Oregon State Characteristics of Licensure Law

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

Initial Licensure Requirements

Audiologist

1. Possesses a doctor of audiology degree from an educational institution accredited by a body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and submits transcripts from the educational institution that awarded the doctor of audiology degree to the applicant
   or
2. Possesses a master's degree or equivalent in the area of audiology from an approved college or university (at least 60 semester hours), completes a minimum of 275 clock hours supervised clinical practicum, written evidence from a licensed audiologist of 9 months of full-time post educational professional employment, and passage of an examination as approved by the Board (the Board shall determine the subject and scope of the examination and written examinations may be supplemented by oral examination as the Board determines)

Speech-Language Pathologist

1. Possesses at least a master's degree or equivalent (at least 60 semester hours) in the area of speech-language pathology from an approved college or university
2. Two hundred seventy-five hour clinical practicum
3. Written evidence from a licensed speech-language pathologist of 9 months of full time post educational professional employment or its part-time equivalent
4. Passage of an examination approved by the Board. Written examinations may be supplemented by oral examinations as the Board determines.

Exemptions

1. Credentialed employees of public or state schools
2. Students appropriately designated speech-language pathology or audiology interns or trainees
3. Credentialed teachers of persons who are deaf
4. Hearing aid dealers

Reciprocity

1. The Board may waive the examination and grant a license to persons licensed in another jurisdiction with equivalent standards.
2. The Board may waive the examination and grant a license to CCC holders.
3. The Board may waive the examination and grant a license to an audiology applicant who is certified by the American Board of Audiology.

Interim Practice/Temporary Licensure

1. Speech-language pathologists holding the ASHA CCC and who have made application to the state board of examiners may practice pending disposition of application for state licensure. Audiologists certified by the ABA or holding the ASHA CCC and who have made application to the state board of examiners may practice pending disposition of application for state licensure.
2. The state board of examiners may issue a conditional license to an applicant who, except for the examination and supervised postgraduate professional practice, meets the license requirements (to CFs).

Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal

Twenty clock hours per 2-year renewal cycle; professional development hours obtained in excess of the 20-hour requirement may not be carried over to the next renewal period

Hearing Aid Dispensing

Audiologists who dispense hearing aids must obtain a hearing aid dealers license.

Support Personnel

1. All speech-language pathology assistants (including those working in the schools) must be certified by the state licensure board. Individuals must evidence transcripts showing 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours of speech-language pathology technical coursework and transcripts showing 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours of general education credits and written evidence of 100 clock contact hours of clinical interaction.
2. All supervision must be performed by a state-licensed individual. The amount and type of supervision required will be based on the skills and experience of the speech-language pathology assistant, the needs of the clients/patients served, the service setting, the tasks assigned, and other factors. (An individual holding either a basic license in speech impaired or a standard license in speech impaired issued by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission may supervise an assistant working in a school if they agree to comply with the supervision requirements/guidelines outlined here.)
3. A minimum of 30% (20% direct) of all of the time an assistant is providing services for the first 90 days of employment shall be supervised. Subsequent to the first 90 days of employment, a minimum of 20% (10% direct) of all the time an assistant is providing services shall be supervised.
4. The supervising speech-language pathologist must be able to be reached at all times. A temporary supervisor may be designated as necessary.
5. The caseload of the supervising clinician must allow for administration, including assistant supervision, evaluation of students, and meeting times. (All students assigned to an assistant are considered part of the caseload of the supervising clinician.)
6. Each assistant must complete 20 clock hours of documented and approved professional development per each biennial renewal cycle. Approved professional development hours completed in excess of the requirement shall not be carried over to the subsequent renewal period.

Note

• All jurisdictions require applicants to achieve a passing score on a national exam, and all but Nevada, North Dakota, and Virginia require applicants to complete a post graduate professional experience requirement.
• The term "clinical fellow," used throughout, means a person completing the post graduate professional experience requirement.

Questions concerning data contained in this document can be addressed by calling 800-498-2071 and asking to speak to someone on the State Policy Team.