What Is the EPPP? The Psychology Licensing Exam, Part 1 vs Part 2, and Who Needs Each

What the EPPP is for

The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) develops and owns the EPPP and provides it to the boards and colleges that license psychologists. Those licensing authorities use it as one part of deciding whether an applicant is ready for independent practice. Three things follow from that:

• It's a licensing step, not a course exam. You take it as part of an application for a psychologist license in a specific state, province or territory.
• Your board controls access. The EPPP Candidate Handbook says you must first apply for licensure, and the board approves you to test only if you meet its requirements.
• It's rarely the only requirement. The handbook says most boards supplement the EPPP with other requirements or assessments, so passing it doesn't by itself make you licensed.

The exam is given year-round on computer at Pearson VUE test centers. ASPPB's handbook counts more than 275 Pearson Professional Centers in the United States and Canada.

EPPP Part 1 vs Part 2 at a glance

Since 2020 the EPPP has had two parts. ASPPB's EPPP page says all 66 member jurisdictions require a passing score on Part 1, and some also require Part 2. ASPPB's own 2026 doctoral program report qualifies that: it notes that applicants for licensure in Puerto Rico and Quebec aren't required to take Part 1, and that those who did took it voluntarily. If you're applying in either, confirm the requirement with that board.

In ASPPB's words, Part 1 assesses general knowledge of psychology, intervention and assessment, while Part 2 assesses how you apply that knowledge to decisions in typical situations of independent practice. A French version exists for Part 1 only, and only for candidates whose licensing authority legally requires a French form. There's no French Part 2.

Passy's planned EPPP prep covers Part 1 only, down to a 225-question timed mock exam that mirrors the Part 1 sitting. For Part 2, use ASPPB's handbook (Appendix C lists its domains) and your board's instructions.

Who takes the EPPP, and when in training

ASPPB's handbook describes the typical candidate as someone who has earned a doctoral degree in psychology and completed a year of doctoral supervised experience and appropriate postdoctoral experience. Its Which Exam Should I Take? page adds the timing:

• Part 1: available after you've completed your academic degree and registered as a candidate for licensure. ASPPB recommends taking it as soon as possible after finishing academic training, while foundational knowledge is fresh.
• Part 2, where required: ASPPB recommends taking it only after you've completed all the supervised experience your jurisdiction requires.

Those are ASPPB's descriptions and recommendations. The rules that bind you are your board's: each of the 66 boards sets its own licensure requirements and decides when you're eligible to test. That's why searches like "when can you take the EPPP in California" have no national answer, and why the question of master's-level candidates also goes to the board.

How to find out what your board requires for the EPPP

Before you study a single flashcard, get four answers from the board where you'll apply for licensure. ASPPB keeps a board contact directory.

1. When am I eligible to sit for Part 1? Ask what must be complete first: degree, coursework, supervised hours.
2. Do you require Part 2? If so, it's a second exam, a second approval and a second fee after you pass Part 1.
3. What passing standard do you use for my license type? ASPPB's handbook says all licensing authorities currently accept its recommended 500 for independent practice on Part 1, with some variation for supervised practice. The EPPP passing score guide explains the scale.
4. What else is required? Other exams or assessments, documentation, and how long your approval to test lasts.

Once you're approved, registration runs through ASPPB's Clarus portal and Pearson VUE. The EPPP registration guide walks through each step and fee.

What EPPP Part 1 covers

ASPPB's current content areas, based on its 2017 job task analysis, split Part 1 into eight weighted areas:

The areas break down into 71 knowledge statements, from psychopharmacology to research ethics. That breadth, not any single topic, is what makes Part 1 demanding; the EPPP study plan turns the weights into a schedule, and planned EPPP prep with 1,350 practice questions across all eight content areas follows the same outline.

How the integrated EPPP changes this in fall 2027

ASPPB is replacing the two-part model with one integrated EPPP that assesses knowledge and skills together. As of October 27, 2026, its beta-test article and May 2026 update say:

• Part 1 and Part 2 stay available to all approved candidates until the integrated EPPP goes live in fall 2027. ASPPB hasn't published an exact day.
• After the launch, first-time candidates take the integrated EPPP: 175 scored and 40 pretest questions, up to 5 hours, six domains.
• Candidates who failed Part 1 or Part 2 before the launch may retake that part through March 31, 2028. From April 1, 2028, the integrated EPPP is the only version, with a $650 exam fee.

So the exam described above is the one most candidates testing before late 2027 will sit. The EPPP 2027 guide explains who takes which version, including the March–April 2027 beta test.

A sensible first step toward the EPPP

Start with your board, because its answers decide your timeline. While you wait for approval, try the 20 free EPPP practice questions to see how Part 1 phrases foundational knowledge, then check the format guide so test day holds no surprises. When you know your likely test date, compare the planned 30-, 90- and 180-day EPPP access periods against it; checkout isn't open yet.