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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>368852</law_id><section_number>54.1-3516</section_number><catch_line>Art therapist and art therapy associate; licensure</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="118" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="3" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="16" identifier="35">Professional Counseling</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="2" identifier="3">Art Therapists</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No person shall engage in the practice of art therapy or hold himself out or otherwise represent himself as an <span class="dictionary">art therapist</span> or <span class="dictionary">art therapy associate</span> unless he is licensed by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a person licensed, certified, or registered by a health regulatory <span class="dictionary">board</span> from using the modalities of art media if such modalities are within his scope of practice. <a id="paragraph-1375047" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3516/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall adopt regulations governing the practice of art therapy, upon consultation with the Advisory <span class="dictionary">Board</span> on Art Therapy established in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Advisory Board on Art Therapy; membership; terms" href="/54.1-3517/">54.1-3517</a>. Such regulations shall (i) set forth the requirements for licensure as an <span class="dictionary">art therapist</span> or <span class="dictionary">art therapy associate</span>, (ii) provide for appropriate application and renewal fees, and (iii) include requirements for licensure renewal and continuing education. <a id="paragraph-1375048" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3516/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> In the adoption of regulations for licensure, the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall consider requirements for registration as a Registered <span class="dictionary">Art Therapist</span> (ATR) and certification as a <span class="dictionary">Board</span> Certified <span class="dictionary">Art Therapist</span> (ATR-BC) with the Art Therapy Credentials <span class="dictionary">Board</span> and successful completion of the Registered <span class="dictionary">Art Therapist</span> <span class="dictionary">Board</span> Certified <span class="dictionary">Art Therapist</span> examination. <a id="paragraph-1375049" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3516/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A license issued for an <span class="dictionary">art therapy associate</span> shall be valid for a period of five years. At the end of the five-year period, an <span class="dictionary">art therapy associate</span> who has not met the requirements for licensure as an <span class="dictionary">art therapist</span> may submit an application for extension of licensure as an <span class="dictionary">art therapy associate</span> to the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. Such application shall include (i) a plan for completing the requirements to obtain licensure as an <span class="dictionary">art therapist</span>, (ii) documentation of compliance with the continuing education requirements, (iii) documentation of compliance with requirements related to <span class="dictionary">supervision</span>, and (iv) a letter of recommendation from the clinical supervisor of record. An extension of a license as an <span class="dictionary">art therapy associate</span> pursuant to this subsection shall be valid for a period of two years and shall not be renewable. <a id="paragraph-1375050" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3516/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, c. 301.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
