurisdiction that requires a Board-approved exam, provided the applicant meets current Massachusetts requirements and reports any prior discipline. [5]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: A Speech-Language Pathologist Provisional License lets a master's-level graduate practice as a clinical fellow under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist to complete the experience requirement for licensure; it is valid for the period of supervised practice required by ASHA or another Board-approved national certifying body. [5]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Licenses must be renewed every two years, with expiration set on the licensee's birth date; renewals received after the due date are subject to a late filing fee. [6]
Continuing education: Speech-language pathologists must complete at least 20 continuing education hours per two-year renewal period, at least ten of them in their area of licensure; those initially licensed six months to one year before renewal need ten hours, and those licensed six months or less need none. [7]

Working in Massachusetts

Pay and openings

Speech-language pathologists in Massachusetts earn a mean of $101,890 a year (BLS). Most of our Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Massachusetts licenses

Speech-language pathology licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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