Tennessee 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

Applicants for licensure as an audiologist on or after January 1, 2009, must possess:

a doctoral degree with an emphasis in audiology or hearing science from an accredited institution; and
possess a current CCC from ASHA; or
a) complete 1820 clock hours of supervised clinical practicum by a licensed audiologist or ASHA or ABA certified audiologist; and
b) pass Praxis test
c) pass jurisprudence exam

The doctoral degree requirement shall not apply to audiologists licensed in Tennessee or any other state prior to January 1, 2009.

Note: Audiologists may dispense hearing aids under an audiology license.

Speech-Language Pathology

Applicants for licensure as a speech-language pathologist must possess:

at least a master's degree in speech-language pathology from an accredited institution; and
possess a current CCC from ASHA; or
a) successfully complete and document a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical practicum from an accredited institution recognized by ASHA;
b) complete a clinical fellowship in speech-language pathology; and
c) pass Praxis test
d) pass jurisprudence exam

Note: Beginning in 2020, audiologists and SLPs will no longer be required to pay an annual state privilege tax in order to practice.

Exemptions

Licensed persons performing within their scope of practice
Department of Education credentialed speech and hearing specialists
Federal employees
Students appropriately designated speech-language pathology or audiology interns or trainees
Physicians
Non-residents who are not licensed in this state may provide speech-language pathology or audiology services if such services are performed for not more than 5 days in any calendar year and the person meets the requirements for licensure in this state
Non-residents who are licensed in another state may offer services for not more than 30 days per calendar year provided that the person meets current Tennessee state licensure requirements
The activities and services of a speech language pathologist or audiologist obtaining their year of paid professional experience under supervision of a licensed or ASHA certified speech-language pathologist or audiologist
Persons performing audiometric tests under direct physician supervision

Reciprocity

The Board shall waive the examination requirement for those applicants licensed in another state with equivalent standards.

Interim Practice

Board registration is required for:

Clinical externs; registration is effective for 15 continuous months; length of externship is set by the accredited institution; work must be performed under a licensed ASHA certified or ABA certified audiologist and supervisors shall supervise no more than two clinical externs concurrently.
Clinical fellows; term is no less than nine months and no more than one year for master's degrees and four years for doctoral degrees; supervising licensees shall supervise no more than three Clinical Fellows concurrently.*

*Note: Tennessee SB 1211 has amended the requirement for a clinical fellowship registration to a clinical fellowship provisional license. Until such time as the board has adopted rules to establish standards and procedures to govern provisional licenses, the provisions of Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee, Rule 1370-01-.10, governing registration of clinical fellows, apply to persons seeking a provisional license to practice as a clinical fellow during the period of supervised clinical experience.

Continuing Education

Licensees must complete ten hours of continuing education per calendar year. Dual licensees must complete 20 hours of continuing education per year distributed equally between each specialty.

Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact

Tennessee is 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.