Rhode Island Psychologist Continuing Education Requirements

Total

Limits on how the hours are earned

Home study / self-study

max 24 hrs

Up to 24 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal

The renewal cycle is biennial. You file your renewal by July 1 of even years, and the license expires June 30.

Renewal fee

The board renewal fee is $230 every 2 years, and a late (delinquent) renewal adds a $50 fee.

New licensees

Newly licensed psychologists are exempt from continuing education for their first renewal: "Psychologists initially licensed by examination after the July 1st renewal date shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements stated in this Part until the date of the next renewal cycle (i.e., the thirtieth (30th) day of June of the next even-numbered year)." (216-RICR-40-05-15.9.2(B)(2); the general requirements clause of 15.9.1(A) states the same exception). The full 24-credit requirement begins with the following biennial cycle. The exemption sentence says "initially licensed by examination"; the rule states no parallel sentence for endorsement licensees, and 15.9.1(A)'s cross-reference speaks generally of "those initially licensed" — the exemption is encoded for a licensee's first renewal generally, with the by-examination phrasing flagged for review.

Approved providers

All twenty-four (24) credits must be relevant to psychology and "approved by the Board" (216-RICR-40-05-15.9.1(B)). Board approval runs through six classes of sponsoring or approving organizations (15.9.1(A)): programs sponsored or approved by the American Psychological Association or the Rhode Island Psychological Association; by other recognized professional psychological organizations, including the national and state professional associations for all licensed mental health professions in this state; by the Rhode Island State Nurses Association or another state nurses association; by the Rhode Island Medical Society, another state medical society, or a medical school (and its affiliated training institutions) that has an APA-approved post-doctoral program in psychology (15.9.1(A)(4)); appropriate post-doctoral coursework from any regionally accredited college or a board-approved department or school of psychology; or such other professional or accrediting agency as the Board may approve. Because these are broad sponsor classes with a board catch-all rather than a published roster of named providers, the provider lists here are informational and are not enforced as an automated gate (provider_lists_enforced: false). The must_be_within_cycle_window flag is set because credits must be "completed over the two (2) year period preceding renewal of licensure" (15.9.1(B)) — no carryover provision exists, so hours earned in excess of the 24 credits in one biennium cannot be applied to the next.

Recordkeeping

Keep CE documentation for 4 years after each renewal.

Board audit

The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.

Late renewal

A late renewal adds a $50 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.