Licensure guide · North Carolina

How to get a North Carolina speech-language pathology license

Speech-language pathologists in North Carolina are licensed by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. 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 master's degree in speech and language pathology from an accredited institution, with 75 semester hours of coursework and at least 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the speech-language pathology specialty examination administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), which Board rule designates as the required written examination. [3]
State law exam: Applicants complete an open-book quiz covering North Carolina licensure at the end of the application. [4]
Fees: The application fee is $30 and is non-refundable; the permanent license fee is $60, and online payments carry a convenience charge. [4]
Where to apply: Out-of-state licensees apply online using the Board's Reciprocal Application form, linked from its Reciprocal Licensure page. [4] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

North Carolina has enacted the ASLP-IC but is not yet issuing compact privileges, so audiologists and speech-language pathologists licensed elsewhere still need a North Carolina license for now.

Licensed in another state: SLPs who hold an active, full, unrestricted license in another state apply for reciprocal licensure, submitting an official license verification from one state and official transcripts showing the master's or doctoral degree conferred. [4]
Interstate compact: North Carolina has enacted the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact, codified in the General Statutes as the Interstate Compact for Audiology and Speech Pathology. [6]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Applicants who have not yet completed the required supervised professional experience and passed the exam must hold a temporary license, which is valid only during the supervised experience period, cannot be renewed, and carries a fee of up to $40. [2]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Licenses are renewed annually; the renewal fee is $60 and is due on the date the license was issued. [5]
Continuing education: Licensees must complete 30 hours of continuing professional education every three years, sponsored by ASHA, the North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association, the NC Department of Public Instruction, or other Board-approved equivalents. [3]

Working in North Carolina

Pay and openings

Speech-language pathologists in North Carolina earn a mean of $88,640 a year (BLS). Most of our North Carolina 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 North Carolina board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other North Carolina licenses

Speech-language pathology licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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