Louisiana 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

Doctoral degree in audiology including 75 credit hours post-baccalaureate coursework
1,820 hours of supervised clinical practicum
Passage of an ETS examination

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

Speech-Language Pathology

Master's degree or equivalent from an accredited institution (75 semester hours including 36 hours at the graduate level)
400 hours of supervised clinical practicum for speech language pathology
Evidence of nine months of supervised postgraduate professional employment or its part-time equivalent
Passage of an ETS examination

Exemptions

Federal employees
Students properly identified as speech-language pathology or audiology trainees
Physician or surgeons and their employees under direct supervision
Hearing aid dealers
Nurses performing routine hearing screening
Speech-language pathologists or audiologists aides

Reciprocity

The Board of Examiners may license a speech-language pathologist or audiologist without examination, or an individual licensed by another state if:

The requirements for licensure were at the date of licensure substantially equal to those requirements in force in Louisiana at that time
The state from whence the applicant comes accords similar privilege of licensure without examination to license holders in Louisiana
The state from whence the applicant comes requires successful completion of an examination as a condition of such licensure
The Board of Examiners may grant reciprocity to an individual pending the outcome of their application for licensure.
The Board of Examiners may waive the examination and documentation of clinical practicum to applicants with ASHA's Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCCs).
The Board of Examiners shall waive the examination requirement for any applicant currently certified by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as a specialist of speech-language pathology and currently employed in a school setting.

Interim Practice

The Board of Examiners may issue a provisional license to an individual who:

Has completed all requirements for licensure except for the supervised postgraduate professional requirement; an individual may not hold such license for more than three years
Has completed all requirements for licensure except for the supervised postgraduate professional requirement and the examination; an individual shall fulfill the exam requirement within one year from the date of original issuance
Temporary registration for licensees from other U.S. jurisdictions may be allowed pursuant to a declared state of emergency.

Continuing Education

Ten clock hours per year; dual licensees 15 hours per year
Of the 10 hours, five must be in the area of licensure and the remaining five may be in areas related to the professions of speech-language pathology or audiology. Dual licensee shall complete 15 hours per year.
Licensees may not carry over credits from one renewal period to the next.

Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact

Louisiana 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.