Updated for 2026

Alabama Psychologist Continuing Education Requirements

Alabama psychologists must complete 20 continuing education hours per year to renew their Psychologist license.

20hours per year

Next deadline: October 15, 2027The renewal cycle is annual. You file your renewal by October 15 each year, and the license expires September 30.

What the board saysAlabama board rule
The continuing education requirement for license renewal for psychologists is 20 hours per year1. … Credit is accrued on an annual basis (October 1 - September 30). A maximum of 6 hours2 accrued during a given year may be credited (carried over) to the subsequent year2 and must be submitted by the annual renewal date of October 15. … Credit may be given for up to six hours per annual renewal cycle for being the presenter3 at continuing education activities/programs
What it means
  1. 20 hours each year
  2. Up to 6 unused hours carry into the next year
  3. No more than 6 hours for presenting
Ala. Admin. Code ch. 750-X-3ALast verified August 2026Ruleset 2026.3How we verify
Start free trialExplore the demo →

It's free for 30 days, and you don't need a card.

Requirements

Alabama Psychologist requirements

Total

20 hoursYou need 20 hours per year. The renewal cycle is annual. You file your renewal by October 15 each year, and the license expires September 30.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Teaching
max 6 hrs
Carryover
max 6 hrs

Up to 6 unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is annual. You file your renewal by October 15 each year, and the license expires September 30.
New licensees
The first renewal is different. New licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements, such as prorated hours or first-cycle-only rules, and we apply them automatically.
Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by apa approved provider, national professional association, and governmental agency and recognized associations in psychology, psychiatry, social work, and medicine.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewal
A late renewal adds a $20 late fee.

To keep your proof in order, see what to keep for a CE audit, which covers every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.

Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before October 15, 2027.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full Psychologist CE hours calculator

Also hold a Alabama LPC license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Alabama LPC requirements.

Alabama Psychologist required trainings and mandates

Beyond the 20-hour CE total, Alabama requires specific trainings. Some are due once around initial licensure, and others run on their own recurring schedule.

Recurring mandates outside the 1-year cycle

  • Mandated child abuse/neglect reporter training via the Alabama DHR. The Board hosts a free online training and states expressly that it does NOT count toward annual CE requirements. The underlying reporting duty (Code of Ala. §26-14-3) is statutory; the training itself is encouraged rather than imposed as a fixed-hour board mandate.
Full board policy details
  • Home/self-study: NO cap. All 20 hours may be earned via APA-approved home, independent, distance, book-based, or online study (Rule 750-X-3A-.05). No minimum live/in-person hours required. The rule does not distinguish live-interactive online from self-study.
  • COURSE REPEAT RESTRICTIONS: The rule is silent on participants repeating a course within a cycle, no express prohibition. For instructors, teaching the same course more than once per cycle is not separately prohibited, but presenter credit is capped at 6 hours per annual renewal cycle regardless of how many times one presents (Rule 750-X-3A-.05(4)).
  • LICENSE STATUS RULES: CE is NOT required while a license is on Inactive status (practice and title use are suspended). Alabama has no separate 'retired' status, only Active and Inactive exist. Reactivating from Inactive to Active requires submission of proof of compliance with the previous year's CE requirements (the previous year's 20 hours), payment of current renewal/CE fees, and the reinstatement form (Rule 750-X-4-.02(3)). No hardship, medical, military, or disability CE waiver/extension exists in Chapter 750-X-3A or 750-X-4. If CE or fees are not satisfied by the deadline, the license lapses, there is no conditional/provisional registration to keep practicing while completing the balance.
  • Provider model: APA-approved-sponsor model plus a Board-discretion equivalency pathway for programs from other psychology-related organizations (e.g., AMA, NASW, NIMH) that meet the five criteria in Rule 750-X-3A-.05(2) and provide the equivalent of APA-defined credit. No lettered provider-tier (Category A/B) system. No stated percentage split between provider types.

Alabama Psychologist CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Alabama Psychologist licensees need?

Alabama requires 20 continuing education hours per year to renew a Psychologist license. The renewal cycle is annual. You file your renewal by October 15 each year, and the license expires September 30.

How often do Alabama Psychologist licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is annual. You file your renewal by October 15 each year, and the license expires September 30.

Is the first renewal different for new Alabama Psychologist licensees?

The first renewal is different. New licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements, such as prorated hours or first-cycle-only rules, and we apply them automatically.

Sources and verification

State source
Alabama board rule
Last verified
August 2026
Ruleset version
2026.3

We reviewed this page against the Alabama board source, and we refresh it from the compiled ruleset above. Methodology and disclaimer. Compliance data is for guidance only, not legal or board advice. Always confirm requirements with your licensing board before renewing. See something wrong? Report it

Make your next renewal easier.

Add your Alabama Psychologist license and every requirement on this page becomes a checklist on your record.

Start free trialExplore the demo

30 days free, no credit card.

Alabama guides & data

What to keep for a CE audit →Learn what boards ask for in a CE audit, how long each state says to keep certificates, and what the notice looks like, then use the printable checklist.Alabama mental health workforce data →9,968 active providers, or 191.9 per 100,000 residents, ranked 51 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Alabama CE requirement pages

Alabama LPCAlabama LMFTAlabama LCSWAlabama PMHNP

Psychologist CE requirements in other states