345.020. License or registration required to practice.

License or registration required to practice.

345.020. 1. Licensure or registration shall be granted in eitherspeech-language pathology or audiology independently. A person may belicensed or registered in both areas if the person is qualified. Eachlicensed or registered person shall display the license or certificateprominently in the person's place of practice.

2. No person shall practice or hold himself or herself out as being ableto practice speech-language pathology or audiology in this state unless theperson is licensed in accordance with the provisions of sections 345.010 to345.080. Nothing in sections 345.010 to 345.080, however, shall be construedto prevent a qualified person licensed in this state under any other law fromengaging in the profession for which the person is licensed, and a licensedphysician or surgeon may practice speech-language pathology or audiologywithout being licensed in accordance with the provisions of sections 345.010to 345.080.

3. No person shall hold himself or herself out as being aspeech-language pathologist in this state unless the person is licensed asprovided 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 inconnection with such person's name the words or letters: "speech-languagepathologist", "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 pathologistwithout a valid existing license is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

4. No person shall hold himself or herself out as being an audiologistin this state unless the person is licensed as provided in sections 345.010 to345.080. Any person who, in any manner, represents himself or herself as anaudiologist or who uses in connection with such person's name the words:"audiology", "audiologist", "audiological", "hearing clinic", "hearingclinician", "hearing therapist" or any other letters, words, abbreviations orinsignia, indicating or implying that the person is an audiologist without avalid existing license is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

5. No person shall hold himself or herself out as being aspeech-language pathology assistant or aide or audiology aide in this stateunless 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 inthe business of speech-language pathology or audiology without licensure if itemploys licensed natural persons in the direct practice of speech-languagepathology or audiology. Any such corporation, partnership, trust,association, or other like organization shall also file with the board astatement, on a form approved by the board, that it submits itself to therules and regulations of the board and the provisions of sections 345.010 to345.080 which the board shall deem applicable to it.

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