Licensure guide · West Virginia

How to get a West Virginia speech-language pathology license

Speech-language pathologists in West Virginia are licensed by the West Virginia Board of Examiners 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 master's degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology with coursework approved by the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA), and must also complete supervised clinical practicum and a postgraduate professional experience. [2]
National exam: Applicants must obtain a passing score on the national examination in speech-language pathology; the board recognizes only the Educational Testing Service (ETS) specialty area examinations. [2]
State law exam: Applicants must pass the board's jurisprudence examination and submit the score with the license application. [2]
Background check: The board may require state and national criminal history record checks to issue licenses, and it requires a fingerprint-based state and national check of anyone applying for an initial compact privilege to practice under the ASLP-IC. [3]
Fees: Applicants pay a non-refundable $100 application fee plus a license fee of $200 when applying January through June of the first (odd) year of the licensing period, with pro-rated license fees of $150, $100 or $50 later in the cycle. [2]
Where to apply: Applicants submit the board's Initial License Application for Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, a paper form posted on the board's Forms page. [6] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

West Virginia is a ASLP-IC member and is issuing compact privileges: audiologists and speech-language pathologists licensed in another member state can obtain a privilege to practice in West Virginia without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: The board waives the national exam requirement for applicants who hold a current license in a state with substantially equivalent standards or who hold ASHA's Certificate of Clinical Competence, and such applicants may practice while their application is pending. [4]
Interstate compact: West Virginia is an ASLP-IC member state, and registration for compact privileges to practice is open for licensed practitioners in West Virginia through CompactConnect. [5]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Applicants completing the postgraduate professional experience (clinical fellowship year) practice under a provisional license, which is issued for one year and can be renewed for one additional year after 10 hours of board-approved continuing education. [2]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Licenses other than provisional licenses expire every two years on December 31 of even-numbered years; renewal requires the renewal fee, a renewal application and board-approved continuing education. [2]
Continuing education: Licensees must complete at least 20 clock hours of continuing education every two-year licensure period, including one clock hour of approved ethics per year (two hours total). [2]

Working in West Virginia

Pay and openings

Speech-language pathologists in West Virginia earn a mean of $88,180 a year (BLS). Most of our West Virginia 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 West Virginia board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other West Virginia licenses

Speech-language pathology licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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