Continuing Education

***The Board does not pre-approve CE courses or providers.***

Basic Requirements

A licensee must earn at least 40 CE credits completed during the two-year period immediately preceding the renewal date. New licensees (licensed less than one year) are not required to complete any CE until after their first renewal. A licensee's CE reporting period is the same as their license renewal period.

Ethics CE

Licensees' CE must include at least 4 credits of professional ethics and/or Oregon State laws and regulations related to the practice of psychology for each reporting period. This is a continuous requirement.

Pain Management CE

Licensees' CE must include at least 1 credit of Pain Management education for each reporting period. Click here for more information.

Cultural Competency CE

Licensees must complete 4 hours of Cultural Competency CE within each reporting period. This is a continuous requirement. Click here for more information.

Suicide Risk Assessment, Treatment and Management CE

Licensees must complete 2 hours of Suicide Risk Assessment, Treatment and Management within each reporting period.

Forms

CE Audit Report - Required to keep track of CE. Maintain for your record, but do not submit unless you are audited.
Reading Log - Fillable form* required to track books and articles read from peer reviewed journals claimed for CE credit. (Non-fillable form)
Study Group Form - This template is used for keeping record of study group meetings.
* Some computer settings will block fillable forms. If this happens, please contact your IT provider, or try our non-fillable versions. It is recommended that you save these forms to your computer, and type in your entries as you complete CE. These forms will allow you to save your work.

CE Overview

This guidance is meant to supplement, not replace, the Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) Ch. 858 Div. 40.

License Renewal Q&A

Q1. How do I know when my next renewal is due?
A1. Renewal is due by the expiration date of your license, which is the last day of your birth month every two years. Even-numbered licensees renew in odd years, and odd-numbered licensees renew in even years. If you are unsure, you may look up your information in the online License Search.

Q2. How do I renew my license?
A2. Visit the Renew a License webpage.

Q3. I’m on inactive status. Do I need to report CE?
A3. No. If you’re switching to inactive status at renewal, or continuing on inactive status, your online renewal will skip the CE section. However, please note that you will need to report CE if you wish to reactivate your license.

Basic CE Requirements

Active and Semi-Active licensees must complete at least 40 continuing education (CE) credits during each biennial renewal period, including at least:

4 hours of professional ethics and/or Oregon State laws and regulations related to the practice of psychology,
4 hours of cultural competency, and
1 hour of pain management.

New licenses do not need to complete any CE until their first full renewal period begins. In other words, no CE is required from the time of initial licensure up to the first renewal due date.
Documentation for CE activities must be kept for at least 2 years after the end of your reporting period.

WHEN to Report CE

CE credits are reported at renewal.
Generally, courtesy renewal notices are emailed 45 and 30 days prior to the due date.
The online renewal via the Licensee Portal contains a “Continuing Education” section for you to attest to the CE credits that you completed during the prior CE period.
You will only need to submit your CE audit report and documentation (certificates of completion) if you are selected for a random audit.

For Odd-Numbered Licenses:

2026 Renewals

Birth Month	CE Period (2 Years)	Renewal Due Date
January	2/1/24 - 1/31/26	1/31/26
February	3/1/24 - 2/28/26	2/28/26
March	4/1/24 - 3/30/26	3/30/26
April	5/1/24 - 4/30/26	4/30/26
May	6/1/24 - 5/31/26	5/31/26
June	7/1/24 - 6/30/26	6/30/26
July	8/1/24 - 7/31/26	7/31/26
August	9/1/24 - 8/31/26	8/31/26
September	10/1/24 - 9/30/26	9/30/26
October	11/1/24 - 10/31/26	10/31/26
November	12/1/24 - 11/30/26	11/30/26
December	1/1/25 - 12/31/26	12/31/26

2028 Renewals

Birth Month	CE Period (2 Years)	Renewal Due Date
January	2/1/26 - 1/31/28	1/31/28
February	3/1/26 - 2/28/28	2/28/28
March	4/1/26 - 3/30/28	3/30/28
April	5/1/26 - 4/30/28	4/30/28
May	6/1/26 - 5/31/28	5/31/28
June	7/1/26 - 6/30/28	6/30/28
July	8/1/26 - 7/31/28	7/31/28
August	9/1/26 - 8/31/28	8/31/28
September	10/1/26 - 9/30/28	9/30/28
October	11/1/26 - 10/31/28	10/31/28
November	12/1/26 - 11/30/28	11/30/28
December	1/1/27 - 12/31/28	12/31/28

For Even-Numbered Licenses:

2025 Renewals

Birth Month	CE Period (2 Years)	Renewal Due Date
January	2/1/23 - 1/31/25	1/31/25
February	3/1/23 - 2/28/25	2/28/25
March	4/1/23 - 3/30/25	3/30/25
April	5/1/23 - 4/30/25	4/30/25
May	6/1/23 - 5/31/25	5/31/25
June	7/1/23 - 6/30/25	6/30/25
July	8/1/23 - 7/31/25	7/31/25
August	9/1/23 - 8/31/25	8/31/25
September	10/1/23 - 9/30/25	9/30/25
October	11/1/23 - 10/31/25	10/31/25
November	12/1/23 - 11/30/25	11/30/25
December	1/1/24 - 12/31/25	12/31/25

2027 Renewals

Birth Month	CE Period (2 Years)	Renewal Due Date
January	2/1/25 - 1/31/27	1/31/27
February	3/1/25 - 2/28/27	2/28/27
March	4/1/25 - 3/30/27	3/30/27
April	5/1/25 - 4/30/27	4/30/27
May	6/1/25 - 5/31/27	5/31/27
June	7/1/25 - 6/30/27	6/30/27
July	8/1/25 - 7/31/27	7/31/27
August	9/1/25 - 8/31/27	8/31/27
September	10/1/25 - 9/30/27	9/30/27
October	11/1/25 - 10/31/27	10/31/27
November	12/1/25 - 11/30/27	11/30/27
December	1/1/26 - 12/31/27	12/31/27

WHAT Counts as CE

The Board does not pre-approve CE. It is the obligation of each licensee to select a course of study that contributes to his or her professional competence as a licensed psychologist (associate). Fulfillment of CE requirements is one necessary vehicle for maintaining competence in professional practice and for assuring a high standard of psychological services to the public. The responsibility for substantiating that a particular program meets the requirements rests solely with the licensee. To qualify for CE credit, a program must meet the program prerequisites, be a listed qualifying program category, and meet all other CE requirements.

Program Prerequisites: Acceptable continuing education must be a learning activity that contributes directly to the professional competence of the licensee. All activities must meet the following qualifying criteria:

The subject matter must deal primarily with substantive psychological issues, skills or laws, rules and ethical standards related to your role as a psychologist or psychologist associate.
The program must be conducted by a qualified instructor or discussion leader whose background, training, education or experience makes it appropriate for the person to make a presentation or lead a discussion on the subject matter.
The program must provide a record of attendance, such as a certificate of completion. See below for more on what constitutes acceptable documentation of completion.

Qualifying Program Categories:

Substantive professional development programs of recognized mental health organizations. (Q)
Courses taken at accredited universities or colleges. (A)
Formally organized work place educational programs. (Q)
Formally organized study groups of least two other mental health professionals in attendance. (S)
Internet and tele-courses (home study). (H)
Authoring published articles or books on substantive psychological issues. (P)
Lecturer: Paid or unpaid service as an instructor, discussion leader, or speaker on substantive psychological issues. Credit is allowed only for the first time a course is taught. (L)
Oregon Board of Psychology member or committee volunteer service. (V)
Ethics Committee meetings of professional associations. (Q)
Formal trainings on office records organization, records maintenance and security procedures, or billing software instruction. (Q)
Reading books or articles from peer-reviewed journals (home study). (H)

How to Calculate CE Credits: One actual hour attended = One credit.

Lecturer credit: One hour of presentation time = one credit, plus you may count up to two hours of preparation time for every one hour of presentation. So, one hour of lecture can qualify for up to three credits total.
Published material: the reasonable time spent creating the content of the article or book.
University or college courses: one classroom hour completed = one credit.
Reading: four peer-reviewed journal articles or 100 book pages = one credit.

Categorical limitations for each reporting period:

Maximum of 20 credits for home study (H) and study group (S) combined.
Maximum of 20 credits for lecturer (L) and published material (P) combined.
Maximum of 4 credits for reading up to 16 peer-reviewed articles or 400 book pages.

What does NOT Count as CE

Examples of what does not qualify:

Yoga, Pilates, or massage courses
General health, nutrition, physical fitness or exercise
Self-defense, martial arts, Aikido
Marketing, investments, and practice building strategies
Word processing computer skills
CPR or first aid training courses
Providing supervision/consultation to another person
Receiving supervision/consultation from another person
Regular staff meetings
Presentations, trainings, or therapy with current or prospective clients
Blogs, vlogs, or podcasts
Security procedures not related to psychology records (e.g. CJIS)
Attending public meetings
Therapies not widely recognized as within the scope of practice of psychology
Trainings on other states’ laws or rules
Serving as a consultant to an individual or organization
Facilitating group supervision sessions
Self-help courses that are not substantive psychology
Preparing for a licensure or certification exam

HOW to Document CE

CE Audit Report Form: You will only submit this form if you are selected for an audit; however, it is highly recommended that you update the form as you complete CE to help you track your compliance with the requirements. Make sure you have the most recent version of this form, available on the OBOP website.

Evidence of Completion: Must be retained for a minimum of two years after the reporting period. Unless otherwise stated below, a Certificate of Attendance constitutes evidence of completion. Your documentation needs to show the qualified instructor(s)’s name and degree, date, start and end time, and subject matter of the program.

University or college courses: a copy of the transcript showing satisfactory completion of the course.
Formally organized study groups: A copy of the meeting record. The study group must prepare and preserve a syllabus of meeting dates and study topics in advance, and keep a record of each meeting that includes the names of the participants present, the subject matter and references which relate to any written material utilized. [See form on website]
Supervision or Consultation: copies of cancelled checks or a signed verification by the psychologist providing services. Credit may not be claimed for this activity 4/1/20 or later.
Authoring published material or reading books or journal articles: a copy of pertinent pages of the material showing the article/chapter title, book/journal name, author(s), and date of publication.
Lecturer: documentation must show the licensee’s name as the lecturer, date, start and end time, and subject matter.

Instructor: A copy of the course syllabus and/or faculty contract.
Discussion Leader or Speaker: A copy of the conference brochure, workshop flier, program schedule or signed verification from the sponsor.

Optional: for up to 8 hours of credit only, you may substitute a copy of a paid receipt showing your name as the payor, along with a conference brochure, workshop flier or program schedule, for the certificate of completion.

The licensee is responsible for documenting the acceptability of a program and the validity of credit, and should maintain program brochures, fliers, syllabi and other documentation in addition to certificates of completion.

Annual CE Audit

Every year, the Board randomly audits eligible licensees who renewed during the prior year for CE compliance. Even-numbered licensees are up for audit in even years, and odd-numbered licensees are up for audit in odd years. Selected licensees are notified by letter and required to submit within 60 days their CE audit report and evidence of completion for CE activities completed during their prior two-year renewal period. Licensees are notified and given 30 days to submit any missing documentation or to correct an incomplete audit report form.

The audit report must contain the following mandatory fields. Incomplete sections will result in a letter requesting the missing information. Failure to provide complete information for a program will result in rejection of credits claimed.

The activity title. List each session separately for multi-session or multi-day activities such as conferences. For publications, list the name of the publication.
Dates attended (month, day & year). For publications, list the date of publication.
Sponsor. The name of the organization sponsoring the program. For publications, list the name of the publisher.
Qualified instructor or discussion leader’s full name and degree. For publications, this is you and any co-authors. For some home study courses, this is the author of the material.
Type Code. Refer to the audit report form for code descriptions. These identify the type of program for which you are claiming credit.
Hours claimed.

Failure to Comply: A penalty will be assessed for late or deficient reports. Continued failure to respond may result in license suspension. Deficiencies revealed during the audit are reviewed by the full Board to determine whether there is a violation and any proposed sanction.

CE Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the CE requirement for a semi-active licensee?

A1. It is the same as for an active licensee. An inactive licensee is not required to complete any CE because they are not practicing.

Q2. I completed more than the required amount of CE this period. Can I count some of the credits towards next period?

A2. No. CE is credited only for the renewal period in which it is completed. Credits cannot be pushed forward or backwards between periods.

Q3. I am newly licensed, and completed some CE during my grace period. Can I count this towards my first renewal period?

A3. No. You may begin counting CE completed once your first renewal period begins. See also Q2., above.

Q4. What can be counted as Ethics?

A4. Licensees must complete at least four credits of professional ethics and/or Oregon State laws and regulations related to the practice of psychology during each reporting period.

Professional ethics are the standards and principles that guide the professional practice of psychology. As you know, the code of conduct for psychologists in Oregon is the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct (2002). This includes a broad array of topics such as boundaries of competence (ES 2.01), multiple relationships (ES 3.05), and informed consent to assessments/therapy (ES 9.03/10.01).
Oregon State laws and regulations education must be related to the practice of psychology. This includes topics such as psychotherapist-patient privilege (ORS 40.230), reporting of child abuse (ORS 419B.005 – 419B.055), and protected health information (ORS 192.553 – 192.581). Note that topics related to federal laws or regulations (e.g. HIPAA) may qualify as general CE but do not qualify as ethics.
Your required 4 hours does not necessarily have to be labeled “ethics” to qualify. A program entirely dedicated to a particular ethics or Oregon law topic, for example “Avoiding Conflicts of Interest” or “Mandatory Reporting in Oregon” may be counted in the ethics category.
On the other hand, just because a program title may contain adverbs such as “ethically” does not mean it is an ethics course. All substantive psychology courses will contain some aspect of the ethics code; however, ethics needs to be the primary subject matter of the course to qualify as an ethics course. A program that covers an ethics topic for a portion of its agenda may be counted towards as ethics based on the actual hours of the program dedicated to ethics.
Be sure that the acceptability of the program is adequately documented (i.e. clearly labeled in a syllabus, program agenda or certificate of attendance). If your course is not clearly ethics, you will likely be asked for additional documentation during an audit.

Q5. What is home study?

A5. Home study includes internet courses and online presentations (including online programs provided by your place of employment), and reading articles from peer-reviewed journals. Keep in mind the categorical limitations for these types of programs.

Q6. I completed a webinar- does that have to count in the “home study” category?

A6. Yes- unless it's in real time and interactive, meaning you can communicate with the presenter and other attendees, as if you were physically present at a presentation. Just a pre-recorded lecture, or listening to someone real time that you can't interact back with, would be "home study."

Q7. I completed most of my home study course during one CE reporting period, but did not finish it until the next reporting period. In which period do I count it?

A7. The date listed on your certificate of completion reflects the correct reporting period in which to claim credit, regardless of when you purchased or completed work towards the course.

Q8. I authored a published article. How do I calculate my hours if I worked on the article during more than one renewal period?

A8. For publisher credit, you claim the entire credit during the renewal period in which the article is published, even if most or all of the work occurred in a prior renewal period.

LECTURER?

Q9. Does the program’s “qualified instructor or discussion leader” need to be a licensed psychologist?

A9. No. Licensees will need to use their best professional judgment when considering the person’s education, experience, and credentials to determine whether that person qualified to present on the particular subject matter. Generally speaking, the person should have earned a degree in a mental health or related field.

Q10. I taught a graduate course in psychology at the university during my last renewal period, but did not claim it for CE credit. I’m teaching the same course again, so can I claim it during this period?

A10. No, a course may only be counted the first time it is taught, regardless of whether you have ever claimed it in the past. If you can demonstrate that the program content was substantially changed, and that such change required significant additional study or research, then you may count a repeat course. Just updates in the reading material or schedule do not qualify. You would need to submit a detailed written explanation, copies of the prior and current syllabi, and any other documentation showing the work.

Q11. The organization that employs me as a staff psychotherapist sponsors formally organized educational programs for all employees. May I count these?

A11. Yes, but only if the course meets the program prerequisites as spelled out above (qualifying subject matter, instructor, and record of attendance).

Q12. My employer requires that all employees take a four-hour online course on "Safety in the Workplace" that has a section dealing with combative patients. Can I count this for CE credit?

A12. Unless the course deals primarily with substantive psychological issues, it cannot be counted. A "section" on a psychological topic does not meet the criteria of dealing primarily with substantive psychological issues.

Q13. For the past several years I have been counting a course on data entry updates sponsored annually by my employer. A colleague told me that I can't count this as part of my CE since it is not a psychological topic. Is this correct?

A13. Your colleague is correct. General computer and technology-related courses, even if sponsored by your employer and required for all employees, cannot be counted as continuing education for psychology. Note that a formal training on psychological records maintenance or billing software instruction may count. Past non-compliant credits that were not flagged or audited do not establish precedent and may not be claimed in future CE periods.

Q14. Can I count the same course twice?

A14. No, not within the same reporting period, unless you can show the course content was substantially changed. It is your responsibility to maintain documentation to demonstrate this.

Q15. Can I ask for an exception to the CE requirement?

A15. The Board may only grant extensions or waivers to the CE requirements in cases of documented hardship. The request should be made as soon as practicable once you become aware of the hardship. The Board considers various factors in determining whether to approve exceptions and what type of extension should be given, including 1) the severity and duration of the hardship; 2) the reasonableness of the request for exemption; and 3) the licensee’s good faith effort to accumulate the appropriate amount of CE prior to the event which created the hardship. Please contact us for more information on how to make a request.

Q16. Can I assume that all prior CE categories/topics that I have submitted qualify as acceptable unless I was notified otherwise?

A16. Not necessarily. Typically, only an audit will reveal unacceptable CE submissions. If an audit identifies non-qualifying programs or other deficiencies, they cannot be approved even if the same categories or topics “made it through” in the past. It is important for licensees to review the rules and make sure that they submit only qualifying CE during each renewal period.

Q17. I moved offices and lost many of my CE certificates. What should I do?

A17. You should immediately take steps to locate copies (for example, electronically saved or sent version in your email archives) or obtain replacement certificates by contacting the program sponsor. It is best to take care of this right away so that you are not rushed in the event of an audit. Keep in mind that the Board conducts a random audit each year, in the year following your renewal.

Q18. May I take either a course on professional ethics or a course on Oregon law to meet the “ethics CE” requirement of OAR 858-040-0015(3)?

A18. Yes. Your four credits can cover ethics, law, rule, or a combination thereof.

Q19. Can I take a four-hour course covering the ethics of cultural competency, and have it count towards both the professional ethics requirement and the cultural competency training requirement?

A19. No. It is not acceptable to “double-dip.” Cultural competency training is a separate and distinct requirement. Licensees need 8 credits total- 4 dedicated specifically to ethics, and 4 dedicated specifically to cultural competency. There will often be overlap in the theme of any chosen course. If the primary subject matter of the program is cultural competency, as will typically reflected in the program title, then it should be claimed as a cultural competency course. As mentioned above, a program title containing adverbs like “ethically” does not make it an ethics course. Please visit our CCCE webpage for more information. Note: similarly, it is not acceptable to overlap a claim of pain management and ethics.

Q20. I am considering a course that is APA-approved. Doesn’t that automatically qualify?

A20. No. Firstly, this is a misnomer. The American Psychological Association (APA) approves sponsors of CE, but does not approve sponsors’ individual CE programs. You still need to ensure that the course meets the Board’s program prerequisites, falls into a qualifying program category, and meets all other CE requirements. APA-approved sponsors frequently also offer education related to various other professions. For example, an APA-approved sponsor that is also approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration may offer a course on nutrition and vitamins, which is not qualifying psychology subject matter. Similarly, APA approval does not negate the requirement for a qualified instructor, sufficient certificate of attendance, home-study credit limitation, etc.

Q21. How do I claim lecturer credit if I presented along with other professionals?

A21. You may only claim “L- Lecturer” credit for the time that you actually presented. For example, if you presented for only a half hour out of a one-hour presentation, you may claim lecturer for 0.5 credits plus up to a maximum one credit preparation time, for a total of up to 1.5 credits. For the remainder of the presentation, you may claim credit the same way you would claim other types of credit, so long as you obtain the requisite documentation of attendance (a sufficient certificate of attendance).

Q22. Can I claim credit for reading books or journal articles that are older or peripheral to psychology?

A22. Remember, in order to qualify, the subject matter must be substantive psychological issues that directly contribute to your professional competence as a psychologist. This precludes obsolete/superseded methodologies, or “pop psychology” subjects that are not empirically based or peer reviewed.

Q23. What does it mean for my article or book to be “published”?

A23. To qualify for CE credit, an article must be published by a recognized professional or scholarly journal. A book must be published by a publishing company appropriate to the field of psychology. To self-publish an article or book on your own personal or practice website (or that of a colleague) does not meet this criterion.

Q24. Is it acceptable for my study group to consist of clinical case consultation?

A24. A group meeting whose primary purpose is case consultation (as opposed to an educational/didactic purpose) is not accepted for CE credit. There is some crossover when case studies are used as an educational approach, and in that case the aim of the meeting would still be educational (and thus would qualify). Another helpful distinction is that a qualifying study group prepares a study topic and selects educational aims and reading materials in advance. In terms of documentation, the group’s meeting minutes should be at a summary level, but must provide enough detail for a reviewer to determine that the meeting contained qualifying study group content and covered substantive psychological subject matter in an educational manner.

CE Audit

A random selection of even-numbered licensees (in even years) or odd-numbered licensees (in odd years) are audited for continuing education (CE) compliance. If you are selected, you will receive notice in the year following your CE period. Please see OAR 858-040-0026.

CE Audit Flowchart

For CE Providers

The Board does not pre-review or pre-approve continuing education programs. Therefore, it is not appropriate to advertise that any program has been approved by OBOP. However, you may state that a program is designed to meet OBOP's requirements. To qualify, the program must be a qualifying type (e.g., a substantive professional development program of a recognized mental health organization), and there are three basic requirements:

(a) The subject matter deals primarily with substantive psychological issues, skills or laws, rules and ethical standards related to one's role as a psychologist or psychologist associate.

(b) The program is conducted by a qualified instructor or discussion leader. A qualified instructor or discussion leader is a person whose background, training, education, or experience makes it appropriate for the person to make a presentation or lead a discussion on the subject matter; and

The record of attendance should contain, at minimum, the title and location of the program, the sponsor, the date and duration, and the name and degree of the qualified instructor.

Please refer to OAR Chapter 858, Division 40 for the full rule text.