California Psychologist CE Requirements

California psychologists are required to complete 36 hours of approved continuing education during each 2-year licensure period.

Yes! California psychologists can complete up to 27 hours of the CE requirement during each two-year licensure period through independent study courses offered by providers approved by the American Psychological Association (“APA”). CE4Less is approved by the APA to sponsor continuing education for psychologists, and CE4Less’ courses are accepted by California as approved continuing education credit.

For those psychologists taking one-time prelicensure courses, there are no restrictions on how many hours may be taken from CE4Less!

Our Unlimited Plan is a great option for psychologists who want to satisfy all their continuing education requirements for one low price!  Check out our options here.

California psychology licenses must be renewed every two years. Licenses expire two years from their date of issuance.

During each two-year renewal cycle, California psychologists must complete:

• 4 hours in Law and Ethics, and
• 4 hours in Cultural Diversity and/or Social Justice

CE4Less has courses that satisfy these requirements (linked above). While the California Board of Psychology no longer prescribes a specific course in law and ethics, giving psychologists flexibility in how they certify that they have met this requirement, CE4Less makes it easy to ensure that you have met your requirements with our law and ethics course specifically designed for California mental health professionals.

Additionally, effective January 1, 2020, all applicants and current licensees must satisfy a one-time requirement of completing at least 6 hours in suicide risk assessment and intervention.

Please contact the California Board of Psychology at (866) 503-3221, see their website (available here), or see the Board of Behavioral Sciences rules related to psychologist licensure for additional information about your license or renewal requirements.

Psychologist applicants

Full details for the requirements for California psychologist applicants pre-licensure requirements can be found here.

15 hours of Alcohol/Chemical Dependency Detection and Treatment must be completed at an academic institution and cannot be met through CE4Less.com.

Applicants can take the following required pre-licensure course work through CE4Less.com:

• 6 hours in Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention
• 7 hours in Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting in California
• 10 hours in Human Sexuality
  • Human Sexuality Across the Lifespan (3 hours)
  • Fertility and Sexual Health Interviews (3 hours)
  • Sexuality in Context and Sexually Transmitted Infections (3 hours)
  • Sexual Disorders and Sex Therapy (1 hour)
• 6 hours in Aging and Long Term Care
• 15 hours in Spousal/Partner Abuse Assessment, Detection, and Intervention