ASHA's CCC Is Not a State License

Almost every speech-language pathologist and audiologist we talk to holds ASHA's Certificate of Clinical Competence, the CCC-SLP or CCC-A. Many have held it so long that the CCC and the state license blur together. They are different things, and the difference shows up the moment you move or start practicing in more than one state.

ASHA puts it plainly on its page for international applicants: "ASHA certification is not a permit to practice in the professions of audiology or speech-language pathology in the U.S. State licensure is a requirement for working in any state." ASHA also calls the CCC "optional and voluntary."

What is the CCC, exactly?

The CCC is a national professional certification issued by ASHA through its Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. ASHA describes it as a credential whose holders "have voluntarily met rigorous academic and professional standards, typically going beyond the minimum requirements for state licensure." Keeping it current means meeting ASHA's professional development requirement over each three-year interval, following the ASHA Code of Ethics, and paying annual dues or the certification fee.

A state license is issued by a state board under that state's practice act. It is the legal authorization to practice in that state, and it renews on that state's schedule with that state's continuing education rules. Our post on ASHA certification renewal and state license renewal compares the two calendars.

Where does the CCC shorten a license application?

Quite a few states treat a current CCC as proof of the education, supervised experience and exam that a board would otherwise check one document at a time:

• Texas. TDLR may waive the internship and Praxis requirements for applicants who currently hold or previously held the CCC, with ASHA verification. If the CCC has expired, Texas asks for proof of current knowledge, such as 10 hours of continuing education in the past year or a current license in another state.
• Ohio. Revised Code 4753.08(B) requires the board to waive the examination, education and professional experience requirements for an applicant with a current CCC in good standing in the area of licensure.
• Pennsylvania. 49 Pa. Code § 45.21 waives the education, experience and exam requirements for a current CCC holder; ASHA sends the board certification of your status.
• California. Applicants with a current CCC use the "Equivalent Qualifications" pathway. The board's page says that if you hold a current CCC you must use that option even if you are licensed in another state.
• Georgia. SLPs with a current CCC can apply for licensure by certification. If the initial certification date is more than two years before the board receives the application, Georgia asks for 20 hours of continuing education from the past two years.
• Louisiana. R.S. 37:2660 lets the board waive the examination and clinical practicum documentation for CCC holders.

Where is the CCC effectively required?

New York's licensure by endorsement path lists "certification from an acceptable certifying agency such as the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA)" among its requirements, alongside two years of post-licensure experience in the past six. An SLP who let the CCC lapse may find New York's endorsement route closed and have to apply through the standard education, exam and experience route instead. Massachusetts takes a different approach: its regulation requires SLP applicants to meet ASHA's 2014 CCC standards, but says it does not require membership in the organization.

West Virginia's licensure rule asks applicants to authenticate their postgraduate experience by submitting verification of the CCC, or, if they are not seeking the CCC, a clinical fellowship report on the board's form. Either works; the CCC is just faster.

Does the ASLP Compact require the CCC?

No. The Commission's FAQ says holding the CCC or American Board of Audiology certification "is not a requirement to participate in the compact." The compact has its own eligibility list: an active, unencumbered home-state license, the right degree, a passed national exam, supervised experience for SLPs, an FBI background check through the home state and no adverse action in the past two years. A state that requires the CCC for its own license may still require it, though.

As of October 2026 only Louisiana, West Virginia, Ohio and Tennessee issue privileges, so for most SLPs the CCC question is about state licenses, not the compact. Our post on compact privilege or a state license walks through that decision.

Can renewing the CCC renew your license?

No. They renew separately, on different cycles, with different proof. Paying ASHA dues does nothing for a state license that expires on October 31 in Illinois or on your birthday in Washington. The reverse is also true: a state may renew your license while ASHA marks your certification "Not Current." Some states let the two line up. North Carolina lets licensees sync their 30-hour continuing education cycle with their ASHA cycle, but it is still two records.

Is it worth keeping the CCC if you only need a license?

That is your call, and plenty of experienced clinicians drop it. Before you do, check the states you might want later. In New York the CCC opens the endorsement route; in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California it shortens the application. If you mentor clinical fellows, it matters for them too: once the CCC goes "Not Current," ASHA says clinical fellowship hours done under your mentorship cannot be used toward a fellow's ASHA certification.

How do we use your CCC in an application?

We pick the pathway that fits your file, request ASHA verification where a board wants it, and flag states where a lapsed CCC changes the route. That is part of our License by Endorsement service at $599 per state. If the CCC route is closed and you need the standard application with transcripts, exam and fellowship paperwork, our Full State License Application is $749 per state. ASHA, board and ETS fees are separate. White Glove ASLP is independent and has no affiliation with ASHA. See each state's rules on the state license index.