Registration

My Practice Permit

The following sections provide information for current regulated members about practice permit renewal, cancellation, reinstatement, and parental leave.

Practice Permit Renewal

All regulated members must have an active practice permit to practice psychology and maintain current and active professional liability insurance in the minimum amount of $5 million. The liability insurance must include regulatory legal defence in the event of a claim or a professional conduct complaint.

CAP’s fiscal year is April 1 – March 31. Failure to renew a practice permit by the due date may result in suspension and / or cancellation of practice.

Practice permit renewal opens on February 1 and closes on March 31. All practice permit renewals and cancellations are to be completed online in the MyCAP Login. Your renewal and fee must be submitted by March 31. Practice permit fees are set on an annual basis by CAP Council. Please view our Fee Schedule for further information on the fees set by Council.

A complete renewal process includes:

  • Updating your profile information. This includes your home and employment (business) contact information.
  • Completing the continuing competence requirements. Please visit our Continuing Competence webpage for detailed information on CAP's Continuing Competence Program.
  • Completing and submitting the practice permit renewal form. 
  • Payment of the practice permit fee.

If you fail to renew your practice permit by March 31, you will not have an active permit and you will not be able to practice psychology. A late fee of $200+GST will apply if you miss the March 31 renewal deadline.

Online Practice Permit Renewal Tips

  • Use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge for best functionality. You can use other browsers (e.g., Firefox, Safari), but they may not facilitate access to all features. 
  • Not receiving the password reset link? Check your junk, spam, and promotions folders. The password reset link comes from Alinity with the subject line: "Reset your Alinity password".
  • DO NOT create a new account. You are already an existing member with CAP. Creating a new account will mark you as an applicant and you will not be able to access the renewal forms. Follow the instructions on the main page of the MyCAP Login to create a password if you have not already done so.
  • Clear your browser history/cache before you start your renewal process. This will assist in completing the online forms so that data is not pulled from your computer history, but from the approriate dropdown menus built into the online forms. Click here to learn how to clear your history / cache.
  • Have all evidence of completed continuing competence activities ready ahead of time. You may upload as many activities that you wish, however, please note that it's only the first eight (8) hours of activities that will be reviewed in an audit.
  • Prepare next year's Continuing Competence Plan in advance by using the paper resource available on CAP's Continuing Competence webpage.
  • Have your credit card available for the online payment. CAP accepts Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard, Debit Mastercard, and AMEX.
  • Have your liability insurance policy number available as you will be required to provide this information on the renewal form.

Reasons why your Practice Permit Renewal Requires CAP Approval

Below are some reasons why your online practice permit renewal requires CAP approval. In these cases, you will not be able to make payment until a CAP staff member has reviewed your renewal:

  • You have outstanding CAP invoices. You will not be able to renew your practice permit until all outstanding invoices to CAP are paid.
  • You are requesting a name change.
  • You are requesting a change to your primary email address.
  • You are requesting a change to your personal address.
  • You are adding an employer that is not in the CAP system.
  • You are claiming parental leave. 
  • You have answered "Yes" to one or more declarations on the renewal form (e.g., condition that may affect your ability to practice, criminal/civil offences).

CAP is working diligently to ensure members experience a smooth practice permit renewal process. If your practice permit renewal was sent for CAP review, you can expect to hear back from CAP via email within 3-5 business days or sooner.

 

Cancelling a Practice Permit and your Registration

You may cancel your active registration and practice permit at any time if you are taking an extended leave from practice or will no longer be practicing (e.g., due to retirement, relocation, or change of profession). If you plan to return to practice in Alberta within five years, please see the next section (Reinstatement of a Practice Permit) for more information.

When you request that your practice permit is cancelled:

  • you are no longer listed on the active member register.
  • your registration status is inactive.
  • you do not hold a practice permit and cannot practice as a psychologist or provisional psychologist.
  • due to accounting and administration costs, you will not be refunded any portion of practice permit fees if you choose to retire during the practice permit year.
  • you may not use the protected titles registered psychologist or registered provisional psychologist.
  • you are strongly encouraged to consult your professional liability insurance provider for information regarding claims received after one has retired as some providers offer extended coverage.

To cancel your registration and practice permit between February 1 and April 30, please login to the MyCAP Login and click on the "Renew" button under the box that says "Cancelled".

To cancel your registration and practice permit outside of the renewal period, please email registration@cap.ab.ca. Note that depending on when you cancel, you may or may not be exempted from that year's CCP. If you let your permit lapse (as opposed to formally cancelling with CAP), your participation in the CCP is required for your final year of registration. More information about the CCP and retirement/cancellation is available on the CCP webpage.

After you have cancelled your registration, you must re-apply for registration and a practice permit before returning to practice.

Reinstatement of a Practice Permit

A former member whose practice permit and registration have been cancelled for less than five years may request to be reinstated.

The former regulated member who qualifies for reinstatement must complete the following:

  • Complete and submit a Reinstatement Application.
  • Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check (current within one year of application). Third party checks such as BackCheck are not accepted.
  • Declaration of current and active professional liability insurance in a minimum amount of $5 million. The liability insurance must include regulatory legal defence in the event of a claim or a professional conduct complaint.
  • Registration Verification form Part II (if applicable).
  • Reinstatement application fee equal to one year of annual fees as established in CAP's Fee Schedule.
  • Continuing Competence Plans (CCP) in arrears (to a maximum of three years - if applicable). Proof of continuing competence activities completed as a registration requirement for a regulatory body for psychologists in another jurisdiction may be considered by the Registrar. If you wish to request credit for continuing competence completed for registration in another jurisdiction in prior years, please provide a cover letter and supporting documentation to registration@cap.ab.ca at the time you submit your application through the MyCAP Login. If credit for continuing competence is not approved with your reinstatement application, you will be assigned extra hours to your CCP;
  • Annual fee for practice permit as established in CAP's Fee Schedule, on approval of reinstatement application;
  • Any additional documents/information that may be deemed appropriate by CAP. 

Reinstatement does not apply to former members whose registration was cancelled under Part 4 of the Health Professions Act, as a result of a finding of sexual abuse or a conviction under sections 151, 152, 153, 153.1, 155, 162, 162.1, 163.1, 171.1, 172.1, 172.2, 173, 271, 272, 273, 286.1, 286.2 or 286.3 of the Criminal Code (Canada).

A person whose practiced permit and registration have been cancelled as a result of unprofessional conduct, based on sexual abuse, or equivalent, in another jurisdiction, may not apply for the practice permit to be reissued and registration to be reinstated.

To request reinstatement of your practice permit, please complete and submit the Reinstatement Application in the MyCAP Login.

Parental Leave

CAP’s Parental Leave Program is in place to support members during a leave from practice due to birth or adoption of a child. Members have the opportunity at every practice permit renewal to indicate whether or not they took parental leave at any time in the fiscal year. If the member answers "yes" then their fee for the practice permit renewal will be waived. There is no need to notify CAP of parental leave outside of the practice permit renewal process.

A member may have their annual fees waived for one year because of Parental Leave. The following conditions apply:

  1. The member must maintain current and active professional liability insurance in the minimum amount of $5 million at all times while on the active register. The liability insurance must include regulatory legal defence in the event of a claim or a professional conduct complaint.
  2. Supervision does not apply to provisionals who are on parental leave.
  3. The parental leave program offers the eligible member the opportunity to have their annual fees waived for one fiscal year.
  4. Members on the parental leave program are exempt from participating in the continuing competence program.
  5. The parental leave program is not retroactive and only applies to the fiscal year identified by the member in their practice permit renewal.
  6. The five-year term to meet all registration requirements (i.e., EPPP, LEAP, 1600 hours) for full registration is not extended for provisionals on parental leave as this time restriction is established in the Psychologists Profession Regulation and is outside of CAP's control.

During renewal, when a member indicates they began parental leave at some point in the last permit year, CCP Step 3 (accounting for and documenting completed activities) will be automatically skipped for that past year. Furthermore, the entire CCP plan will be skipped for the coming year including Steps 1 (practice profile), 2 (goal setting), and 3 (activity completion). This means that complete CCP plans will not be required for two years from a member who takes parental leave. Members may independently manage the CCP they would like to engage in during those two years, but will not be required to report or document it. To illustrate with an example:

  • FEBRUARY 2023: At renewal time, member sets CCP goals for 23/24 year, as per usual.
  • DECEMBER 2023 (or any time between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024): Member has or adopts a child. 
  • FEBRUARY 2024: At renewal time, member indicates “Yes” to the Profile Update question about having started parental leave within last permit year (April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024). Remaining 2023/2024 CCP plan (Step 3) is skipped. 2024/2025 CCP plan (Steps 1 and 2) is also skipped. Member simply completes profile update and renewal declaration.
  • FEBRUARY 2025: At renewal time, member indicates “No” to having started parental leave within last renewal year. Member is still exempt from 2024/2025 CCP plan (i.e., Step 3 not required, as it is for other members). Member completes Steps 1 and 2 of 2025/2026 CCP plan, including setting goals for upcoming year.

Copyright 2024 by College of Alberta Psychologists

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Registration and Renewal

This section provides information and resources regarding registration requirements, fees and renewing a practice permit.

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Concerns About a Psychologist

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Professional Guidance

CAP communicates with members, providing regulatory information and guidance. Regulated members are welcome to contact CAP for professional guidance related to regulatory information.

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About CAP

Learn more about CAP and its mandated responsibiliites under the Health Professions Act. 

Resources & Regulatory Information

A number of documents govern the regulation of the profession of psychology and documents and resources are developed in order to promote competent and ethical practice and to guide its members. 

Sexual Abuse/Misconduct

Addressing and Preventing Sexual Abuse and Misconduct for Psychologists