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Facing a complaint before the North Carolina Psychology Board: a psychologist's starting guide

6 min read · Updated July 2026

Learning that a complaint has been filed against you with the North Carolina Psychology Board is unsettling, but it is the start of a defined process governed by the Psychology Practice Act — and most complaints never result in discipline. This starting guide explains who regulates psychologists in North Carolina, who can file a complaint and on what grounds, the confidentiality protections that apply, and the actions the Board can take, so you understand the pathway before you respond.

Who regulates psychologist complaints in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, psychologists and psychological associates are licensed and disciplined by the North Carolina Psychology Board under the Psychology Practice Act, which is Article 18A of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes. The Board investigates complaints, holds hearings, and imposes discipline directly.

The Board's rules sit at 21 NCAC Chapter 54, and licensees are held to a Code of Conduct rooted in the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association. The core disciplinary provision is G.S. 90-270.148, which sets out both the grounds for action and the range of remedies available.

Who can file a complaint, and on what grounds?

Almost anyone can file a complaint in writing with the Board — clients and their families most commonly, but also colleagues, employers, other agencies, and courts. The Board also acts on information such as disciplinary action taken against a psychologist in another state.

The grounds are conduct that departs from the Code of Conduct and the Board's rules. The most common in psychology are dual or multiple relationships (including sexual or social relationships, which the Ethics Code does not permit even after therapy ends), breaches of confidentiality, negligence or failure to meet the standard of care, failure to obtain informed consent, practising outside one's competence, and impairment affecting practice.

What is the Code of Conduct?

The Code of Conduct is the set of ethical and professional standards, adopted in the Board's rules, against which a psychologist's conduct is measured. Under G.S. 90-270.148(a), every licensee is required to have behaved in conformity with those standards, and a departure from them is what gives the Board authority to act.

Because the Code draws on the APA ethical principles, its reach is broad — covering competence, confidentiality, informed consent, multiple relationships, assessment, and the honest conduct of professional work. Understanding it is the best way to understand what a complaint is really alleging.

What happens after a complaint is filed?

The Board reviews the complaint and investigates alleged violations. During the investigation it may request records and interviews, and it can ask a licensee under investigation to consent to a criminal history record check — refusing can itself be a ground for discipline. If the evidence supports action, the Board may resolve the matter by a consent order or by issuing a formal statement of charges.

The Practice Act expressly allows the Board to enter a consent order — relating to discipline, supervision, probation, remediation, rehabilitation, or practice limitation — in lieu of or in connection with disciplinary proceedings or an investigation. Many cases are resolved this way rather than at a contested hearing.

Are complaints against North Carolina psychologists confidential?

To a significant degree, yes. The records, papers, and documents the Board collects through investigations, inquiries, and interviews are not public records under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes.

There is an important exception. Any notice or statement of charges, any notice of a hearing, and any decision rendered in a proceeding is a public record — even though it may contain information compiled during the investigation — subject to deletion of client-identifying details. The Board may also close a hearing to protect a client's confidentiality. So the investigation is confidential, but a formal outcome becomes public.

What actions can the Board take?

Under G.S. 90-270.148(b), the Board's options run, in ascending order, from a formal reprimand or censure, through probation with conditions, required examination, remediation, or rehabilitation (including care, counselling or treatment by a Board-approved professional, at the licensee's expense), required supervision, and limitation of practice, up to suspension or revocation of the license.

A licensee may also, with the Board's consent, voluntarily relinquish a license — though the Board can withhold consent to investigate a pending complaint first. Most complaints resolve well short of revocation, particularly where the psychologist engages professionally and shows insight.

What should you do first?

Take the complaint seriously from the outset. Note any deadline, and do not contact the person you believe complained. Do not alter or add to your records; changes are readily detected and turn a defensible case into a serious one. Notify your malpractice carrier, as many policies fund license-defense counsel, and retain an attorney experienced in North Carolina Psychology Board matters before you respond.

Beyond the immediate response, the psychologists who fare best can show insight and, where appropriate, remediation — evidence that they have reflected on the issue and taken concrete steps to prevent recurrence. Building that record early consistently strengthens your position.

This article is general information for psychologists, not legal advice. Regulatory processes change and every case turns on its own facts — confirm current requirements with the North Carolina Psychology Board and your own attorney before acting.