ARTICLE 3. Licenses [2532. - 2532.8.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 3.
in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532. Section 2532.

No person shall engage in the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology or represent themselves as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist unless they are licensed in accordance with this chapter.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532.1. Section 2532.1.

(a) Each person desiring to obtain a license shall make application to the board, upon a form as prescribed by the board. (b) A separate license shall be granted in both speech-language pathology and audiology. An applicant may be granted both licenses upon successful completion of the requirements for both licenses.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532.2. Section 2532.2.

Except as required by Section 2532.25, to be eligible for licensure by the board as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, the applicant shall possess all of the following qualifications: (a) Possess at least a master’s degree in speech-language pathology or audiology from an educational institution approved by the board or qualifications deemed equivalent by the board. (b) (1) Submit evidence of the satisfactory completion of supervised clinical practice with individuals representative of a wide spectrum of ages and communication disorders. The board shall establish by regulation the required number of clock hours, not to exceed 375 clock hours, of supervised clinical practice necessary for the applicant. (2) The clinical practice shall be under the direction of an educational institution approved by the board. (c) Submit evidence of no less than 36 weeks of satisfactorily completed supervised professional full-time experience or 72 weeks of professional part-time experience obtained under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist or a speech-language pathologist or audiologist having qualifications deemed equivalent by the board. This experience shall be evaluated and approved by the board. The required professional experience shall follow completion of the requirements listed in subdivisions (a) and (b). Full time is defined as at least 36 weeks in a calendar year and a minimum of 30 hours per week. Part time is defined as a minimum of 72 weeks and a minimum of 15 hours per week. (d) (1) Pass an examination or examinations approved by the board. The board shall determine the subject matter and scope of the examinations and may waive the examination upon evidence that the applicant has successfully completed an examination approved by the board. Written examinations may be supplemented by oral examinations as the board shall determine. An applicant who fails their examination may be reexamined at a subsequent examination upon payment of the reexamination fee required by this chapter. (2) A speech-language pathologist or audiologist who holds a license from another state or territory of the United States or who holds equivalent qualifications as determined by the board and who has completed no less than one year of full-time continuous employment as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist within the past three years is exempt from the supervised professional experience in subdivision (c). (e) As applied to licensure as an audiologist, this section shall apply to applicants who graduated from an approved educational institution on or before December 31, 2007.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532.3. Section 2532.3.

(a) Upon approval of an application filed pursuant to Section 2532.1, and upon the payment of the fee prescribed by subdivision (i) of Section 2534.2, the board may issue a temporary license for a period of six months from the date of issuance to a speech-language pathologist or audiologist who holds an unrestricted license from another state or territory of the United States or who holds equivalent qualifications as determined by the board and has made application to the board for a license in this state. (b) A temporary license shall terminate upon notice thereof by certified mail, return receipt requested, if it is issued by mistake or if the application for permanent licensure is denied. (c) Upon written application, the board may reissue a temporary license to any person who has applied for a regular renewable license pursuant to Section 2532.1, and who, in the judgment of the board, has been excusably delayed in completing their application or the minimum requirements for a regular license. The board may not reissue a temporary license more than twice to any one person.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532.4. Section 2532.4.

(a) The board may direct applicants to be examined for knowledge in whatever theoretical or applied fields in speech-language pathology or audiology it deems appropriate. It may examine the applicant with regard to their professional skills and their judgment in the utilization of speech-language pathology or audiology techniques and methods. (b) The examination may be written or oral or both. The examination shall be given at least once a year at the time and place and under such supervision as the board may determine. The board shall determine what shall constitute a passing grade. (c) The board shall keep an accurate recording of any oral examination and keep the recordings as well as any written examination as part of its records for at least two years following the date of examination.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532.6. Section 2532.6.

(a) The Legislature recognizes that the education and experience requirements of this chapter constitute only minimal requirements to assure the public of professional competence. The Legislature encourages all professionals licensed and registered by the board under this chapter to regularly engage in continuing professional development and learning that is related and relevant to the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology. (b) The board shall not renew any license or registration pursuant to this chapter unless the applicant certifies to the board that they have completed in the preceding two years not less than the minimum number of continuing professional development hours established by the board pursuant to subdivision (c) for the professional practice authorized by their license or registration. (c) (1) The board shall prescribe the forms utilized for and the number of hours of required continuing professional development for persons licensed or registered under this chapter. (2) The board shall have the right to audit the records of any applicant to verify the completion of the continuing professional development requirements. (3) Applicants shall maintain records of completion of required continuing professional development coursework for a minimum of two years and shall make these records available to the board for auditing purposes upon request. (d) The board shall establish exceptions from the continuing professional development requirements of this section for good cause as defined by the board. (e) (1) The continuing professional development services shall be obtained from accredited institutions of higher learning, organizations approved as continuing education providers by either the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or the American Academy of Audiology, the California Medical Association’s Institute for Medical Quality Continuing Medical Education Program, or other entities or organizations approved as continuing professional development providers by the board, in its discretion. (2) No hours shall be credited for any course enrolled in by a licensee that has not first been approved and certified by the board, if the board has sufficient funding and staff resources to implement the approval and certification process. (3) The continuing professional development services offered by these entities may, but are not required to, utilize pretesting and posttesting or other evaluation techniques to measure and demonstrate improved professional learning and competency. (4) An accredited institution of higher learning, an organization approved as continuing education providers by either the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or the American Academy of Audiology, and the California Medical Association’s Institute for Medical Quality Continuing Education Program shall be exempt from any application or registration fees that the board may charge for continuing education providers. (5) Unless a course offered by entities listed in paragraph (4) meets the requirements established by the board, the course may not be credited towards the continuing professional development requirements for license renewal. (6) The licensee shall be responsible for obtaining the required course completion documents for courses offered by entities specified in paragraph (1). (f) The board, by regulation, shall fund the administration of this section through professional development services provider and licensing fees to be deposited in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Fund. The fees related to the administration of this section shall be sufficient to meet, but shall not exceed, the costs of administering the corresponding provisions of this section. (g) The continuing professional development requirements adopted by the board shall comply with any guidelines for mandatory continuing education established by the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532.7. Section 2532.7.

(a) Upon approval of an application filed pursuant to Section 2532.1, and upon payment of the fee prescribed by Section 2534.2, the board may issue a required professional experience (RPE) temporary license for a period to be determined by the board to an applicant who is obtaining the required professional experience specified in subdivision (c) of Section 2532.2 or paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 2532.25. (b) Effective July 1, 2003, no person shall obtain the required professional experience for licensure in either an exempt or nonexempt setting, as defined in Section 2530.5, unless they are licensed in accordance with this section or are completing the final clinical externship of a board-approved audiology doctoral training program in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 2532.25 in another state. (c) A person who obtains an RPE temporary license outside the State of California shall not be required to hold a temporary license issued pursuant to subdivision (a) if the person is completing the final clinical externship of an audiology doctoral training program in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 2532.25. (d) Any experience obtained in violation of this act shall not be approved by the board. (e) An RPE temporary license shall terminate upon notice thereof by certified mail, return receipt requested, if it is issued by mistake or if the application for permanent licensure is denied. (f) Upon written application, the board may reissue an RPE temporary license for a period to be determined by the board to an applicant who is obtaining the required professional experience specified in subdivision (c) of Section 2532.2 or paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 2532.25.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532.8. Section 2532.8.

(a) The board shall, until January 1, 2027, deem a person who holds a valid Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Council for Clinical Certification to have met the educational and experience requirements set forth for speech-language pathologists in Section 2532.2. (b) The board shall, until January 1, 2027, deem a person who holds either a valid Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Council for Clinical Certification or a valid American Board of Audiology certificate issued by the American Academy of Audiology to have met the educational and experience requirements set forth for audiologists in Section 2532.2 and 2532.25. (c) If an applicant qualifying for licensure under this section has obtained any equivalent qualifications in violation of the laws and regulations governing the practices of speech-language pathology or audiology or has not met the requirements for licensure, the applicant shall correct the deficiency to qualify for licensure. If the deficiency is not cured within one year from the date of the deficiency notice, the application for licensure is deemed abandoned.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2532.25. Section 2532.25.

(a) An applicant seeking licensure as an audiologist shall possess a doctorate in audiology earned from an educational institution approved by the board. The board may, in its discretion, accept qualifications it deems to be equivalent to a doctoral degree in audiology. The board shall not, however, accept as equivalent qualifications graduation from a master’s program that the applicant was enrolled in on or after January 1, 2008. (b) In addition to meeting the qualifications specified in subdivision (a), an applicant seeking licensure as an audiologist shall do all of the following: (1) Submit evidence of the satisfactory completion of supervised clinical practice with individuals representative of a wide spectrum of ages and audiological disorders. The board shall establish by regulation the required number of clock hours of supervised clinical practice necessary for the applicant. The clinical practice shall be under the direction of an audiology doctoral program at an educational institution approved by the board. (2) Submit evidence of no less than 12 months of satisfactorily completed supervised professional full-time experience or its part-time equivalent obtained under the supervision of a licensed audiologist or an audiologist having qualifications deemed equivalent by the board. This experience shall be completed under the direction of an audiology doctoral program at an educational institution approved by the board. (3) Pass an examination or examinations approved by the board. The board shall determine the subject matter and scope of the examination or examinations and may waive an examination upon evidence that the applicant has successfully completed an examination approved by the board. Written examinations may be supplemented by oral examinations as the board shall determine. An applicant who fails an examination may be reexamined at a subsequent examination upon payment of the reexamination fee required by this chapter. (c) This section shall apply to applicants who graduate from an approved educational institution on and after January 1, 2008.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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