Maryland Licensing Requirements for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

The information below is collected from state licensure boards or regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the professions of speech-language pathology and/or audiology. It is intended for informational use only, and should not be construed as legal advice.

Contact the state's licensure board or regulatory agency for exact licensure, certification, or registration requirements in your jurisdiction.

Initial Licensure Requirements

Audiology

1. Is of good moral character
2. Holds a doctoral degree from an accredited educational institution (Council for Higher Education Accreditation [CHEA] or U.S. Department of Education [DOE]) consistent with Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) standards
3. Supervised clinical training as required by the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, and Speech-Language Pathologists (Board) with standards consistent with the ACAE and the CAA including 1,000 patient contact hours under direct on-site supervision
4. Passage of an examination
5. Demonstration of oral English competency
6. Passage of an open-book jurisdictional exam
7. On or before September 30, 2007, holds a master’s or doctoral degree in audiology from an accredited educational institution including the minimum hours of supervised clinical training required by the Board and a period of supervised postgraduate professional practice

Waiver

The Board may waive any of the qualifications required for a license if the individual:

1. Is of good moral character and pays the application fee
2. Holds or held a national certification in audiology from a Board-recognized organization that meets the practice requirements established by the Board
3. Holds a current license in another state that has equivalent requirements
   or
   On or before September 30, 2007, holds a current license and master's degree from an accredited program, meets practice requirements that are equivalent to the Board requirements and meets any other requirements adopted by the Board

Speech-Language Pathology

1. Is of good moral character
2. Master's degree
3. Supervised training as required by the Board
4. Supervised postgraduate professional practice
5. Must demonstrate oral English competency
6. Passage of a national exam
7. Passage of an open-book jurisdictional exam

Waiver

The Board may waive any of the qualifications required for a license for an individual who:

1. Is of good moral character and pays the application fee
2. Holds or held a national certification in speech language pathology from a Board-recognized organization that meets the practice requirements established by the Board
   or
   Holds a current license in another state that that has equivalent requirements

Note: As of October 1, 2007, new school speech-language pathologists and assistants must be licensed by the Board.

Exemptions

1. Federal employees
2. Students or trainees
3. Physicians
4. Volunteers working in free speech and hearing screening programs
5. Audiologists or speech language pathologists licensed in another state while waiting for Board approval of their licensure application
6. Employees of public or state schools providing speech-language pathology services that have practiced continuously on or before September 30, 2007
7. Individuals continuously employed to practice audiology since June 30, 1988, in a county or state school system.

Reciprocity/Endorsement

1. The Board may waive the examination requirement to an applicant who meets the qualifications otherwise required by this title, and is licensed in another state with equivalent standards.
2. Audiologists, speech language pathologists, and speech language pathology assistants licensed in another state may practice while their completed application for licensure is pending before the Board.

Interim Practice/Temporary Licensure

1. The Board may allow an individual licensed in another state to practice in Maryland if the individual has recently become a Maryland resident and the individual has an application for license pending before the Board.
2. The Board may issue a limited license to individuals who meet the licensure requirements except for the examination and supervised clinical training/postgraduate professional practice, and have a master's degree in speech language pathology or a doctoral degree in audiology or both, and have their Certificate of Clinical Competence or certification from the American Board of Audiology that was in effect at the time their degree was obtained. Practice must be under a licensed supervisor or an individual who holds a national certification accepted by the Board. Applicant must also demonstrate oral English competency. A limited license expires after one year and is renewable once.
3. Applicants without a master's degrees who are enrolled in a post-baccalaureate doctoral training or hold a master's degree from a university program that is not accredited by the CAA may seek a limited license under equivalency requirements specified by the Board in regulation.

Continuing Education for License Renewal

1. 30 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) per two-year renewal cycle; 50 CEUs for dual licensees
2. Continuing education credits may not be carried over from one renewal cycle to another
3. The Board will prorate CEUs for individuals newly licensed, reinstated, or transfers from other states if license is obtained between six months and two years of renewal cycle and shall waive requirements for those obtaining full licensure within six months of renewal cycle.

Telehealth

For information on Maryland telepractice requirements, visit State Telepractice Requirements.

Board Oversight

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, and Speech-Language Pathologists

Board Composition

The Board shall comprise 13 members; three members shall be licensed audiologists with at least five years of work experience and are currently practicing, three members shall be licensed speech-language pathologists with at least five years of work experience and currently practicing, two members shall be licensed physicians who hold a certificate of qualification from the American Board of Otolaryngology and currently practicing, two shall be consumer members one of whom shall be a consumer of services by a licensee and three shall be licensed hearing aid dispensers with at least five years of experience and currently practicing. The Governor and Secretary shall accept speech language pathologist nominees from the Maryland Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA), audiologist nominees from MSHA and the Maryland Academy of Audiology, physicians from the Maryland Society of Otolaryngology; hearing aid dispensers from the Hearing Society of Maryland, District of Columbia, and Delaware, and consumers from the Department of Disabilities list.

Resources

The information contained herein was collected and summarized annually. For detailed information on state licensure requirements, contact the state board and visit this website:

Board of Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers & Speech-Language Pathologists

Questions regarding state advocacy issues? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.