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Minnesota Speech-Language Pathology — Requirements & Free Practice

US-MN · License preparation

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

Speech-Language Pathologist License

Full Minnesota license to practice speech-language pathology; certification-equivalency, reciprocity, or statutory-qualification issuance.

Licensing authority: Minnesota Department of Health, Commissioner of Health · Application information

Reinstatement after disciplinary suspension
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Continuing Education
Meet the renewal and continuing education requirements applicable to this license; reinstatement does not expand the original license's duration or scope.
Petition
Petition on commissioner-provided forms for reinstatement and meet section 148.5191 renewal requirements.
Suspension
The license was suspended and the commissioner-specified suspension period has elapsed.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial licensure by ASHA certification equivalency
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit the completed MDH application and required fees; give education, training, and five-year work history; sign the accuracy statement and records waiver.
Background Check
Consent to a fingerprint-based criminal history background check, pay required fees, and cooperate with requests; a new background check is required if more than one year has elapsed since the last license application.
Certification
Hold a current ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence and provide a current ASHA verification letter. Section 148.516 substitutes that certificate for section 148.515 qualifications; this route does not separately require an examination.
Credential Verification
Document speech-language pathology credentials held currently or previously in other jurisdictions.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial licensure by statutory qualifications
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Submit the completed MDH application and required fees; give education, training, and five-year work history; sign the accuracy statement and records waiver.
Background Check
Consent to a fingerprint-based criminal history background check, pay required fees, and cooperate with requests; a new background check is required if more than one year has elapsed since the last license application.
Clinical Experience
Complete the graduate or doctoral clinical experience required by ASHA or an equivalent determined by the commissioner.
Credential Verification
Document speech-language pathology credentials held currently or previously in other jurisdictions.
Education
Possess a qualifying master's or doctoral degree or documented equivalent master's coursework in an accredited speech-language pathology program as specified in section 148.515 subdivision 2.
Passing Score
Achieve a qualifying score on the National Examination in Speech-Language Pathology, referenced here by the frozen registered Praxis 5331 version.
Military service renewal exemption or reinstatement
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Eligible Service
The license was effective at entry into active military service or national-defense/war-essential employment outside the United States.
Exemption
License remains effective during eligible service and six months afterward; no renewal application or fee is required during the exemption. A cancellation or revocation solely for nonrenewal is reinstated on application without penalties or costs.
Notice
Provide evidence of qualifying service as requested and notify MDH after discharge or return; ordinary renewal requirements resume after the statutory grace period.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial licensure by reciprocity
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
2026Amendment
Chapter 127 adds a practical-examination requirement for audiology applicants; it does not impose that audiology examination on speech-language pathology applicants.
Application
Submit the completed MDH application and required fees; give education, training, and five-year work history; sign the accuracy statement and records waiver.
Background Check
Consent to a fingerprint-based criminal history background check, pay required fees, and cooperate with requests; a new background check is required if more than one year has elapsed since the last license application.
Credential Verification
Document speech-language pathology credentials held currently or previously in other jurisdictions.
Other Credential
Hold a current unrestricted speech-language pathology credential in a jurisdiction with requirements equivalent to or higher than Minnesota; sufficient evidence exempts this SLP applicant from section 148.515.
Verification
Show appropriate unrestricted credentials in each jurisdiction during the last five years by verification letters stating name, date of birth, credential number, date of issuance, disciplinary actions and issuance terms.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Biennial renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Complete the biennial renewal application, submit the renewal fee, and respond to requested clarifying information within 30 days.
Continuing Education
Meet ASHA continuing education requirements or document at least 30 contact hours in the preceding biennium, with at least 20 directly related hours and up to 10 generally related hours; prorate for licenses shorter than two years.
Deadline
Under the 2026 amendment, MDH must receive the renewal application at least 30 days before license expiration; the former postmark alternative was removed.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Return after lapse through continuing education
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Continuing Education
Apply for renewal under section 148.5191 and document compliance with section 148.5193 continuing education since the license lapsed.
Lapsed License
Minnesota SLP licensure has lapsed.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Return after lapse by recent national examination
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Lapsed License
Minnesota SLP licensure has lapsed.
Renewal
Apply for renewal under section 148.5191.
Score Age
Provide documentation of a qualifying score on the examination described in section 148.515 subdivision 4 within one year of the renewal application date.
Return after lapse using a current equivalent jurisdiction credential
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Credential
Apply for renewal and hold a current unrestricted SLP credential in a jurisdiction with requirements equivalent to or higher than Minnesota; document that jurisdiction's continuing education compliance.
Lapsed License
Minnesota SLP licensure has lapsed.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Return after lapse by reciprocity
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
2026Amendment
Chapter 127 adds a practical-examination requirement for audiology applicants; it does not impose that audiology examination on speech-language pathology applicants.
Lapsed License
Minnesota SLP licensure has lapsed; fulfill section 148.517 reciprocity requirements.
Other Credential
Hold a current unrestricted speech-language pathology credential in a jurisdiction with requirements equivalent to or higher than Minnesota; sufficient evidence exempts this SLP applicant from section 148.515.
Verification
Show appropriate unrestricted credentials in each jurisdiction during the last five years by verification letters stating name, date of birth, credential number, date of issuance, disciplinary actions and issuance terms.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Return after lapse using a current Minnesota school SLP credential
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Credential
Apply for renewal and hold a current unrestricted speech-language pathology credential from PELSB; document compliance with PELSB continuing education requirements.
Lapsed License
Minnesota SLP licensure has lapsed.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Return after lapse through supervised practice
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Lapsed License
Minnesota SLP licensure has lapsed.
Supervised Practice
Apply for renewal and provide verified completion of 160 commissioner-approved supervised-practice hours; first obtain temporary licensing according to section 148.5161 before participating.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

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