The EPPP, or Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, is the standardized licensing exam that psychologists must pass before they can practice independently in the United States and Canada. Developed and administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), it serves 66 jurisdictional licensing boards and is designed to confirm that candidates have the foundational knowledge and clinical skills expected of a practicing psychologist.
What the EPPP Measures
The EPPP is not a single test. It is a two-part examination, each targeting a different layer of professional competence.
Part 1 (Knowledge) tests your grasp of core psychology concepts: theories of cognition, affect, and development, along with general knowledge of intervention and assessment techniques, research methods, and the ethical and legal standards that govern the profession. Think of it as confirming you absorbed what your doctoral program taught you.
Part 2 (Skills) goes a step further. It measures your ability to apply that knowledge to realistic clinical scenarios, the kind of judgment calls you would face in independent practice. Where Part 1 asks whether you know the material, Part 2 asks whether you can use it.
Content Domains and Weighting
Each part of the EPPP is organized into weighted content domains, so some topics carry more influence on your score than others. Understanding the breakdown helps you prioritize study time.
Part 1: Knowledge
- Assessment and diagnosis (16%) and ethical, legal, and professional issues (16%) are the two heaviest categories, together making up nearly a third of the exam.
- Treatment, intervention, prevention, and supervision (15%) follows closely.
- Cognitive-affective bases of behavior (13%), growth and lifespan development (12%), and social and cultural bases of behavior (11%) form the middle tier.
- Biological bases of behavior (10%) and research methods and statistics (7%) round out the exam with smaller but still meaningful shares.
Part 2: Skills
- Assessment and intervention (33%) dominates this portion, making up a full third of the score.
- Ethical practice (17%) and collaboration, consultation, and supervision (17%) are tied for the next largest weight.
- Relational competence (16%) tests your ability to build and maintain therapeutic relationships.
- Professionalism (11%) and scientific orientation (6%) fill the remaining share.
If you are studying for Part 2, putting significant time into assessment and intervention scenarios will have the greatest return, since that single domain accounts for more than the bottom three combined.
Passing Score
The EPPP uses a scaled scoring system rather than a simple percentage. Most jurisdictions require a scaled score of 500 on Part 1 for doctoral-level licensure as an independent practitioner. Some states set a lower threshold for master’s-level credentials. A scaled score of 400, for example, may qualify someone for a psychological associate designation in jurisdictions that offer one.
Your licensing board receives your score directly from ASPPB. You will also be notified of your result, typically including both the score itself and a pass or fail determination. Because each jurisdiction sets its own passing standard, check with your specific state or provincial board to confirm the score you need.
How to Register and What It Costs
Registration starts with your state or provincial licensing board. Once your board confirms your eligibility, you purchase the exam through ASPPB’s Certemy Registration Portal. From there, you schedule your testing appointment with Pearson VUE, which operates the testing centers where the exam is delivered.
The exam fee is $687.50, and that amount is non-refundable if you miss your appointment, arrive late, or try to reschedule within 24 hours of your scheduled time. Pearson VUE treats late arrivals the same as a no-show, so plan to arrive well ahead of your appointment. Some licensing boards charge their own application or processing fees on top of the exam cost, so your total out-of-pocket expense may be higher.
Who Needs to Take It
If you are pursuing licensure as a psychologist in the U.S. or Canada, the EPPP is almost certainly part of your path. The vast majority of the 66 member jurisdictions require Part 1 at minimum. Part 2 is newer and adoption varies by jurisdiction. Some boards require both parts, while others have not yet incorporated the skills portion into their licensing requirements.
Candidates typically take the EPPP after completing a doctoral program in psychology and, in many cases, after finishing a supervised postdoctoral period. The exact eligibility timeline depends on your jurisdiction’s rules. Some allow you to sit for Part 1 during the postdoctoral phase, while others require you to complete all supervised hours first.
Preparing for the Exam
Most candidates spend several months studying for Part 1, often using commercial prep courses designed specifically for the EPPP. These programs typically include practice exams, content reviews organized by domain, and study schedules. Because the exam covers the full breadth of a doctoral psychology curriculum, even strong students find it helpful to review areas they may not have focused on during their graduate work, like biological bases of behavior or research statistics.
Part 2 preparation is different in nature. Since the skills exam tests clinical judgment in realistic scenarios, studying for it often means practicing case-based reasoning rather than memorizing facts. Candidates who have recently completed supervised clinical hours sometimes find this portion more intuitive, since the material mirrors real practice decisions.
Scores from Part 1 can typically be transferred between jurisdictions through ASPPB’s score transfer service, which is useful if you plan to relocate or practice in more than one state. Check whether your target jurisdiction accepts transferred scores and whether any additional requirements apply.