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Massachusetts Speech-Language Pathology — Requirements & Free Practice

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Speech-Language Pathologist

Full professional license to practice speech-language pathology.

Licensing authority: Massachusetts Board of Registration for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology · Application information

Reinstatement without practice during a license lapse
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Certification Alternative
260 CMR 5.04(3)(e) accepts current ASHA certification instead of a recent examination score. This is an applicant condition, not a no-exam leaf within an alternative tree.
Documents And Fees
Submit the renewal form, current application and license fees, late fee, and required continuing education.
No Practice
Submit a sworn affidavit attesting that the applicant did not practice during the lapse.
Score Window
If relying on the examination alternative, pass the national speech-language pathology examination within six months of requesting reinstatement.
Reinstatement after practice during a license lapse
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Board Approval
Reinstatement is subject to Board approval; submit the renewal form, up to two past-due renewal fees and a late fee, required continuing education documentation, a sworn affidavit listing practice sites and dates, and other requested information; a personal appearance may be required.
Practice During Lapse
Applicant practiced while the credential was lapsed or expired; the license did not authorize that practice.
Reexamination Discretion
Any individualized re-examination under M.G.L. c.112 §139(3) is unspecified in the published route and remains an applicant condition.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

License renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Active Duty
M.G.L. c.112 §1B(c) keeps a credential valid through active duty and at least 90 days afterward; the DPH implementation states automatic renewal without renewal fees or continuing education.
Board Discretion
M.G.L. c.112 §139(3) authorizes re-evaluation and re-examination; it identifies no examination. Any individualized Board requirement is an applicant condition.
Continuing Education
260 CMR 7.02: 20 hours per ordinary two-year cycle, at least ten in the licensed area; initial licensees of six months to one year need ten hours, at least four in the area; initial licensees of six months or less need none. Dual licensees have the separate 30-hour requirement.
License Held
Hold the applicable Massachusetts credential.
Renewal
Renew every two years with the required form and fees under M.G.L. c.112 §143 and 260 CMR 5.01–5.02.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial licensure
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Complete and sign the Board application under penalties of perjury; submit fees and supporting information under 260 CMR 2.01.
Certificate Waiver
Under M.G.L. c.112 §144(4), the Board may waive the examination for an applicant holding a current valid certificate of clinical competence. The currently offered adopted examination remains referenced.
Education
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and master’s degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, with the academic coursework and supervised clinical training required by the national certifying body.
Good Moral Character
M.G.L. c.112 §144(1) and 260 CMR 2.02 require good moral character; the Board may require documentation and personal appearance.
Military Credit
M.G.L. c.112 §1B(b) permits applicable military education, training, and service to satisfy qualifications upon satisfactory evidence.
Professional Practice
Complete the national certifying body’s supervised professional practice and the 2020 CCC-SLP standards adopted by 260 CMR 2.03(1).
Score Window
The adopted ASHA Standard VI requires a passing score no earlier than five years before the certification application and no later than two years after receipt of that application.
Standards Membership
260 CMR 2.03 does not require membership in the professional organization whose standards are referenced.
Expedited reciprocal licensure for a relocated military spouse
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Complete and sign the Board application under penalties of perjury; submit fees and supporting information under 260 CMR 2.01.
Board Instructions
The Board licensing information page states: "Reciprocal Licensure: This license is generally appropriate for applicants who are currently licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction, outside of Massachusetts, and who hold a current American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) Certification."
Certificate Waiver
Under M.G.L. c.112 §144(4), the Board may waive the examination for an applicant holding a current valid certificate of clinical competence. The currently offered adopted examination remains referenced.
Decision Window
Within 30 days after application, the authority must issue an ordinary or temporary credential, explain unmet criteria, or request missing information.
Discretion
M.G.L. c.112 §141 and 260 CMR 2.04 permit licensure without examination at Board discretion. Meeting the adopted professional standards still involves the currently offered national examination; a new sitting may be waived.
Education
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and master’s degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, with the academic coursework and supervised clinical training required by the national certifying body.
Fees
M.G.L. c.112 §1B(g) waives the Commonwealth’s initial application and initial credential fees.
Good Moral Character
M.G.L. c.112 §144(1) and 260 CMR 2.02 require good moral character; the Board may require documentation and personal appearance.
License Held
Hold a current valid license in another jurisdiction specified in 260 CMR 2.04, meet current Massachusetts qualifications, and report prior disciplinary action.
Military Credit
M.G.L. c.112 §1B(b) permits applicable military education, training, and service to satisfy qualifications upon satisfactory evidence.
Military Spouse
The applicant’s spouse is a member of the United States armed forces and is transferred to Massachusetts.
Outside Credential
Hold a license or certificate in a state outside Massachusetts.
Professional Practice
Complete the national certifying body’s supervised professional practice and the 2020 CCC-SLP standards adopted by 260 CMR 2.03(1).
Relocation
The applicant left employment to accompany the spouse to Massachusetts.
Remaining Requirements
A temporary credential permits services while the applicant completes Massachusetts-specific requirements not required by the originating jurisdiction; the Board determines those requirements.
Score Window
The adopted ASHA Standard VI requires a passing score no earlier than five years before the certification application and no later than two years after receipt of that application.
Standards Membership
260 CMR 2.03 does not require membership in the professional organization whose standards are referenced.
Verification
Submit verification from every issuing board for each license or certification held outside Massachusetts, including discipline.
Reciprocal licensure
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Complete and sign the Board application under penalties of perjury; submit fees and supporting information under 260 CMR 2.01.
Board Instructions
The Board licensing information page states: "Reciprocal Licensure: This license is generally appropriate for applicants who are currently licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction, outside of Massachusetts, and who hold a current American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) Certification."
Certificate Waiver
Under M.G.L. c.112 §144(4), the Board may waive the examination for an applicant holding a current valid certificate of clinical competence. The currently offered adopted examination remains referenced.
Discretion
M.G.L. c.112 §141 and 260 CMR 2.04 permit licensure without examination at Board discretion. Meeting the adopted professional standards still involves the currently offered national examination; a new sitting may be waived.
Education
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and master’s degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, with the academic coursework and supervised clinical training required by the national certifying body.
Good Moral Character
M.G.L. c.112 §144(1) and 260 CMR 2.02 require good moral character; the Board may require documentation and personal appearance.
License Held
Hold a current valid license in another jurisdiction specified in 260 CMR 2.04, meet current Massachusetts qualifications, and report prior disciplinary action.
Military Credit
M.G.L. c.112 §1B(b) permits applicable military education, training, and service to satisfy qualifications upon satisfactory evidence.
Professional Practice
Complete the national certifying body’s supervised professional practice and the 2020 CCC-SLP standards adopted by 260 CMR 2.03(1).
Score Window
The adopted ASHA Standard VI requires a passing score no earlier than five years before the certification application and no later than two years after receipt of that application.
Standards Membership
260 CMR 2.03 does not require membership in the professional organization whose standards are referenced.
Verification
Submit verification from every issuing board for each license or certification held outside Massachusetts, including discipline.

Speech-Language Pathology (5331)

Provider
Educational Testing Service (ETS); computer delivered at a test center or at home (online); ASHA announces a transition to PSI, a wholly owned ETS subsidiary, on January 11, 2027, with availability through ETS and Prometric through December 31, 2026
Format
Computer-delivered selected-response questions; the test may contain some questions that do not count toward the score; the score is based on the number of questions answered correctly
Exam questions
132 selected-response questions (approximately 44 in each of the three content categories)
Time limit
150 minutes
Passing score
States, institutions, and associations that require the test set their own passing scores; the passing score for purposes of ASHA certification is 162 on a 100-200 scale
Exam fee
$146.00
Examination outline
  • I. Foundations and Professional Practice (approximately 44 questions; approximately 33% of examination). Speech-language pathologists must have strong foundational knowledge about typical communication development, as well as common characteristics of communication and swallowing disorders and potential factors impacting communication. SLPs must also understand the professional practice requirements that support the provision of services. Knowledge about these requirements ensures that ethical, culturally competent services are provided within the framework of legislative and regulatory requirements and are founded in research.
    • A. Foundations — 1. Typical development and performance across the lifespan: a. developmental norms; b. speech sound and phonology; c. receptive and expressive language (–– syntax and morphology; –– semantics; –– pragmatics/social language); d. fluency; e. voice, resonance, and motor speech; f. feeding and swallowing; g. cognition; h. processing; i. motor and linguistic processes
    • A. Foundations — 2. Factors that influence communication, feeding, and swallowing: a. medical; b. cultural and ethnic; c. linguistic; d. psychological; e. anatomy/physiology; f. environmental; g. genetics; h. auditory
    • A. Foundations — 3. Epidemiology and characteristics of common communication and swallowing disorders: a. speech sound and phonology; b. syntax and morphology; c. semantics; d. pragmatics; e. fluency; f. voice, resonance, and motor speech; g. feeding and swallowing; h. cognition; i. processing
    • B. Professional Practice — 1. Wellness and prevention: a. prevention terminology, practices, and public education; b. risk factors for communication disorders
    • B. Professional Practice — 2. Culturally and linguistically appropriate service delivery: a. understanding, respecting, and responding to explicit and implicit cultural factors that influence communication; b. identifying the impact of assimilation and acculturation on communication patterns; c. communication differences between speakers of the same language
    • B. Professional Practice — 3. Counseling, collaboration, and teaming: a. interpersonal communication and counseling techniques; b. integration of other professionals into the assessment and treatment process; c. communication with patient/client/student, families, and other professionals
    • B. Professional Practice — 4. Documentation: a. legal and regulatory requirements; b. purposes of documentation; c. privacy requirements; d. official records
    • B. Professional Practice — 5. Ethics: a. standards of ethical practice (–– permissions, referrals, and record keeping; –– client/patient/student privacy; –– supervisory requirements; –– conflicts of interest; –– professional competence)
    • B. Professional Practice — 6. Legislation and client advocacy: a. federal laws and regulations impacting delivery of services; b. reporting requirements of governmental agencies; c. licensing requirements and standards
    • B. Professional Practice — 7. Research methodology and evidence-based practice: a. criterion for test selection; b. determining reliability of assessment procedures; c. models of research design; d. test construction principles; e. tenets of evidence-based practice
  • II. Screening, Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis (approximately 44 questions; approximately 33% of examination). Speech-language pathologists use a variety of tools and strategies to gather information about clients with communication and swallowing disorders. They must synthesize and analyze the information to develop appropriate management plans. This section will focus on screening, assessment, evaluation, and diagnosis of communication and swallowing disorders. Topics include how SLPs use and interpret various screening and assessment tools to determine whether additional formal evaluation is indicated, as well as issues related to the selection of appropriate tools and approaches for screening, assessment, and evaluation. Identification of relevant factors from the case history, determining an appropriate assessment protocol, and interpretation of findings to determine a diagnosis and formulate recommendations are covered in this section of the exam, as well.
    • A. Screening — 1. Communication disorders: a. role of the SLP in screening for speech, language, and hearing disorders; b. screening procedures and approaches; c. identification of clients/patients and characteristics requiring further evaluation; d. knowledge of populations at risk for communication disorders
    • A. Screening — 2. Feeding and swallowing disorders: a. role of the SLP in screening for feeding and swallowing disorders; b. screening procedures and approaches; c. identification of clients/patients and characteristics which require further evaluation; d. knowledge of factors leading to increased risk of swallowing and feeding disorders in various populations
    • B. Approaches to Assessment and Evaluation — 1. Developing case histories: a. reviewing records for pertinent information; b. interviewing techniques to obtain pertinent information; c. integrating critical factors identified in the case history
    • B. Approaches to Assessment and Evaluation — 2. Selecting appropriate assessment instruments, procedures, and materials: a. identifying factors that influence test/procedure selection; b. identifying factors that require adaptation of traditional assessment procedures, instruments, and materials; c. selecting instrumental approaches that can be utilized to evaluate various communication and swallowing disorders (e.g., imaging, acoustic, aerodynamic, etc.)
    • B. Approaches to Assessment and Evaluation — 3. Assessing factors that influence communication and swallowing disorders: a. cultural and ethnic factors; b. linguistic factors; c. medical factors (e.g., stable versus progressive conditions, early versus late onset, etc.); d. developmental and cognitive factors; e. psychological factors; f. environmental factors
    • B. Approaches to Assessment and Evaluation — 4. Assessment of anatomy and physiology: a. assessment of pertinent anatomy, physiology, and neural substrates for: –– respiration; –– phonation; –– speech sound production; –– resonance; –– speech/language perception and processing; –– feeding and swallowing
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 1. Speech sound production: a. standard and nonstandard assessment procedures; b. parameters of assessment of speech sound production; c. instrumental assessment of speech sound production; d. differential diagnosis of speech sound disorders; e. interpretation of assessment data
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 2. Fluency: a. standard and nonstandard assessment procedures; b. parameters of assessment of fluency; c. instrumental assessment of fluency disorders; d. differential diagnosis of fluency disorders (e.g., stuttering versus cluttering); e. interpretation of assessment data
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 3. Voice, resonance, and motor speech: a. standard and nonstandard assessment procedures; b. parameters of assessment of voice, resonance, and motor speech disorders; c. instrumental assessment of voice, resonance, and motor speech disorders; d. differential diagnosis of voice, resonance, and motor speech disorders; e. interpretation of assessment data
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 4. Receptive and expressive language: a. standard and nonstandard assessment procedures; b. parameters of assessment of receptive and expressive language disorders; c. instrumental assessment of language disorders; d. differential diagnosis of language disorders; e. interpretation of assessment data
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 5. Social aspects of communication, including pragmatics: a. standard and nonstandard assessment procedures; b. parameters of assessment of social aspects of communication, including pragmatics; c. differential diagnosis of social communication disorders and pragmatic disorders; d. interpretation of assessment data
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 6. Cognitive aspects of communication: a. standard and nonstandard assessment procedures; b. parameters of assessment of cognitive communication disorders; c. differential diagnosis of cognitive communication disorders; d. interpretation of assessment data
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 7. Augmentative and alternative communication: a. standard and nonstandard assessment procedures; b. low tech and high tech instrumental assessment procedures; c. parameters of assessment for augmentative and alternative communication; d. interpretation of assessment data
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 8. Hearing: a. assessment approaches; b. considerations related to age, developmental status, medical condition, etc.; c. interpretation of assessment (e.g., audiograms and tympanograms) and identification of indicators for referral
    • C. Assessment Procedures and Assessment — 9. Feeding and swallowing: a. instrumental and noninstrumental assessment procedures; b. considerations related to age, developmental status, medical/surgical history, etc.; c. differential diagnosis of feeding and swallowing disorders; d. interpretation of assessment data and indications for referral
    • D. Etiology — 1. Genetic: a. modes of inheritance; b. genetic conditions associated with communication disorders and feeding/swallowing disorders, including common syndromes; c. features of common syndromes and their impact on communication and feeding/swallowing (e.g., Trisomy 21, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, etc.)
    • D. Etiology — 2. Developmental: a. developmental delay; b. congenital and acquired conditions associated with developmental communication and feeding/swallowing disorders
    • D. Etiology — 3. Disease processes: a. childhood (e.g., congenital vocal fold paralysis, cystic fibrosis); b. acquired (e.g., Bell’s palsy, iatrogenic); c. progressive (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myopathy)
    • D. Etiology — 4. Auditory problems: a. congenital and childhood hearing loss; b. acquired hearing loss
    • D. Etiology — 5. Neurological: a. congenital (e.g., cerebral palsy); b. acquired (e.g., TBI, neoplasms, stroke)
    • D. Etiology — 6. Structural and functional: a. congenital (e.g., craniofacial anomalies); b. acquired (e.g., head and neck surgery, trauma, and iatrogenic causes); c. functional causes (e.g., velopharyngeal mislearning, vocal misuse)
    • D. Etiology — 7. Psychogenic
  • III. Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation of Treatment (approximately 44 questions; approximately 33% of examination). Speech-language pathologists are responsible for designing and implementing evidence-based treatments to help clients maximize their functioning in communication and/or swallowing. Consequently, the test includes a range of items that pertain to treatment planning, implementation, and evaluation. This topic area includes issues related to the development and evaluation of treatment plans, as well as evidence-based principles and procedures associated with specific communication and swallowing disorders.
    • A. Treatment Planning — 1. Evaluating factors that can affect treatment: a. evaluating the evidence base associated with a particular treatment strategy or approach; b. evaluating the role of client factors such as age, disorder type, disorder severity, concomitant disorders, personal goals/aspirations, and sociocultural background when planning and implementing treatment goals; c. evaluating the role of external factors such as caregivers’ interactions with the client, school or workplace policies, public laws, medications and iatrogenic, and societal stereotypes when planning and implementing treatment goals
    • A. Treatment Planning — 2. Initiating and prioritizing treatment and developing goals: a. processes and procedures for developing comprehensive, appropriate treatment goals; b. processes and procedures associated with integrating assessment results, caregiver or client/patient/student preferences, and treatment outcomes research; c. factors that affect when to begin, modify, or terminate a treatment plan; d. factors that affect the order in which treatment goals are addressed
    • A. Treatment Planning — 3. Determining appropriate treatment details: a. factors related to treatment scheduling (e.g., number and duration of sessions, time and location of sessions); b. factors related to treatment delivery (e.g., individual versus group sessions, sequential or simultaneous targeting of goals); c. personnel requirements (e.g., extent to which caregivers, teachers, peers, etc., are involved with treatment); d. training requirements (e.g., extent to which caregivers, teachers, peers, etc., need to be trained prior to participating in treatment or implementing generalization activities)
    • A. Treatment Planning — 4. Generating a prognosis: a. considering/accounting for client/patient/student factors (e.g., age, motivation, nature of disorder) that can affect treatment outcome; b. considering/accounting for external factors (e.g., family support, availability of services) that can affect treatment outcome
    • A. Treatment Planning — 5. Communicating recommendations: a. procedures, requirements, and best practices for communicating treatment-related recommendations to clients/patients/students and (when appropriate) their family members; b. procedures, requirements, and best practices for communicating treatment-related recommendations to other professionals who are involved in the client/patient/student’s treatment plan; c. principles of interprofessional practice
    • A. Treatment Planning — 6. General treatment principles and procedures: a. general principles and procedures to consider when selecting a treatment (e.g., age, disorder, sociocultural background, severity of impairment, nature of disability)
    • B. Treatment Evaluation — 1. Establishing methods for monitoring treatment progress and outcomes to evaluate assessment and/or treatment plans: a. procedures associated with identifying appropriate measures of treatment progress and treatment outcomes; b. methods associated with measuring baseline performance; c. methods associated with measuring progress while treatment is ongoing; d. procedures associated with modifying progress measures, if necessary, while treatment is ongoing; e. methods associated with evaluating performance when treatment concludes (e.g., short- and long-term outcomes); f. methods associated with determining the social validity of treatment outcomes and the impact of treatment outcomes on a client/patient’s quality of life
    • B. Treatment Evaluation — 2. Follow-up on post-treatment referrals and recommendations
    • C. Treatment — 1. Speech sound production: a. principles and characteristics of interventions used in the treatment of disorders that affect speech sound production; b. strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability associated with speech sound production disorders or differences
    • C. Treatment — 2. Fluency: a. principles and characteristics of interventions used in the treatment of fluency disorders; b. strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability associated with fluency disorders
    • C. Treatment — 3. Voice, resonance, and motor speech: a. voice (–– principles and characteristics of interventions used in the treatment of voice disorders; –– strategies and procedures for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability associated with voice disorders); b. resonance (–– principles and characteristics of interventions used in the treatment of resonance disorders; –– strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability associated with resonance disorders); c. motor speech (–– principles and characteristics of interventions used in the treatment of motor speech disorders; –– strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability associated with motor speech disorder)
    • C. Treatment — 4. Receptive and expressive language: a. principles and characteristics of interventions used in the treatment of receptive and expressive disorders; b. strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disabilities associated with receptive and expressive language functioning
    • C. Treatment — 5. Social aspects of communication, including pragmatics: a. principles and characteristics of interventions used to treat social aspects of communication, including pragmatics; b. strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability associated with social aspects of communication
    • C. Treatment — 6. Communication impairments related to cognition: a. principles and characteristics of interventions used to treat communication impairments that are related to cognitive functioning; b. srategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability associated with cognitively based communication impairments
    • C. Treatment — 7. Treatment involving augmentative and alternative communication: a. factors involved in determining candidacy for AAC approaches; b. factors involved in selecting an appropriate AAC approach; c. principles and characteristics of AAC options/strategies; strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating communicative and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability in those who use AAC
    • C. Treatment — 8. Hearing and aural rehabilitation: a. principles and characteristics of interventions used in the treatment of hearing loss; b. strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating speech-language and/or related (e.g., educational, occupational) disability associated with hearing impairment
    • C. Treatment — 9. Swallowing and feeding: a. rationale for selection of interventions used in the treatment of swallowing and feeding disorders based on evaluation data; b. other factors (outside of evaluation data) affecting the likelihood of success for a given treatment for feeding/swallowing disorders; c. strategies for preventing, reducing, or eliminating swallowing and feeding disorders; d. strategies for reducing the common health-related adverse consequences of swallowing and feeding disorders
Examination sources