BBS webinar lays out seven-step path to licensure and previews AB1598 changes

The Board of Behavioral Sciences on a lunchtime webinar explained how prospective associate registrants can navigate the seven-step pathway to licensure and outlined pending regulatory changes the board is sponsoring.

Steve Sodigrren, executive officer of the Board of Behavioral Sciences, opened the presentation by saying the session was intended "to demystify" the licensure process and provide a clear, step-by-step roadmap from the master's degree through initial license application. He walked attendees through the board's seven-step sequence: earn a master's degree, apply for associate registration, take the law-and-ethics exam, accrue supervised hours, apply for licensure eligibility, sit for the clinical exam and submit an application for initial licensure.

Why it matters: the board stressed that precise timing and documentation determine whether supervised hours will be counted. "Submitting your registration application within 90 days of your degree conferral date lets you count supervised hours earned before your associate registration is issued," Sodigrren said, while noting applicants must complete a live-scan background check at the placement site to use that 90-day rule.

The presentation listed materials applicants must provide: a completed registration application; an official transcript showing degree title and conferral date (and official transcripts for any transfer coursework); a degree program certification form from the school; the request‑for‑live‑scan form; and payment. The presenters recommended applicants make and retain copies of all documents, have supervisors sign weekly logs on time and use tracked mail to submit hard-copy materials.

Sodigrren described practical steps for tracking progress using Breeze, the board's online licensing system. Breeze users receive email notices when a transaction is created, can link registrations to their accounts and use the system to apply for exams, renewals and name/address changes.

Exams and timelines: the law-and-ethics exam consists of 75 questions with a 90-minute time limit and generally must be taken within the first year of registration; once an applicant passes it, Sodigrren said they typically do not need to retake it on subsequent renewals. Clinical exams must be taken within one year of approval for licensure eligibility; there is a 90-day waiting period before a retake after failure.

Proposed legislative changes: the board summarized AB1598, the bill it is sponsoring. Sodigrren said the bill would, if enacted, remove the current annual law-and-ethics exam requirement for associate registrants, require that the law-and-ethics exam be passed no more than seven years before the application for initial licensure, extend the window of valid supervised experience from six to seven years, increase the maximum number of associate registration renewals, and allow a one-time, two-year hardship extension permitting certain applicants with a subsequent registration number to collect hours in private practice.

Fees and processing: the presentation included a correction about fee timing. Sodigrren said the board will cut certain application and exam fees in half for a multi-year period and clarified that the fee reduction begins July 1, 2026. He also noted standard processing times have averaged about 40 days and that expedited processing may be available for active-duty military personnel, veterans, military spouses and certain refugees.

Q&A highlights: staff answered common questions about reuse of employer live-scan results (an employer live-scan can be used if the applicant remains at the same agency but applicants must still complete a board live-scan when applying for registration), whether applicants may apply before official transcripts are posted (applications may be submitted, but deficiencies will be issued and must be corrected), and how the six-year validation window for supervised hours is calculated when an application for licensure is received.

The webinar recording and resources, including FAQs, statutes and the candidate handbook, will be posted on the board's website; attendees were asked to complete a short post-webinar survey via QR code. "We appreciate your patience," Sodigrren said near the end of the session, "and please reach out to us if you have case-specific questions."