North Carolina SLP Licensing

North Carolina licenses speech-language pathologists and audiologists through the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists. The law is Article 22 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes, and the board's rules are in 21 NCAC 64.

Can you use the ASLP Compact in North Carolina?

Not yet. North Carolina enacted the compact through HB 1053 in 2020, one of the first states to do so, but it is not issuing privileges. As of October 2026 only Louisiana, West Virginia, Ohio and Tennessee issue them. The Commission's fee table already lists a North Carolina state fee of $40, and says jurisprudence information for North Carolina is "coming soon," but there is no opening date. Six years from enactment to no privileges is a good illustration of why "enacted" and "issuing" are different words; see enacted is not issuing.

How does reciprocal licensure work?

The board's reciprocal licensure page is for clinicians who hold an active, full, unrestricted SLP or audiology license in another state. You need:

• the online reciprocal application;
• one official letter of verification from a state where you are currently licensed, sent by that board;
• official transcripts showing your master's or doctoral degree, sent by your school; and
• the open book quiz on North Carolina licensure at the end of the application.

The application fee is $30 and the permanent license fee is $60, plus a convenience charge for paying online. The application fee is nonrefundable. The board says the most common reason for delay is errors in completing the application or not following instructions.

Only one verification is required, which is lighter than states like Florida or Tennessee that want one from every license you ever held. Compare states in SLP license by endorsement.

The board is explicit about timing: until it notifies you that your license has been issued, practicing is a violation of the law unless you work in an exempt area.

Why does teletherapy from North Carolina need a North Carolina license?

Because North Carolina says telepractice happens in two places. Rule 21 NCAC 64 .0219(d) says telepractice "constitutes the practice of Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology in both the patient site and provider site," and that providers "must hold a license in the state of the provider site" while complying with the rules of the patient's state.

So an SLP living in North Carolina and providing teletherapy only to clients in other states still needs a North Carolina license, plus whatever the client's state requires. That is stricter than the compact model law, which places practice where the client is. See teletherapy for SLPs across state lines.

The rule also requires notifying patients, or a guardian for a minor, of telepractice, including the right to refuse it.

What about clinical fellows?

New graduates complete a supervised experience year under a temporary license. The board's temporary licensure page lists a $30 application fee and a $40 temporary license fee, and at least 400 hours of supervised clinical experience: 25 of guided observation and 375 of direct patient contact. You file a supervised experience plan, and any change must be approved in advance to keep the license valid. Applications must be in at least a week before the monthly board meeting to be reviewed that month.

Two practical points: temporary licensees may provide services through telepractice, and since May 14, 2021 the board accepts telesupervision as direct supervision when the supervisor judges it appropriate. See licensing during your clinical fellowship.

When do North Carolina licenses renew?

Licenses renew every year, and the courtesy renewal notice includes a signed statement that you comply with the CE requirement. Under 21 NCAC 64 .0218, each licensee completes 30 hours of continuing education in a three-year cycle from ASHA, the North Carolina Speech-Hearing-Language Association, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, or courses the board finds similar. Licensees are randomly audited, and records are kept for five years. Temporary licensees do not earn CE during the supervised experience year.

North Carolina lets you sync your three-year cycle with your ASHA cycle, running January 1 of the first year through December 31 of the third, and you can change your cycle only once, in writing. See ASHA certification renewal and state license renewal.

Does North Carolina register SLP assistants?

Yes. The same board registers SLP assistants and audiology assistants, with separate applications for associate-degree and bachelor's-degree applicants. In 2026 the board proposed rule changes to SLPA supervision, so check the current rule before a move. See SLPA supervision rules that trip up a move.

How can we help in North Carolina?

For a reciprocal license, our License by Endorsement service is $599, or $749 for a full application. A temporary license for a clinical fellow is $349 and an SLPA registration is $399. Annual Renewal and CE Compliance is $299 per license, per year. When North Carolina begins issuing privileges, our ASLP Compact Readiness Review is $149. Board fees are separate, and you complete the open book quiz and sign the application yourself. See North Carolina details on the North Carolina state page.