Effective 28 Aug 2015

345.020. License or registration required to practice. — 1. Licensure or registration shall be granted in either speech-language pathology or audiology independently. A person may be licensed or registered in both areas if the person is qualified. Each licensed or registered person shall display the license or certificate prominently in the person's place of practice.

2. No person shall practice or hold himself or herself out as being able to practice speech-language pathology or audiology in this state unless the person is licensed in accordance with the provisions of sections 345.010 to 345.080. Nothing in sections 345.010 to 345.080, however, shall be construed to prevent a qualified person licensed in this state under any other law from engaging in the profession for which the person is licensed, and a licensed physician or surgeon may practice speech-language pathology or audiology without being licensed in accordance with the provisions of sections 345.010 to 345.080.

3. No person shall hold himself or herself out as being a speech-language pathologist in this state unless the person is licensed as provided in sections 345.010 to 345.080. Any person who, in any manner, represents himself or herself as a speech-language pathologist or who uses in connection with such person's name the words or letters: "speech-language pathologist", "speech pathologist", "speech therapy", "speech therapist", "speech clinic", "speech clinician", "S.L.P.", "language specialist", "logopedist" or any other letters, words, abbreviations or insignia, indicating or implying that the person is a speech-language pathologist without a valid existing license is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

4. No person shall hold himself or herself out as being an audiologist in this state unless the person is licensed as provided in sections 345.010 to 345.080. Any person who, in any manner, represents himself or herself as an audiologist or who uses in connection with such person's name the words: "audiology", "audiologist", "audiological", "hearing clinic", "hearing clinician", "hearing therapist" or any other letters, words, abbreviations or insignia, indicating or implying that the person is an audiologist without a valid existing license is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

5. No person shall hold himself or herself out as being a speech-language pathology assistant or aide or audiology aide in this state unless the person is registered as provided in sections 345.010 to 345.080.

6. Nothing in sections 345.010 to 345.080 shall prohibit a corporation, partnership, trust, association, or other like organization from engaging in the business of speech-language pathology or audiology without licensure if it employs licensed natural persons in the direct practice of speech-language pathology or audiology.

­­--------

(L. 1973 H.B. 329 § 3, A.L. 1995 S.B. 69, et al., A.L. 1998 H.B. 1601, et al., A.L. 2015 S.B. 107)