District of Columbia Licensing Requirements for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists

The information below is collected from state licensure boards or regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the professions of speech-language pathology and/or audiology. The information is reviewed on an annual basis. Please be advised that laws, regulations and policies may change at any time, so always check with your state for the most up-to-date information.

Initial Licensure

Audiology

Master's or doctoral degree in audiology from a recognized educational institution whose program is accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA), an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or an equivalent accrediting body as determined by the Board.
Complete a period of supervised experience. AuD candidates must complete 1,820 hours of clinical practice under general supervision. PhD or master's candidates shall complete a nine months, 30 hours per week, or the part-time equivalent of supervised experience within 2 years and complete it within 3 1/2 years. The Board may accept ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCCs) or American Board of Audiology certification as meeting the requirements for supervised experience.
Passage of a National Exam (Praxis II)

Note: Audiologists must have a certificate of registration to dispense hearing aids.

Speech-Language Pathology

Master's or doctoral degree in speech-language pathology from a recognized educational institution whose program is accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA); an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or an equivalent accrediting body as determined by the Board.
Clinical fellowship: completion of nine months, 30 hours per week, or the part-time equivalent of supervised experience which shall commence within 2 years from the date of conferral of the degree and be completed within 3 1/2 years. The Board may accept the CCC as meeting the requirements for clinical fellowship.
Passage of a National Exam (Praxis II)

Exemptions

Does not include the practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine or persons to whom a task is delegated by a licensed physician in the normal practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine.
School speech-language pathologists or audiologists working in accordance with the regulations of the D.C. Board of Education.

Reciprocity

The Board may issue a license by endorsement to an audiologist or speech language pathologist who has a valid, unrestricted license in good standing from another jurisdiction with standards that are substantially equivalent to D.C.'s requirements.

Interim Practice

A graduate student in audiology may practice in the District if (a) the practice is part of an audiology educational program and (b) practice is only under the direct supervision of an audiologist licensed in the District. This does not apply to an AuD student completing their supervised experience.

Clinical fellows in speech-language pathology must register with the Board.

Continuing Education

Licensees must complete 20 hours of continuing education during a two year period. One hour must be in ethics and two hours must be in LGBTQ continuing education. Ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District, which shall be duly published every five (5) years or as deemed appropriate.

Dual licensees must complete 30 hours of continuing education during the two year period including one hour of ethics, two hours in LGBTQ continuing education, and ten percent of the total shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities. Five hours of continuing education must be in each discipline.

Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact

The District of Columbia is not a member state of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. Information on the current status of the ASLP-IC can be found on the ASLP-IC website.