Registered Art Therapist (ATR)

  1. Registered Art Therapist (ATR)

Becoming a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) requires completing qualifying master’s level education (including art therapy core curriculum, supervised practicum, and internship experiences), post-education supervised clinical experience, and references.

Beginning on July 1, 2025, at 12:00am EST, an ATR-P is required to become an ATR. 

Read more about changes to the ATR requirements. 

Please review the registration standards for the requirements to become a Registered Art Therapist. 

The Registered Art Therapist (ATR) application fee is $125 non-refundable and non-transferable. This fee covers the administrative costs of the application review. 
NOTICE: The current application process for the ATR ends on July 1, 2024 at 12:00am EST. Read more!

Applicants that carry the ATR-P in good standing must use the ATR-P upgrade application in MyATCB portals, the fee for the upgrade is $65.

Do not use application handbooks from previous years; all applicants must submit applications according to the standards and procedures outlined here. 

The following materials are required for the application:
1. Official transcript submitted to the ATCB from an academic institution.*
2, Verification of Post Education Experience
3. References

*The transcript is not required if you are an ATR-P in good standing; the education review was already conducted. 

Applicants will be notified during the application process if a graduate degree requires an education review.  If an education review is required, applicants must upload their Coursework Verification form and provide the name and email of the individual who will complete their Verification of Practicum/Internship. The National Office will contact these individuals on the applicant’s behalf.

Candidates must submit their applications to the ATCB via MyATCB. All applicants must provide the name and email of their supervisors and references. The National Office will contact these individuals on the applicant’s behalf.

Candidates submit their applications to the ATCB via MyATCB. All applicants must create their MyATCB portal; directions on how to complete this process can be found here.

Candidates must respond truthfully to all questions in the application’s Disciplinary and Litigation History section. If you have current or past disciplinary or legal events that require you to respond “yes” to any of the questions, copies of the charge documents and follow-up documents must be included, along with your written account of the event(s). This information should be uploaded with your application on MyATCB. All ATCB applicants and credential holders agree to abide by the ATCB Code of Ethics, Conduct, and Disciplinary Procedures and report any issues to ATCB in writing.

All applicants should check their MyATCB portals regularly. Updates about application materials received, application needs, or deficiencies will be noted on the portal.

Once all supporting application documents are received, the application will move to an “In Review”; review times can take eight to twelve weeks. If approved, official notification, a certificate, and an ID card will provided via the MyATCB portal. An email informing candidates of application approval will also be sent from the National Office. 

Credential holders, employers, verification agencies, and consumers may obtain free online verification of all ATCB credentials and certifications using the national registry found here.  Official verifications of credential status can be obtained by completing a verification request in MyATCB portals. Verifications are for credential status and examination scores only.

The ATCB credential year is July 1- June 30. Once approved, you may use the ATR professional designation for the remainder of your approved credential year.  Compliance with the ATCB Code of Ethics, Conduct, and Disciplinary Procedures and the annual maintenance fee of $100 is required to maintain registration as an art therapist (ATR).To maintain the ATR credential, annual renewals are required, in which credential holders complete a formal attestation that they comply with the ATCB Code of Ethics, Conduct, and Disciplinary Procedures.

Any credential that is not renewed will become inactive. Learn more about maintaining credentials. 

If you have any questions about the application or credentialing process, please get in touch with us at applications@atcb.org.