How to Become a Counselor in Louisiana
As in many other states, counselors in Louisiana who have completed their licensure are known as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs). Those who are still in the supervision portion of the licensure process are known as Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (PLPC).
The premier professional organization for LPCs and PLPCs in the state is the Louisiana Counseling Association, which also represents counselors in marriage and family, school, college, substance abuse, career, multicultural, and religious fields.
Licensure for both LPCs and PLPCs in Louisiana is managed by the state Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners. Licensure requirements for counselors in Louisiana, including those relating to education, supervision, examination, fees, renewal, and “licensure endorsement,” are examined in further detail below, along with salary information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as public and private scholarships available to aspiring LPCs and PLPCs in the state.
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Counselor Education in Louisiana
LPC licensure in Louisiana requires a graduate degree (master’s or doctoral) in professional mental health counseling from a regionally accredited institution. Many programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and these typically meet the Board’s standards automatically.
Applicants who graduate from non-CACREP counseling programs may also qualify if their degree:
- Is in professional mental health counseling (or a closely related counseling field),
- Is from a regionally accredited institution, and
- Includes at least 60 graduate credit hours covering the Board’s eight required content areas and supervised practicum/internship requirements. The required content areas are:
- Counseling/Theories of Personality
- Human Growth & Development
- Abnormal Behavior
- Techniques of Counseling
- Group Dynamics, Processes, & Counseling
- Lifestyle and Career Development
- Appraisal of Individuals
- Ethics
Recommended inclusion coursework:
- Marriage and Family Studies
- Substance Abuse
Internship Requirements
In addition to coursework, LPC licensure in Louisiana requires a supervised practicum and internship in mental health counseling.
- Practicum: At least 100 clock hours in a mental health counseling setting, including a minimum of 40 hours of direct counseling/psychotherapy with individuals or groups. Supervision must include at least one hour per week of individual supervision and at least one and a half hours per week of group supervision with other students.
- Internship: At least 600 clock hours, including a minimum of 240 hours of direct counseling/psychotherapy. Internship supervision must also include at least one hour per week of individual supervision plus one and a half hours of group supervision with other students, typically led by a program faculty member.
Supervision Hours
After graduation, aspiring LPCs in Louisiana must complete at least 3,000 hours of post-master’s supervised experience in professional mental health counseling. This supervision:
- Must occur over no fewer than two years and no more than six years, starting from the date supervision is first approved, and
- Must be completed under a board-approved LPC Supervisor.
The 3,000 hours are broken down as follows:
- At least 1,900 hours of direct counseling/psychotherapy with individuals, couples, families, or groups.
- At least 1,000 hours of indirect activities, such as case notes, staffings, case consultation, testing and assessment, or qualifying graduate-level coursework in mental health counseling.
Louisiana still allows you to substitute up to 500 indirect hours of supervised experience for each 30 graduate semester hours of counseling coursework completed beyond the required 60-hour degree, as long as those hours are clearly related to mental health counseling and are acceptable to the Board.
Examination
LPC licensure in Louisiana requires a passing score on either the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification or National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam.
National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE)
The NCE is a 200-question, multiple-choice examination administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors. It assesses knowledge, skills, and abilities in effective counseling services.
National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam (NCMHCE)
The NCMHCE tests knowledge of assessment, diagnosis, counseling, psychotherapy, administration, consultation, and supervision. It consists of 10 clinical mental health counseling cases and assesses clinical problem-solving ability by testing identification, analysis, and treatment. It is also administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors.
LPC and PLCP Licensure Fees
LPCs in Louisiana can expect to pay the following fees for their application, license, renewal, and examination :
LPC Application, Licensure, and Seal: $200
PLCP Application and License: $100
Out of State Provisional Application and Licensure: $150
LPC Renewal: $170
PLCP Renewal: $85
LPC and PLCP License Renewal & Continuing Education
Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors renew their licenses every two years, with renewal materials due by October 31 of the renewal year. To renew, PLPCs must submit:
- The online renewal application,
- The $85 renewal fee, and
- Documentation of required continuing education hours (CEHs).
PLPCs must complete at least 20 CEHs per renewal period, including:
- 1.5 CEHs in ethics, and
- 1.5 CEHs in diagnosis, assessment, and treatment under the DSM-5. CE may be earned through board-approved workshops, courses, online activities (within the Board’s caps), and other formats outlined in the Board’s CE rules.
Licensed Professional Counselors renew their licenses every two years. The renewal window runs from April 1 through June 30 of the renewal year. To renew on time, LPCs must:
- Submit the online renewal application,
- Pay the $170 renewal fee, and
- Document at least 40 continuing education hours (CEHs) completed during the renewal period.
CE requirements for LPCs include:
- 40 CEHs total,
- At least 3 CEHs in ethics, and
- At least 6 CEHs in diagnosis, assessment, and treatment under the DSM-5 each renewal cycle.
If an LPC does not renew by June 30, the license becomes Lapsed effective July 1. A lapsed license may be renewed late for up to two years, but late renewal requires additional steps and a $60 late fee per missed renewal, along with the required CEHs and a fingerprint-based criminal background check. After two years in lapsed status, the license expires, and the individual must reapply for licensure under current rules.
Additional Information
For Counselors Licensed in Other States
The Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners has an alternative route to licensure for counselors who have already obtained their licenses in other states. This process is known as “licensure endorsement”. Applicants from out of state must submit an application for licensure endorsement, a $200 fee, a declaration of practices and procedures, and a recent photo with signature.
Average Counselor Salary in Louisiana
The following types of counselors in Louisiana can expect to earn the corresponding average hourly and average annual wages, according to May 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
| Type of Counselor | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $22.15 | $46,070 |
Educational, Guidance, School, and Vocational Counselor | $32.77 | $68,170 |
Rehabilitation Counselor | $27.90 | $58,040 |
Louisiana Counseling Scholarships
The following scholarships and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LPCs and Counseling Interns in Louisiana:
- Type: Scholarships
- Amount: To Be Decided by NAJA
- Description: Applicant must be working or planning to work directly with children; be pursuing graduate-level studies for one year in fields that address the special needs of children and youth, such as counseling; be a U.S. citizen and permanent resident of a state with a Junior Auxiliary Chapter, such as Louisiana; and be planning to attend a U.S. college or university for full-time or part-time study.
- Type: Loan Repayments
- Amount: Typically up to $50,000 for a two-year full-time commitment or up to $25,000 for half-time service; actual award amounts depend on federal funding, program year, and HPSA score.
- Description: Licensed Professional Counselors in Louisiana may be eligible for NHSC loan repayment if they work at an NHSC-approved site in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). In exchange for a two-year service commitment (full- or half-time), participants receive tax-free loan repayment funds. Some specialized NHSC loan repayment programs offer higher maximum awards and longer service terms.
- Type: Scholarships
- Amount: To Be Decided by School
- Description: The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program provides funds to schools, which in turn offer scholarships to full-time, financially needy students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are studying professional counseling (amongst other health professions).
*Licensure information, including requirements, salaries, renewals, scholarships, and fees, was retrieved as of November 2025. Information may have changed since then; check with the state’s board of licensing for more details.
Last Updated: November 2025