Continuing Education Requirements (21 NCAC 54 .2104)

During each biennial renewal period, a licensee must complete a minimum of 24 continuing education hours, a minimum of 15 of which must be completed under a Category A program sponsor. The remaining required hours of continuing education may be completed in either Category A or Category B. Included in the 15 hours under a Category A program sponsor, a minimum of 3 continuing education hours in the area of ethics in the professional practice of psychology must be completed. (The word ethics, or a derivative of the word ethics, must be in the title of the workshop.)

Each licensee must submit an attestation form documenting completion of the required minimum CE hours as well as copies of certificates of completion in order to renew their licenses. This will be through CE Broker.

In order for an activity to count as Category A Continuing Education, it must meet all of the requirements listed below.  (You must be able to check "yes" for all of items 1-4 below in order for a Continuing Education activity to qualify as Category A Continuing Education.)  If you check yes for each of the 4 items listed below then the activity would count for Category A Continuing education.

 1. Is the activity sponsored or co-sponsored by one of the approved Category A program sponsors listed below?

• The North Carolina Psychology Board;
• American Psychological Association (APA);
• American Psychological Association approved sponsors;
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP);
• National Association of School Psychologists approved sponsors;
• North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (NCAHEC); or
• North Carolina Psychological Association (NCPA)

2.   Does the sponsor specify contact hours for psychologists? 

3.  Does the course cover one of the topic areas listed below?

(A) training in empirically supported assessment or treatment;

(B) the application of research to the practice of psychology;

(C) legal issues in psychology;

(D) ethics in the professional practice of psychology;

(E) training in how to properly supervise in accordance with Board rules regarding supervision requirements, as described in Board Rule .2001(c); and

(F) training in best practice standards and guidelines.

4. Does the sponsor award a certificate and it includes the required information below?

(A) name of sponsor and any cosponsor of program;

(B) number of contact hours credited for psychologists;

(C) title of program;

(D) date of program; and

(E) in the case of an APA or NASP approved sponsor, a statement that the entity is APA or NASP approved to provide the program as continuing education to psychologists.

Category A Ethics Requirement -Included in the 15 hours of Category A continuing education, a minimum of 3 continuing education hours in the area of ethics in the professional practice of psychology must be completed. To be credited as fulfillment of this requirement, the word "ethics" or a derivative of the word "ethics" must be in the title of the program, and the program must include such content. 

Category B Requirements - Up to 9 hours of Continuing Education may be in Category B Continuing Education.  There are no sponsorship requirements for Category B activities; however, you must be able to show that any Category B activities cover topic areas listed above in Item 3. 

Requirements for Both Category A and Category B - Except as noted in (I) through (IV) below, each licensee must now submit: (i) an attestation form documenting completion of the required minimum Continuing Education hours; and (ii) copies of certificates of completion in order to renew their license.  The Board will be providing an online method to submit the attestation form and the certificates of completion in spring/summer 2022.  In addition, except as noted in (I) through (IV) below, all Continuing Education hours, whether Category A or B, must now be obtained through: (A) in-person attendance at programs; (B) presentations at programs; or (C) completion of on-line or correspondence courses and certificates of completion must be submitted for all Category A and Category B Continuing Education activities. 

• Credit for Supervision - A maximum of 3 Category B Continuing Education hours may be credited in each two-year renewal period for any licensee who has received Board-required supervision, except when the supervision is required under a Board Consent Order or Final Decision. 

• Credit for Graduate Course Work - A maximum of 9 Category B Continuing Education hours may be credited in each two-year renewal period for graduate course work completed on a pass/fail or graded basis in a doctoral psychology program that is approved by the American Psychological Association.  These hours must be documented on an official transcript sent to the Board by the institution of higher education at which the applicant completed the courses. 

• Credit for Ethics Renewal Exam - A maximum of 1 Category A Continuing Education hour may be credited in each biennial renewal period for completion in each renewal cycle of the Board-developed ethics renewal examination. 

• Credit for Completing Supervisor Training - A licensee who completes the training and passes the examination shall be permitted to count 3 hours toward the Category A Continuing Education requirements for the renewal period for when the training was completed.