Telepsychology CE Requirements Under PSYPACT: The Complete 2026 Guide for Practicing Psychologists
Sep 29, 2026
You obtained your E.Passport. You applied for and received your Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT). You began seeing clients across state lines. The work is going well. Then your renewal notice arrives—and you realize you have not completed the three hours of continuing education in the use of technology in psychology that PSYPACT requires annually.
This is not a hypothetical scenario. It is one of the most common compliance gaps among psychologists who practice under PSYPACT. The requirement is straightforward: three hours per year. But it is separate from—and in addition to—your home-state license CE. It must be specifically relevant to telepsychology or the use of technology in psychology. And it must be completed annually to renew both your E.Passport and your APIT.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to the PSYPACT telepsychology CE requirement: what it is, what counts, how it differs from home-state CE, when it must be completed, how to document it, and the practical strategies that prevent the compliance gaps that cost psychologists their authority to practice across state lines.
The Two-Step Credentialing Process and Where CE Fits In
To practice telepsychology under PSYPACT, a psychologist must complete a two-step process—first with ASPPB, then with the PSYPACT Commission.
Step 1: The ASPPB E.Passport
The E.Passport is issued by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). It requires:
A current, active psychology license based on a doctoral degree in at least one PSYPACT state
No disciplinary action listed on any psychology license
A doctoral degree in psychology from a program accredited by APA, CPA, or designated by the ASPPB/National Register Joint Designation Committee
Official transcripts sent to ASPPB from the degree-granting institution
Successful completion of the Examination for Professional Practice (EPPP) with a score meeting or exceeding the established ASPPB recommended passing score
Annual renewal with three (3) hours of continuing education relevant to the use of technology in psychology
The E.Passport application fee is $400. The annual renewal fee is $100.
The PSYPACT APIT
The Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) is granted by the PSYPACT Commission. It requires:
An active ASPPB E.Passport
A full, unrestricted license to practice psychology
Physical presence in the home state of licensure when delivering telepsychology services
Required attestations
The APIT fee is $40 (one-time). It must be renewed annually to practice under the authority of PSYPACT.
Where CE Fits
The three-hour CE requirement is tied specifically to the E.Passport renewal. The APIT renewal requires evidence of continued eligibility, including a current E.Passport. If your E.Passport lapses because you failed to complete the CE requirement, your APIT cannot be renewed, and you lose your authority to practice telepsychology across state lines.
This is the chain of compliance: CE → E.Passport renewal → APIT renewal → authority to practice across state lines.
Break the first link, and the entire chain collapses.
The Three-Hour Requirement — What It Is and What It Is Not
What the Requirement Says
The requirement is clear and consistent across ASPPB and PSYPACT Commission documentation: you must complete three hours of annual CE credit relevant to your use of technology in psychology.
The Continuing Education need for PSYPACT renewal includes 3 hours of continuing education relevant to the use of technology in psychology (CE may include academic courses and/or approved sponsor continuing education) annually.
What It Is Not
Several common misconceptions about the requirement deserve clarification.
It is not part of your home-state license CE. For psychologists, PSYPACT works differently than the Counseling Compact. Practicing telepsychology across PSYPACT states requires an ASPPB E.Passport, which must be renewed annually and carries its own CE: three hours of continuing education relevant to the use of technology in psychology (telepsychology), plus proof of an active license. That is in addition to—not instead of—your home-state license CE, so PSYPACT psychologists effectively carry a small recurring telehealth-CE obligation.
This is the critical distinction. Under the Counseling Compact, practitioners only need to complete CEUs for their home state. Under PSYPACT, the three-hour telepsychology CE is a separate requirement layered on top of your home-state CE obligations.
It is not an academic degree requirement. The CE may include academic courses and/or approved sponsor continuing education. You do not need to enroll in a university course. A three-hour workshop from an approved sponsor satisfies the requirement.
It is not optional. The requirement is a condition of E.Passport renewal. Failure to complete it means you cannot renew your E.Passport, which means you cannot renew your APIT, which means you lose your authority to practice telepsychology in PSYPACT states.
What Counts Toward the Three Hours
The requirement is specific: the CE must be "relevant to the use of technology in psychology." Not all CE qualifies.
Qualifying Content
The following topics would generally qualify as relevant to the use of technology in psychology:
Telepsychology fundamentals: Clinical considerations for delivering psychotherapy via video, including building therapeutic alliance, managing technology failures, and adapting interventions for virtual delivery.
Legal, ethical, and regulatory considerations: State licensure requirements, scope of practice across jurisdictions, HIPAA and data privacy, informed consent for telehealth, and emergency planning for clients in remote locations.
Interjurisdictional practice under PSYPACT: The specific requirements of the compact, APIT scope of practice, receiving state laws, and documentation expectations.
Technology-assisted assessment: Administration and interpretation of psychological tests via telehealth, including modifications and validity considerations.
Digital therapeutics and remote monitoring: Use of apps, wearables, and other digital tools in psychological practice.
Crisis response across state lines: Ensuring client safety when the client is located in a state where the psychologist is not physically present.
Documentation for telepsychology: Location documentation, consent documentation, and emergency planning documentation.
The specific areas that CE programs address in alignment with PSYPACT requirements include "ensuring client safety and crisis response across state lines" and "preserving treatment continuity, upholding clinical standards".
What May Not Qualify
General ethics CE, general clinical skills CE, or CE in a specialty area unrelated to technology would not qualify. The CE must have a direct connection to the use of technology in psychology. If you are unsure whether a program qualifies, consult the program provider or ASPPB.
Where to Find Qualifying CE
Several providers offer CE specifically designed to meet the PSYPACT three-hour requirement:
The Trust (APA Insurance Trust) offers a PSYPACT Bundle of six on-demand webinars. Any three of the six CEs earned from this bundle can be used to fulfill PSYPACT's three-hour CE requirement for your E.Passport renewal. The bundle is priced at $45. The Trust is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists and is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider.
The National Register of Health Service Psychologists offers "Telepsychology and Interjurisdictional Practice," a 3-hour workshop designed to meet PSYPACT and licensure renewal requirements. The National Register is approved by APA to sponsor continuing education and is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology.
The Telehealth Certification Institute offers PSYPACT telehealth CE courses designed to meet the telehealth CE requirement for E.Passport renewal under PSYPACT.
Impact CE offers nine courses that count toward ASPPB/PSYPACT renewal. Impact CE's distance-learning courses meet the continuing education requirements of ASPPB/PSYPACT.
State psychological associations often offer PSYPACT-specific workshops. For example, the Indiana Psychological Association offers "Telepsychology: Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Considerations Inside and Outside of PSYPACT" for 3.0 Hours of Category I CE credit.
The Trust's Telepsychology Competencies Credential program offers coursework that can earn a minimum of 22 CEs, and the CE earned from their Chats can be used to fulfill PSYPACT's 3-hour CE requirement for E.Passport renewal.
The Renewal Timeline — When to Complete the CE
Annual Renewal Cycle
Both the E.Passport and the APIT must be renewed annually. This is a yearly obligation, not a biennial one.
The E.Passport is renewed annually in PSY|PRO. The APIT is renewed annually to practice under the authority of PSYPACT. The APIT has a one-time fee of $40, but the renewal is an annual requirement.
CE Timing
The CE must be completed before the E.Passport renewal. There is no grace period. If you have not completed the three hours when you attempt to renew, you cannot renew. This means you cannot renew your APIT.
Practical implication: Set a recurring calendar reminder for 60 days before your E.Passport renewal date. Complete the CE then. Do not wait until you receive the renewal notice. Do not assume you will remember.
The Compounding Risk
The risk of missing the CE requirement is not merely administrative inconvenience. It is the loss of your authority to practice telepsychology across state lines. If you have an active caseload of clients in PSYPACT states, the loss of APIT means you cannot legally continue seeing them. You would need to refer them, transition them to a psychologist licensed in their state, or cease services. The clinical and ethical implications are significant.
PSYPACT CE vs. Counseling Compact CE — A Critical Distinction
Many psychologists also hold licenses or credentials in other behavioral health disciplines. It is essential to understand that the CE requirements under PSYPACT are different from those under the Counseling Compact.
Counseling Compact
Under a Counseling Compact privilege, "practitioners only need to complete CEUs for their home state," and "privileges will expire based on the home state license renewal cycle." You do not stack a second state's CE requirements on top just because you hold a privilege there.
PSYPACT
For psychologists, PSYPACT works differently. The three-hour telepsychology CE is in addition to your home-state license CE, not instead of it. PSYPACT psychologists "effectively carry a small recurring telehealth-CE obligation" that is separate from their home-state CE requirements.
Why the Distinction Matters
If you are a psychologist who also holds a counseling license, or if you are a counselor who is considering psychology licensure, you must not assume that the CE rules are the same across compacts. They are not. The Counseling Compact simplifies the CE obligation for counselors. PSYPACT adds a specific, recurring CE obligation for psychologists.
State-Specific CE Requirements That Interact with PSYPACT
The three-hour telepsychology CE is a PSYPACT requirement. But it does not exist in isolation. Your home-state license has its own CE requirements, some of which may include mandated topics. Some of those mandated topics may also satisfy the PSYPACT telepsychology requirement if the content is relevant to technology in psychology.
2026 State Mandated CE Topics
Several states have added or maintained mandated CE topics relevant to psychologists in 2026:
Suicide assessment. South Carolina requires at least one hour of CE in suicide assessment, treatment, and management for professional counselors, MFTs, social workers, and addiction counselors. California requires suicide risk assessment and intervention CE. Pennsylvania requires one hour of suicide risk assessment, treatment, and management every renewal.
Dementia. Illinois added a one-hour course on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias for LPCs and LCPCs, effective for the 2026 renewal cycle.
Ethics. Nearly every state requires ethics CE. In some states, the ethics requirement is three hours per renewal.
Telehealth. Some states have their own telehealth CE requirements. Alaska, for example, requires 5 hours of telehealth CE as part of its 40-hour biennial requirement.
The Intersection
If your state requires telehealth CE, that CE may also satisfy the PSYPACT telepsychology requirement—provided the content is relevant to the use of technology in psychology. If your state does not require telehealth CE, you still need to complete the PSYPACT three-hour requirement separately.
The safest approach is to select CE that satisfies both requirements simultaneously. A three-hour telepsychology workshop from an APA-approved sponsor will satisfy the PSYPACT requirement. If your state also accepts it for telehealth CE, you have satisfied both obligations with a single course.
Documentation and Audit Protection
What to Keep
Maintain documentation of your PSYPACT CE completion:
Certificates of completion for each CE program, showing the provider, title, date, and number of CE credits.
Provider approval information demonstrating that the provider is APA-approved or otherwise recognized by ASPPB.
A log tracking the CE completed for each renewal cycle, including the date of completion and the number of hours.
How Long to Keep Records
Retain CE documentation for at least the duration of the renewal cycle plus one additional cycle. If ASPPB or the PSYPACT Commission requests verification, you will need to produce the certificates.
What ASPPB Requires
The E.Passport renewal requires "demonstration of 3 hours of continuing education relevant to the use of technology in psychology." This means you must be able to demonstrate that you completed the CE. The mechanism for demonstration is typically the CE certificate from the approved provider.
The Audit Risk
If you are selected for an audit or if your renewal is questioned, you will need to produce documentation. Without it, you cannot demonstrate compliance. And without compliance, you cannot renew.
Practical Strategies for Compliance
Strategy 1: Bundle Your CE
Select a CE bundle that includes multiple telepsychology courses. The Trust's PSYPACT Bundle includes six webinars for $45. Three of the six CEs satisfy the PSYPACT requirement. The remaining three can be applied to other CE obligations or used for insurance premium discounts.
Strategy 2: Complete CE Early in the Renewal Cycle
Do not wait until the renewal notice arrives. Complete the three hours in the first quarter of your renewal cycle. This removes the risk of a last-minute compliance gap and ensures that if a course does not qualify or a certificate is lost, you have time to correct it.
Strategy 3: Align CE with Home-State Requirements
If your state requires telehealth CE, select a course that satisfies both requirements. If your state requires ethics CE, check whether a telepsychology ethics course would satisfy both. The goal is to minimize redundant CE.
Strategy 4: Track in a Central Location
Maintain a single document or folder—physical or digital—that contains all CE certificates and a tracking log. Update it immediately after completing each course. Do not rely on memory or on the provider's records.
Strategy 5: Set Recurring Calendar Reminders
Set a reminder for 90 days before your E.Passport renewal date. Set a second reminder for 60 days before. Set a third for 30 days before. The cost of missing the deadline is too high to rely on a single reminder.
Strategy 6: Verify Provider Approval
Before enrolling in a CE program, verify that the provider is approved by APA or otherwise recognized by ASPPB. Not all CE providers are approved. A course from a non-approved provider may not satisfy the requirement, regardless of its content.
FAQ
How many CE hours do I need for PSYPACT renewal?
You need three hours of continuing education relevant to the use of technology in psychology annually. This is required to renew your E.Passport, which is required to renew your APIT, which is required to practice telepsychology across PSYPACT states.
Is the PSYPACT CE requirement separate from my home-state license CE?
Yes. For psychologists, PSYPACT works differently than the Counseling Compact. The three-hour telepsychology CE is in addition to—not instead of—your home-state license CE. You effectively carry a separate recurring telehealth-CE obligation.
What counts as CE relevant to the use of technology in psychology?
Qualifying content includes telepsychology fundamentals, legal and ethical considerations for telehealth, interjurisdictional practice under PSYPACT, technology-assisted assessment, digital therapeutics, crisis response across state lines, and documentation for telepsychology. General ethics or clinical skills CE that is not connected to technology would not qualify.
Where can I find CE that satisfies the PSYPACT requirement?
Providers include The Trust (PSYPACT Bundle, $45 for six webinars), the National Register of Health Service Psychologists (3-hour Telepsychology and Interjurisdictional Practice workshop), the Telehealth Certification Institute, Impact CE, and state psychological associations. Verify that the provider is APA-approved or otherwise recognized by ASPPB.
When must I complete the CE?
The CE must be completed before your annual E.Passport renewal. There is no grace period. If you have not completed the three hours when you attempt to renew, you cannot renew, and you cannot renew your APIT. Set recurring calendar reminders for 90, 60, and 30 days before your renewal date.
Conclusion
The PSYPACT telepsychology CE requirement is small—three hours per year—but it is not optional. It is the condition on which your E.Passport renewal depends. Your E.Passport renewal is the condition on which your APIT renewal depends. Your APIT renewal is the condition on which your authority to practice across state lines depends.
The requirement is clear. The qualifying content is well-defined. The providers are available. The only variable is whether you will treat the obligation with the seriousness it demands.
Complete the CE early in your renewal cycle. Bundle it with other requirements where possible. Track it centrally. Set reminders. Verify provider approval. And document everything.
The three hours are a small price for the ability to serve clients across state lines. Pay it on time, every year, and protect the authority you worked to obtain.
References
If you’re ready to spend less time on documentation and more on therapy, get started with a free trial today
Not medical advice. For informational use only.
Outline
More articles
