State-by-State Guide for Speech Pathology License Requirements

If you’re on the path to becoming a speech pathologist, you need to know the educational and work experience requirements, fees, and where to find your state’s SLP license application and other resources. This guide offers general information about the licensing process and provides links to each state’s licensing board.

Who Sets the License Requirements for Speech Pathologists?

There is no single nationally accepted SLP license; each state has its own requirements for speech pathology licensure. Every state has a board with experienced practitioners or a licensing department that evaluates your education and experience to ensure you meet the state’s requirements and issues the SLP license.

State SLP License Requirements

Although each state determines SLP candidates’ eligibility, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), a nationwide credentialing association, offers the nationally recognized Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). Though it is not required in all states to earn an SLP license, many states require this certificate for licensure. The requirements necessary for the CCC-SLP sometimes exceed general state licensing criteria.

According to ASHA, to qualify for a CCC-SLP, candidates must:

• Hold a post-baccalaureate graduate degree (e.g., master’s or doctoral) in speech-language pathology from a program that is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) (or holds CAA candidacy status)
• Meet a minimum number of graduate semester credit hours that includes academic coursework and supervised clinical experience
• Demonstrate knowledge of:
  • Human communication and swallowing processes
  • Principles of basic and applied research and research design
  • Statistics
  • Biological, physical and social/behavioral sciences
  • Contemporary professional issues such as educational legal requirements or policies and ASHA practice policies and guidelines
  • Standards of ethical conduct
  • Oral and written communication
• Fulfill a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience, including 25 hours of guided observation and 375 hours of direct client/patient contact
• Obtain a passing score of 162 on the national Praxis exam in speech-language pathology
• Complete a post-graduate Clinical Fellowship of at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours (or the part-time equivalent)

Even if your state does not require the CCC-SLP, you may find that qualifying for the CCC-SLP meets most individual state requirements, such as:

• A master’s degree in speech-language pathology (or equivalent graduate degree) from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) or holding CAA candidacy status
• A specified number of supervised clinical practicum hours (often aligned with ASHA’s 400-hour requirement)
• Completion of a clinical fellowship
• A passing score on the Praxis exam

Explore SLP Licensing by State

Every state and the District of Columbia requires speech pathology licensure to become a speech pathology professional. States fall into one of three classifications when assessing an applicant’s credentials:

Some states also expect candidates to pass the jurisprudence exam, which tests one’s knowledge of that state’s rules and regulations for speech-language pathology.

• States that mandate the CCC-SLP for licensure
• States that accept the CCC-SLP in place of an independent review of a candidate’s education and experience
• States that require standards equivalent to those of the CCC-SLP, but do not accept the CCC-SLP itself as a qualification

The following list contains links to the licensing boards or agencies for speech pathologists in each state.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Online education is a convenient and attainable way to further your education and advance your career. Find out which speech pathology master’s program is right for you today.

Information last updated: February 2026