Continuing education / Requirements / California
California Psychologist continuing education requirements
California psychologists must complete 36 hours of continuing professional development, or CPD, every two years. Include at least 4 hours of laws and ethics and 4 hours of cultural diversity and/or social justice. The board’s CPD framework took effect on January 1, 2023.
Your plan must normally use at least two of the four CPD categories. Sponsored continuing education is capped at 27 hours, whether attended online or in person, so a 36-hour course bundle alone will not satisfy the ordinary renewal requirement. Plan the remaining hours through other qualifying activities and keep the required records.
What the board requires
Mandated topics
Within the 36 CPD hours. Cover laws and ethics applicable to psychology in California. Qualifying activities need not all be sponsored CE. The same activity cannot also satisfy the cultural diversity and/or social justice requirement.
Our course for this: Ethics and Professional Boundaries (3 hours). CE credit approvals in progress.
Within the 36 CPD hours. Complete activities addressing cultural diversity and/or social justice in psychological practice. Document the topic and hours separately from the laws-and-ethics requirement.
Our course for this: Cultural Responsiveness in Clinical Practice (3 hours). CE credit approvals in progress.
Required for renewal or reactivation on or after January 1, 2020, unless already satisfied. Qualifying degree coursework, supervised applied experience, or acceptable CE may satisfy the requirement. Keep the required proof. A previously completed course does not supply new CPD hours in a later cycle.
Our course for this: Suicide Assessment and Safety Planning (6 hours). CE credit approvals in progress.
Applies to supervisors subject to California Code of Regulations section 1387.1(b). Complete at least 6 hours of supervision coursework every two years. If claimed toward CPD, the coursework must also meet the applicable CPD category and provider requirements.
Our course for this: Supervisor Ethics and Effective Supervision (6 hours). CE credit approvals in progress.
Format and self-study limits
Sponsored CE is limited to 27 hours per renewal period, including both live and home-study courses. There is no separate requirement to attend sponsored CE in person. The four categories are Professional, Academic, Sponsored Continuing Education and Board Certification. Normally use at least two categories.
Self-directed learning is a separate Academic activity capped at 6 hours. Extra sponsored courses cannot be reclassified as self-directed learning to evade the 27-hour cap. Peer consultation permits up to 18 hours and must be synchronous; it may take place remotely. For example, 27 hours of sponsored CE plus 9 properly documented hours of peer consultation can provide 36 hours across two categories. Each activity’s documentation rules still apply.
Which providers count
Accepted sponsored CE routes include APA and its approved sponsors, the California Psychological Association and its approved sponsors, and the Association of Black Psychologists and its approved sponsors. Psychology-relevant continuing medical education accredited by the California Medical Association or ACCME is also accepted. Other CPD categories have their own eligibility rules. The Board of Psychology does not directly approve individual CE providers.
Reporting and audits
Certify CPD completion on the renewal application. Keep your CPD activity log and supporting documentation for at least four years from the effective date of renewal and provide them if the board requests an audit. Do not routinely send the CPD reporting form or certificates with renewal. Record the activity category, dates, hours and required topic content as applicable.
First renewal
The current CPD rules apply to first renewal: plan for 36 hours and the required topic and category distribution unless the board grants an applicable exemption. The former 1.5-hours-per-month first-renewal provision belonged to the old CE regulation, which became inoperative on January 1, 2023. Do not use it to reduce a current CPD obligation. Document the one-time suicide training if it has not already been satisfied.
Common questions
How many CE hours do California psychologists need?
The requirement is 36 CPD hours every two years, including 4 laws-and-ethics hours and 4 cultural diversity and/or social justice hours. CPD includes eligible professional and academic activities as well as sponsored CE.
Can all 36 hours be online courses?
No. Sponsored CE courses are capped at 27 hours regardless of delivery format. You can complete qualifying remote activities in other categories, such as synchronous peer consultation, to build an eligible CPD plan without attending a physical classroom.
Does independent reading count toward CPD?
Qualifying self-directed learning can count for up to 6 hours in the Academic category. Keep the dates, medium, topic or title, and time spent. A sponsored CE course belongs in Sponsored Continuing Education even if completed independently online.
Can the same activity satisfy both mandatory topics?
No. The board’s FAQ says that a laws-and-ethics activity cannot also satisfy the cultural diversity and/or social justice requirement. Keep documentation showing how each requirement was met.
Do psychologists need the BBS 3-hour telehealth course?
The BBS one-time 3-hour telehealth requirement governs BBS licenses, not a California psychologist license. Psychologists follow Board of Psychology CPD rules and the separate one-time 6-hour suicide-training requirement.
What records must I submit at renewal?
Certify completion at renewal and retain your activity records and certificates for at least four years from the effective date of renewal. Submit supporting evidence when requested by the board, rather than sending it with every routine renewal.
Editorial standard. Requirement guides cite official board sources only, carry a last-verified date, and are reviewed on a schedule. Corrections: reply to any email from us or use the site contact page.
Not legal advice. This guide summarizes board rules for convenience. Your board's current published rules control.
Crisis resources. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) in the US.