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Mississippi Speech-Language Pathology — Requirements & Free Practice

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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 Pathology Compact Privilege

Statutory privilege to practice in Mississippi under the ASLP Interstate Compact, derived from an eligible home-state license and administered according to Commission requirements. This is the enacted eligibility route; no claim of Mississippi operational issuance is inferred from the compact-map SVG or navigation page.

Licensing authority: Mississippi State Board of Health / Mississippi State Department of Health · Application information

Initial compact privilege to practice in Mississippi
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Adverse actions
No practice-related felony conviction, guilty finding or agreed disposition; no adverse action against any license or compact privilege in the two years preceding application.
Background check
Submit fingerprint-based state and federal background checks as required by the Compact and authorized law. Chapter 3 provides specific home-state legal-impossibility procedures, including attestation, state check and later federal check; an unverified exception is not asserted for Mississippi.
Clinical practicum
Complete the supervised educational clinical practicum required by the Commission.
Commission notification
Notify the Commission of the request for a Mississippi remote-state privilege and pay applicable fees; report nonmember-state adverse action within 30 days.
Education
Approved accredited US master's SLP program, or an approved comparable foreign program verified by an independent credential-review agency under Compact section 3(F)(1).
Home license
Active unencumbered license from the eligible compact home state; no encumbrance on any state license. A single-state universal-recognition license alone does not establish compact eligibility.
Identifier
Valid US Social Security or National Practitioner Identification number.
Military option
Active-duty military members and spouses may designate an eligible state in which they hold a current good-standing license as home state and retain that designation during active duty.
National exam
Have passed the Commission-approved Praxis examination in speech-language pathology with the member board's passing score. Chapter 8 permits successors or Commission-recognized equivalent national examinations; that open remainder is a condition, not an invented examination ID.
Postgraduate experience
Complete supervised postgraduate experience: at least nine months, or 36 weeks or 1,260 hours, under Commission Chapter 7.
Practice law
Practice, including telehealth, must comply with Mississippi law when the client is in Mississippi.
Compact privilege with active duty military or spouse home state designation
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Adverse actions
No practice-related felony conviction, guilty finding or agreed disposition; no adverse action against any license or compact privilege in the two years preceding application.
Background check
Submit fingerprint-based state and federal background checks as required by the Compact and authorized law. Chapter 3 provides specific home-state legal-impossibility procedures, including attestation, state check and later federal check; an unverified exception is not asserted for Mississippi.
Clinical practicum
Complete the supervised educational clinical practicum required by the Commission.
Commission notification
Notify the Commission of the request for a Mississippi remote-state privilege and pay applicable fees; report nonmember-state adverse action within 30 days.
Education
Approved accredited US master's SLP program, or an approved comparable foreign program verified by an independent credential-review agency under Compact section 3(F)(1).
Home license
Active unencumbered license from the eligible compact home state; no encumbrance on any state license. A single-state universal-recognition license alone does not establish compact eligibility.
Identifier
Valid US Social Security or National Practitioner Identification number.
Military option
Active-duty military members and spouses may designate an eligible state in which they hold a current good-standing license as home state and retain that designation during active duty.
Military relationship
The applicant is active-duty military personnel or that member's spouse; section 6 permits retention of the designated home state during active duty, with any change through a new home-state licensing application.
National exam
Have passed the Commission-approved Praxis examination in speech-language pathology with the member board's passing score. Chapter 8 permits successors or Commission-recognized equivalent national examinations; that open remainder is a condition, not an invented examination ID.
Postgraduate experience
Complete supervised postgraduate experience: at least nine months, or 36 weeks or 1,260 hours, under Commission Chapter 7.
Practice law
Practice, including telehealth, must comply with Mississippi law when the client is in Mississippi.
Maintenance and renewal of compact privilege
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Adverse actions
No practice-related felony conviction, guilty finding or agreed disposition; no adverse action against any license or compact privilege in the two years preceding application.
Background check
Submit fingerprint-based state and federal background checks as required by the Compact and authorized law. Chapter 3 provides specific home-state legal-impossibility procedures, including attestation, state check and later federal check; an unverified exception is not asserted for Mississippi.
Clinical practicum
Complete the supervised educational clinical practicum required by the Commission.
Commission notification
Notify the Commission of the request for a Mississippi remote-state privilege and pay applicable fees; report nonmember-state adverse action within 30 days.
Education
Approved accredited US master's SLP program, or an approved comparable foreign program verified by an independent credential-review agency under Compact section 3(F)(1).
Home license
Active unencumbered license from the eligible compact home state; no encumbrance on any state license. A single-state universal-recognition license alone does not establish compact eligibility.
Identifier
Valid US Social Security or National Practitioner Identification number.
Military option
Active-duty military members and spouses may designate an eligible state in which they hold a current good-standing license as home state and retain that designation during active duty.
National exam
Have passed the Commission-approved Praxis examination in speech-language pathology with the member board's passing score. Chapter 8 permits successors or Commission-recognized equivalent national examinations; that open remainder is a condition, not an invented examination ID.
Postgraduate experience
Complete supervised postgraduate experience: at least nine months, or 36 weeks or 1,260 hours, under Commission Chapter 7.
Practice law
Practice, including telehealth, must comply with Mississippi law when the client is in Mississippi.
Renewal
Privilege validity follows expiration of the home-state license. Continued eligibility must meet section 4(A), including section 3 national-examination eligibility; section 73-38-29(2) exempts a new examination sitting for renewal sought within two years of expiration. Prior passing remains the leaf; no retake is imposed by this record.
Reacquisition of compact privilege after adverse action
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Adverse actions
No practice-related felony conviction, guilty finding or agreed disposition; no adverse action against any license or compact privilege in the two years preceding application.
Background check
Submit fingerprint-based state and federal background checks as required by the Compact and authorized law. Chapter 3 provides specific home-state legal-impossibility procedures, including attestation, state check and later federal check; an unverified exception is not asserted for Mississippi.
Clinical practicum
Complete the supervised educational clinical practicum required by the Commission.
Commission notification
Notify the Commission of the request for a Mississippi remote-state privilege and pay applicable fees; report nonmember-state adverse action within 30 days.
Education
Approved accredited US master's SLP program, or an approved comparable foreign program verified by an independent credential-review agency under Compact section 3(F)(1).
Home license
Active unencumbered license from the eligible compact home state; no encumbrance on any state license. A single-state universal-recognition license alone does not establish compact eligibility.
Identifier
Valid US Social Security or National Practitioner Identification number.
Military option
Active-duty military members and spouses may designate an eligible state in which they hold a current good-standing license as home state and retain that designation during active duty.
National exam
Have passed the Commission-approved Praxis examination in speech-language pathology with the member board's passing score. Chapter 8 permits successors or Commission-recognized equivalent national examinations; that open remainder is a condition, not an invented examination ID.
Postgraduate experience
Complete supervised postgraduate experience: at least nine months, or 36 weeks or 1,260 hours, under Commission Chapter 7.
Practice law
Practice, including telehealth, must comply with Mississippi law when the client is in Mississippi.
Restoration
Home-state license is no longer encumbered and two years have elapsed since adverse action; meet section 4(A) again to reacquire the privilege. Mississippi remote-state restrictions remain subject to the applicable order.

Speech-Language Pathologist License

Ordinary independent speech-language pathology license. Section 73-38-7 exempts confined federal and school employment or volunteering, supervised student activities, and specified short-term cooperative services; these exemptions do not create additional Board-issued license identities. This record concerns the Board of Health license, not another agency's credential.

Licensing authority: Mississippi State Board of Health / Mississippi State Department of Health · Application information

Licensure based on ASHA clinical competence with statutory examination waiver
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Submit the Board application and supporting evidence and pay applicable fees. An incomplete licensing application is abandoned after six months under Rule 10.4.7. Section 73-38-19 requires the applicant's social security number.
Clinical competence
Hold ASHA clinical competence in speech-language pathology, the area of the application.
Education
At least a master's degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, communicative disorders, or speech and hearing science from an institution recognized by the Board; accredited academic program as specified in Rule 10.4.2(1).
Exam score
The national examination is the speech-language pathology examination corresponding to this license, not the audiology examination. Passing score is determined by the Board with Council advice; no fixed score is invented. Prior passing of the currently offered registered examination remains an examination reference.
Exam waiver
Section 73-38-23(2) and Rule 10.4.6(9) mandate an examination waiver for ASHA clinical competence in the area sought; section 73-38-23(1) permits waiver for an equivalent current out-of-state license. A leaf does not mean every applicant must retake the examination.
Mandatory exam waiver
The board shall waive the examination for licensure of any person certified as clinically competent by ASHA in the area for which such person is applying for licensure.
Moral character
Good moral character is required by section 73-38-9(1)(a).
Professional employment
Equivalent of nine months of full-time professional experience in speech-language pathology; full time is at least 30 clock hours weekly. For SLP this begins after the master's degree. The required direct clinical contact is 80% of full-time or 100% of part-time experience. Excluded academic, research and unrelated administrative time does not count.
Supervision
Obtain the supervised temporary license before beginning the Board-approved professional employment plan and maintain the corresponding regular Mississippi SLP supervisor.
Discretionary reinstatement after revocation for deficient continuing education
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Ce compliance
Resolve the deficient CE and satisfy the Department's conditions; no repeat probationary term may be issued.
Department discretion
Reinstatement of the CE-revoked regular license is subject to the Department's discretion.
Expiration limit
A license that has lapsed for two consecutive years requires a new application rather than restoration.
Fees
If approved, pay renewal, late-renewal penalty and license-after-expiration fees before reinstatement.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Discretionary restoration to good standing after discipline
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Board conditions
Meet the Board's restoration and disciplinary-order conditions.
Expiration limit
A revoked license cannot simply be renewed; reinstatement after expiration requires the statutory reinstatement fee. Two years of lapse requires a new application.
Hearing
After a hearing the Board must be satisfied renewed practice is in the public interest.
Rehabilitation
Rule 10.8.8 addresses severity, elapsed time, subsequent misconduct, compliance with sanctions and other rehabilitation evidence. Physical or mental evaluations under section 73-38-27(2) are applicant conditions, not professional examination leaves.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Licensure by examination
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Submit the Board application and supporting evidence and pay applicable fees. An incomplete licensing application is abandoned after six months under Rule 10.4.7. Section 73-38-19 requires the applicant's social security number.
Education
At least a master's degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, communicative disorders, or speech and hearing science from an institution recognized by the Board; accredited academic program as specified in Rule 10.4.2(1).
Exam score
The national examination is the speech-language pathology examination corresponding to this license, not the audiology examination. Passing score is determined by the Board with Council advice; no fixed score is invented. Prior passing of the currently offered registered examination remains an examination reference.
Exam waiver
Section 73-38-23(2) and Rule 10.4.6(9) mandate an examination waiver for ASHA clinical competence in the area sought; section 73-38-23(1) permits waiver for an equivalent current out-of-state license. A leaf does not mean every applicant must retake the examination.
Moral character
Good moral character is required by section 73-38-9(1)(a).
Professional employment
Equivalent of nine months of full-time professional experience in speech-language pathology; full time is at least 30 clock hours weekly. For SLP this begins after the master's degree. The required direct clinical contact is 80% of full-time or 100% of part-time experience. Excluded academic, research and unrelated administrative time does not count.
Supervision
Obtain the supervised temporary license before beginning the Board-approved professional employment plan and maintain the corresponding regular Mississippi SLP supervisor.
Military family recognition of qualifying out of state license
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Compact limit
The recognized license is Mississippi-only and creates no compact eligibility unless Mississippi law otherwise provides.
Decision period
The licensing decision is due within 120 days of receiving the application.
Discipline
No act that would justify Mississippi refusal, suspension or revocation; no disqualifying criminal record; no license surrendered for negligence or intentional misconduct.
Existing license
Current valid license in another state in a similar-scope occupation, held for at least one year; good standing with the other licensing board.
Fees
Pay all applicable Mississippi fees.
Jurisprudence
Sections 73-50-1(5) and 73-50-2(5), and Rule 10.4.6(3), permit jurisprudence testing only if Mississippi ordinary issuance requires such an examination. The profession's implementing examination provision is Rule 10.4.2(3), the national SLP examination; the conditional recognition clause does not establish an independently administered SLP jurisprudence examination.
Military relationship
The applicant is a military member, spouse, or dependent.
Pending proceedings
A pending complaint, allegation or investigation involving unprofessional conduct or crime must be resolved, or the applicant must otherwise satisfy the Board's criteria, before a licensing decision.
Scope
Practice at the discipline and practice level approved by the Department, under Mississippi practice and supervision rules.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Military family recognition of military occupational training
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Compact limit
The recognized license is Mississippi-only and creates no compact eligibility unless Mississippi law otherwise provides.
Decision period
The licensing decision is due within 120 days of receiving the application.
Discipline
No act that would justify Mississippi refusal, suspension or revocation; no disqualifying criminal record; no license surrendered for negligence or intentional misconduct.
Fees
Pay all applicable Mississippi fees.
Good standing
Satisfy section 73-50-1(3)(c)-(f), including applicable good standing with any other licensing board.
Jurisprudence
Sections 73-50-1(5) and 73-50-2(5), and Rule 10.4.6(3), permit jurisprudence testing only if Mississippi ordinary issuance requires such an examination. The profession's implementing examination provision is Rule 10.4.2(3), the national SLP examination; the conditional recognition clause does not establish an independently administered SLP jurisprudence examination.
Military qualification
Awarded a military occupational specialty, completed military training, completed testing or equivalent training and experience, and performed in that specialty. Unnamed military testing is a condition.
Military relationship
The applicant is a military member, spouse, or dependent.
Pending proceedings
A pending complaint, allegation or investigation involving unprofessional conduct or crime must be resolved, or the applicant must otherwise satisfy the Board's criteria, before a licensing decision.
Scope
Practice at the discipline and practice level approved by the Department, under Mississippi practice and supervision rules.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Military family recognition of work in an unregulated occupation
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Compact limit
The recognized license is Mississippi-only and creates no compact eligibility unless Mississippi law otherwise provides.
Decision period
The licensing decision is due within 120 days of receiving the application.
Discipline
No act that would justify Mississippi refusal, suspension or revocation; no disqualifying criminal record; no license surrendered for negligence or intentional misconduct.
Fees
Pay all applicable Mississippi fees.
Jurisprudence
Sections 73-50-1(5) and 73-50-2(5), and Rule 10.4.6(3), permit jurisprudence testing only if Mississippi ordinary issuance requires such an examination. The profession's implementing examination provision is Rule 10.4.2(3), the national SLP examination; the conditional recognition clause does not establish an independently administered SLP jurisprudence examination.
Military relationship
The applicant is a military member, spouse, or dependent.
Pending proceedings
A pending complaint, allegation or investigation involving unprofessional conduct or crime must be resolved, or the applicant must otherwise satisfy the Board's criteria, before a licensing decision.
Scope
Practice at the discipline and practice level approved by the Department, under Mississippi practice and supervision rules.
Work experience
At least three years working lawfully in another state that did not license this occupation, with similar scope as determined by the Department; satisfy section 73-50-1(3)(c)-(f).

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

New application after license lapsed for two years
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Submit the Board application and supporting evidence and pay applicable fees. An incomplete licensing application is abandoned after six months under Rule 10.4.7. Section 73-38-19 requires the applicant's social security number.
Education
At least a master's degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, communicative disorders, or speech and hearing science from an institution recognized by the Board; accredited academic program as specified in Rule 10.4.2(1).
Exam score
The national examination is the speech-language pathology examination corresponding to this license, not the audiology examination. Passing score is determined by the Board with Council advice; no fixed score is invented. Prior passing of the currently offered registered examination remains an examination reference.
Exam waiver
Section 73-38-23(2) and Rule 10.4.6(9) mandate an examination waiver for ASHA clinical competence in the area sought; section 73-38-23(1) permits waiver for an equivalent current out-of-state license. A leaf does not mean every applicant must retake the examination.
Moral character
Good moral character is required by section 73-38-9(1)(a).
Prior lapse
The previous license lapsed for two consecutive years and cannot be renewed, restored or reinstated. A new application must satisfy the licensure regulations currently in effect, including applicable statutory examination waivers.
Professional employment
Equivalent of nine months of full-time professional experience in speech-language pathology; full time is at least 30 clock hours weekly. For SLP this begins after the master's degree. The required direct clinical contact is 80% of full-time or 100% of part-time experience. Excluded academic, research and unrelated administrative time does not count.
Supervision
Obtain the supervised temporary license before beginning the Board-approved professional employment plan and maintain the corresponding regular Mississippi SLP supervisor.
Licensure by reciprocity with equivalent current license
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Submit the Board application and supporting evidence and pay applicable fees. An incomplete licensing application is abandoned after six months under Rule 10.4.7. Section 73-38-19 requires the applicant's social security number.
Discretionary waiver
The board may waive the examination for licensure of any applicant who presents proof of current licensure in another state, including the District of Columbia, or territory of the United States which maintains professional standards considered by the council to be equivalent to those set forth in this chapter.
Education
At least a master's degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, communicative disorders, or speech and hearing science from an institution recognized by the Board; accredited academic program as specified in Rule 10.4.2(1).
Exam score
The national examination is the speech-language pathology examination corresponding to this license, not the audiology examination. Passing score is determined by the Board with Council advice; no fixed score is invented. Prior passing of the currently offered registered examination remains an examination reference.
Exam waiver
Section 73-38-23(2) and Rule 10.4.6(9) mandate an examination waiver for ASHA clinical competence in the area sought; section 73-38-23(1) permits waiver for an equivalent current out-of-state license. A leaf does not mean every applicant must retake the examination.
Existing license
Present proof of a current license in another US jurisdiction with standards the Council considers equivalent. General reciprocity does not impose the one-year holding requirement of the separate universal-recognition route.
Moral character
Good moral character is required by section 73-38-9(1)(a).
Oath
Submit evidence verified by oath that the general and professional requirements of Rules 10.4.1 and 10.4.2 have been met.
Professional employment
Equivalent of nine months of full-time professional experience in speech-language pathology; full time is at least 30 clock hours weekly. For SLP this begins after the master's degree. The required direct clinical contact is 80% of full-time or 100% of part-time experience. Excluded academic, research and unrelated administrative time does not count.
Statutory prior practice
Section 73-38-19(4) permits an ASHA-certified or out-of-state licensed applicant who has applied for examination to perform services before the Board determines examination completion.
Supervision
Obtain the supervised temporary license before beginning the Board-approved professional employment plan and maintain the corresponding regular Mississippi SLP supervisor.
Reinstatement of regular license suspended for child support noncompliance
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Administrative reinstatement
The licensing entity immediately reinstates on the responsible division's written notification that arrearage is resolved or a stipulated agreement and agreed judgment has been entered.
Court reinstatement
For a court suspension under section 93-11-163, the court may order reinstatement once delinquency is purged; the licensing entity treats it as a section 93-11-157 suspension.
Fees
Applicable administrative reinstatement fees under section 93-11-159 are retained as a condition; no fee amount is inferred.
Other restrictions
Child-support reinstatement removes that suspension; it does not extend an expired temporary term, remove a different disciplinary order, or change practice level or supervision.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Late renewal and lapse reinstatement within two years
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Active duty extension
For Mississippi National Guard or US Armed Forces Reserve members on federal active duty, section 33-1-39 extends the license during active duty and up to 90 days after return; normal renewal fees and activities apply without late costs, with military orders or commander verification timely provided.
Ce documentation
Provider approval and attendance/completion evidence meeting Rules 10.7.4 and 10.7.5 are required.
Continuing education
20 contact hours or 2 CEUs per term, at least half directly clinical; no carryover. Initial licensure is prorated.
Cycle
July 1 through June 30, with regular licenses expiring at midnight June 30 of even-numbered years.
Exam
Section 73-38-29(2) expressly bars an examination condition on renewal sought within two years of expiration.
Late renewal
July 1-September 30 adds a $50 penalty. On or after October add the renewal fee, $50 penalty and $60 reinstatement fee. Department discretion and required CE govern reinstatement within two years; after two years use a new licensing application.
Renewal submission
Complete the renewal form, show approved continuing education, pay the renewal fee and file before expiration.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Regular biennial renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Active duty extension
For Mississippi National Guard or US Armed Forces Reserve members on federal active duty, section 33-1-39 extends the license during active duty and up to 90 days after return; normal renewal fees and activities apply without late costs, with military orders or commander verification timely provided.
Ce documentation
Provider approval and attendance/completion evidence meeting Rules 10.7.4 and 10.7.5 are required.
Continuing education
20 contact hours or 2 CEUs per term, at least half directly clinical; no carryover. Initial licensure is prorated.
Cycle
July 1 through June 30, with regular licenses expiring at midnight June 30 of even-numbered years.
Exam
Section 73-38-29(2) expressly bars an examination condition on renewal sought within two years of expiration.
Renewal submission
Complete the renewal form, show approved continuing education, pay the renewal fee and file before expiration.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Renewal into regular status after completing CE probation
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Active duty extension
For Mississippi National Guard or US Armed Forces Reserve members on federal active duty, section 33-1-39 extends the license during active duty and up to 90 days after return; normal renewal fees and activities apply without late costs, with military orders or commander verification timely provided.
Ce documentation
Provider approval and attendance/completion evidence meeting Rules 10.7.4 and 10.7.5 are required.
Continuing education
20 contact hours or 2 CEUs per term, at least half directly clinical; no carryover. Initial licensure is prorated.
Cycle
July 1 through June 30, with regular licenses expiring at midnight June 30 of even-numbered years.
Exam
Section 73-38-29(2) expressly bars an examination condition on renewal sought within two years of expiration.
Probation completion
Complete both the prior delinquency and the current probationary term's required CE. The next license cannot again be CE probationary for insufficient hours.
Renewal submission
Complete the renewal form, show approved continuing education, pay the renewal fee and file before expiration.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Upgrade from supervised temporary to regular license
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Submit the Board application and supporting evidence and pay applicable fees. An incomplete licensing application is abandoned after six months under Rule 10.4.7. Section 73-38-19 requires the applicant's social security number.
Education
At least a master's degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, communicative disorders, or speech and hearing science from an institution recognized by the Board; accredited academic program as specified in Rule 10.4.2(1).
Exam score
The national examination is the speech-language pathology examination corresponding to this license, not the audiology examination. Passing score is determined by the Board with Council advice; no fixed score is invented. Prior passing of the currently offered registered examination remains an examination reference.
Exam waiver
Section 73-38-23(2) and Rule 10.4.6(9) mandate an examination waiver for ASHA clinical competence in the area sought; section 73-38-23(1) permits waiver for an equivalent current out-of-state license. A leaf does not mean every applicant must retake the examination.
Moral character
Good moral character is required by section 73-38-9(1)(a).
Professional employment
Equivalent of nine months of full-time professional experience in speech-language pathology; full time is at least 30 clock hours weekly. For SLP this begins after the master's degree. The required direct clinical contact is 80% of full-time or 100% of part-time experience. Excluded academic, research and unrelated administrative time does not count.
Supervision
Obtain the supervised temporary license before beginning the Board-approved professional employment plan and maintain the corresponding regular Mississippi SLP supervisor.
Temporary license
Hold the supervised temporary license and submit completion of all regular requirements within its single two-year term; maintain supervision until the Department upgrades the license.
Universal recognition of qualifying out of state license
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Compact limit
The recognized license is Mississippi-only and does not establish compact eligibility.
Decision period
The licensing decision is due within 120 days of receiving the application.
Discipline
No act that would justify Mississippi refusal, suspension or revocation; no disqualifying criminal record; no license surrendered for negligence or intentional misconduct.
Existing license
Current valid good-standing license in another US state in an occupation with similar scope, held for at least one year.
Fees
Pay all applicable Mississippi fees.
Jurisprudence
Sections 73-50-1(5) and 73-50-2(5), and Rule 10.4.6(3), permit jurisprudence testing only if Mississippi ordinary issuance requires such an examination. The profession's implementing examination provision is Rule 10.4.2(3), the national SLP examination; the conditional recognition clause does not establish an independently administered SLP jurisprudence examination.
Pending proceedings
A pending complaint, allegation or investigation involving unprofessional conduct or crime must be resolved, or the applicant must otherwise satisfy the Board's criteria, before a licensing decision.
Prior qualifications
The issuing jurisdiction verifies the applicant met its minimum education and applicable work, examination and clinical-supervision requirements. Those unidentified or other-state examinations are applicant conditions, not Mississippi examination leaves.
Residence
Establish Mississippi residence by a state-issued identification card, current residential utility bill, ownership or lease, in-state employment or notarized employment promise for applicant or spouse, or other verifiable residence documentation.
Scope
Practice at the discipline and practice level approved by the Department, under Mississippi practice and supervision rules.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Universal recognition of work in an unregulated occupation
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Compact limit
The recognized license is Mississippi-only and does not establish compact eligibility.
Decision period
The licensing decision is due within 120 days of receiving the application.
Discipline
No act that would justify Mississippi refusal, suspension or revocation; no disqualifying criminal record; no license surrendered for negligence or intentional misconduct.
Fees
Pay all applicable Mississippi fees.
Jurisprudence
Sections 73-50-1(5) and 73-50-2(5), and Rule 10.4.6(3), permit jurisprudence testing only if Mississippi ordinary issuance requires such an examination. The profession's implementing examination provision is Rule 10.4.2(3), the national SLP examination; the conditional recognition clause does not establish an independently administered SLP jurisprudence examination.
Pending proceedings
A pending complaint, allegation or investigation involving unprofessional conduct or crime must be resolved, or the applicant must otherwise satisfy the Board's criteria, before a licensing decision.
Residence
Establish Mississippi residence by the evidence allowed in section 73-50-2(6).
Scope
Practice at the discipline and practice level approved by the Department, under Mississippi practice and supervision rules.
Work experience
At least three years working lawfully in another state that did not license this occupation, with scope similar to the Mississippi occupation as determined by the Department.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Temporary Speech-Language Pathologist License

Supervised license for completion of professional employment and/or the examination, for one two-year period only; distinct from the statutory recognition temporary practice permit.

Licensing authority: Mississippi State Board of Health / Mississippi State Department of Health · Application information

Reinstatement of temporary license suspended for child support noncompliance
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Administrative reinstatement
The licensing entity immediately reinstates on the responsible division's written notification that arrearage is resolved or a stipulated agreement and agreed judgment has been entered.
Court reinstatement
For a court suspension under section 93-11-163, the court may order reinstatement once delinquency is purged; the licensing entity treats it as a section 93-11-157 suspension.
Fees
Applicable administrative reinstatement fees under section 93-11-159 are retained as a condition; no fee amount is inferred.
Other restrictions
Child-support reinstatement removes that suspension; it does not extend an expired temporary term, remove a different disciplinary order, or change practice level or supervision.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Temporary license renewal during its single two year term
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Active duty extension
For Mississippi National Guard or US Armed Forces Reserve members on federal active duty, section 33-1-39 extends the license during active duty and up to 90 days after return; normal renewal fees and activities apply without late costs, with military orders or commander verification timely provided.
Ce documentation
Provider approval and attendance/completion evidence meeting Rules 10.7.4 and 10.7.5 are required.
Continuing education
20 contact hours or 2 CEUs per term, at least half directly clinical; no carryover. Initial licensure is prorated.
Cycle
July 1 through June 30, with regular licenses expiring at midnight June 30 of even-numbered years.
Exam
Section 73-38-29(2) expressly bars an examination condition on renewal sought within two years of expiration.
Renewal submission
Complete the renewal form, show approved continuing education, pay the renewal fee and file before expiration.
Temporary term
Renew to remain in the current cycle when issued within a licensing term; renewal does not extend the one two-year temporary period and supervision continues.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Temporary licensure while completing employment and/or examination
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
Application
Submit the Board application and supporting evidence and pay applicable fees. An incomplete licensing application is abandoned after six months under Rule 10.4.7. Section 73-38-19 requires the applicant's social security number.
Approved plan
Department-approved SPEP filed before issuance; supervisor holds the corresponding current regular Mississippi license; practice only in the approved Mississippi setting, including otherwise exempt employment settings.
Continuing education
Temporary licensees must meet the same continuing-education requirements as regular licensees.
Duration
One two-year term beginning on issuance; complete and submit all regular requirements within that period and maintain supervision until upgraded.
Education
At least a master's degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology, communicative disorders, or speech and hearing science from an institution recognized by the Board; accredited academic program as specified in Rule 10.4.2(1).
Exam score
The national examination is the speech-language pathology examination corresponding to this license, not the audiology examination. Passing score is determined by the Board with Council advice; no fixed score is invented. Prior passing of the currently offered registered examination remains an examination reference.
Exam waiver
Section 73-38-23(2) and Rule 10.4.6(9) mandate an examination waiver for ASHA clinical competence in the area sought; section 73-38-23(1) permits waiver for an equivalent current out-of-state license. A leaf does not mean every applicant must retake the examination.
Incomplete regular requirements
Applicant satisfies the regular requirements except professional employment and/or examination, and may have taken or not yet taken the approved national examination.
Moral character
Good moral character is required by section 73-38-9(1)(a).
Previous exam failure
An applicant who completed supervised experience and took but failed the examination in another jurisdiction is ineligible for any license until an approved examination is passed.
Prior revocation
No temporary license may be issued to a person whose temporary license was revoked.
Professional employment
Equivalent of nine months of full-time professional experience in speech-language pathology; full time is at least 30 clock hours weekly. For SLP this begins after the master's degree. The required direct clinical contact is 80% of full-time or 100% of part-time experience. Excluded academic, research and unrelated administrative time does not count.
Supervision
Obtain the supervised temporary license before beginning the Board-approved professional employment plan and maintain the corresponding regular Mississippi SLP supervisor.
Supervisory limit
A temporary licensee may not supervise another licensee or a registered aide.
Restoration of suspended temporary license within its original term
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Hearing
Board hearing and finding that renewed practice is in the public interest.
Scope
This route restores a suspended existing temporary license, not a new temporary license after revocation, which Rule 10.4.5(4) forbids.
Term
The original two-year limit, approved setting and supervision remain in force.

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