Licensure of psychologists
Wis. Stat. § 455.04
in effect(1) Subject to s. 455.09, the examining board shall grant a psychologist license to an individual who submits an application for the license, pays the fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9), and satisfies all of the following requirements:
(a) Be at least 18 years of age.
(b) Subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, not have a conviction record.
(c) Hold a doctoral degree in psychology from a program accredited by an organization approved by the examining board, or have had other academic training that the examining board determines to be substantially equivalent on the basis of standards established by rule. The examining board may require examinations to determine the equivalence of training for individuals holding doctoral degrees in psychology from non-American universities.
(d) Complete at least 3,000 hours of supervised graduate-level experience in the practice of psychology under conditions satisfactory to the examining board and established by rule. Supervised hours shall consist of all of the following:
1. At least 1,500 hours of experience in a successfully completed internship, which shall be accrued after the completion of all doctoral level coursework.
2. At least 1,500 hours of experience consisting of any combination of the following, as established by the examining board by rule:
a. Pre-internship hours that occur after the completion of the first year of the doctoral program or at any time while in a doctoral program after the completion of a master’s degree in psychology or its equivalent, as defined by the examining board by rule.
b. Hours accrued in the internship described in subd. 1. that are in excess of the 1,500 hours required under subd. 1.
c. Post-internship hours accrued after the completion of the internship under subd. 1., but before the conferral of the doctoral degree.
d. Postdoctoral hours obtained after the conferral of the doctoral degree.
(e) Pass the examination under s. 455.045 (1) (a).
(f) Pass the examination under s. 455.045 (1) (b).
(2) Subject to s. 455.09, the examining board shall grant an interim psychologist license to an individual who submits an application for the license, pays the fee specified under s. 440.05 (6), and satisfies the requirements for a license under sub. (1) (a) to (c), (d) 1., and (f). An individual licensed under this subsection may provide psychological services only under the supervision of qualified supervisors, as determined by the examining board.
(3) The examining board may waive the requirements of sub. (1) (c) to (e) if an applicant holds a certificate or license of an examining board of some other state or territory or foreign country or province, if the standards of such other examining board are deemed by the members of this examining board to be substantially equivalent to the standards of this state.
(4) An individual who, on May 31, 2021, held a valid private practice school psychologist license under s. 455.04 (4), 2019 stats., may continue to renew that license as provided in s. 455.06. The examining board may not grant any initial private practice school psychologist license on the basis of an application received on or after June 1, 2021.
(5) Applicants for licensure under this section may be required to appear before the examining board in person prior to licensure to allow the examining board to make such inquiry of them as to qualifications and other matters as it considers proper.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/455.04Fetched: 10/7/2026