Georgia Psychology Licensure Law and Board Rules
This domain tests the Georgia statutes and Board rules that govern who may practice psychology, how licensure is obtained and maintained, and what conduct can lead to discipline. The core sources are O.C.G.A. § 43-39-1 et seq. and Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 510.
Licensure and title
- A Georgia license is required to practice psychology or use the title “psychologist.” A license from another state does not authorize independent Georgia practice; limited authority may exist through PSYPACT for eligible psychologists.
- Applicants must document a doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-accredited program or a Board-approved equivalent, an acceptable internship, required supervised experience, good moral character, and passage of both the EPPP and the Georgia jurisprudence examination.
- The Board may deny, suspend, or revoke a license for fraud in application, unprofessional conduct, impairment, incompetence, or violations of the statutes or rules.
Practice obligations
- Scope includes psychological assessment, diagnosis, psychotherapy, consultation, research, and teaching. Georgia psychologists do not have prescriptive authority.
- Obtain informed consent; maintain confidentiality except for recognized exceptions such as reported abuse, imminent danger, or court order; practice only within competence; avoid harmful multiple relationships; sexual relationships with clients are prohibited.
- Supervisors are responsible for delegated work, must ensure supervisees are qualified and properly documented, and must not delegate tasks outside the supervisee’s competence.
- Renewal is biennial and requires continuing education, including ethics; keep completion documentation available for audit.
Worked example
An applicant has an APA-accredited doctorate, passes the EPPP, and moves to Georgia. She begins seeing Georgia clients by telehealth under her former state license while her Georgia application is pending. That is unlicensed practice. Passing the EPPP satisfies only one requirement; she still needs the Board-required supervised experience, jurisprudence examination, and issued Georgia license-or valid PSYPACT authority if eligible. The reasoning: licensure is state-specific, and each statutory/regulatory requirement must be independently satisfied.
Traps that cost marks
- Treating the EPPP as a substitute for the jurisprudence exam or for supervised experience.
- Assuming APA accreditation alone proves licensure eligibility.
- Relying on an out-of-state license for telehealth into Georgia.
- Describing confidentiality as absolute instead of listing legal exceptions.
- Overlooking supervisory responsibility when a supervisee provides services.
- Using the title “psychologist” or advertising psychological services before licensure.
Key exam habit
When a fact pattern presents an applicant or licensee, identify the specific requirement or prohibition at issue, then check whether the person has Board authority before analyzing ethics or clinical issues.