Counselors in Idaho can go by three different titles corresponding to their professional status:

The premier professional organization for Registered Counselor Interns, LPCs, and LCPCs is the Idaho Counseling Association, whose mission is “to enhance human development throughout the lifespan and to promote the counseling and human development profession.” Licensure for counselors in Idaho is managed by the state Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists, a division of the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses.

Licensure requirements for counselors in Idaho, including those related to education, supervision, examination, fees, and renewal, are examined in further detail below, along with salary information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and public and private scholarships available to aspiring counselors in the state.

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LPC licensure in Idaho requires completion of a 60-semester-hour graduate degree program in counseling approved by either the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs or the Council on Rehabilitation Education. Alternatively, the Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists may approve a program that provides instruction in counseling theory and techniques and includes supervised counseling experience.

Appropriate degree programs will consist of at least one graduate-level course in each of the following eight content areas:

In addition to the content areas listed above, LPC applicants in Idaho must complete at least one year of an advanced counseling practicum with a minimum of 280 hours of direct client contact, effective July 1, 2024, IDAPA 24.15.01). This requirement is distinct from the post-degree, directed experience commonly referred to as “supervision,” although these hours can be applied towards supervision.

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“Supervision” is shorthand for post-degree, directed experience in professional counseling under supervision in a work setting, a requirement for both LPC and LCPC licensure in Idaho, managed by the Division of Occupational & Professional Licenses (DOPL). Counselors who have not yet completed their supervision hours may practice under the title of Registered Counselor Intern.

For both pathways, supervision must be provided by a Board-approved supervisor. Idaho rules define a supervisor as a clinical professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, psychologist, clinical social worker, or psychiatrist whose license is active, current, and in good standing.

Of the 1,000 total required hours, 400 must be direct client contact. The supervised experience must include at least one (1) hour of individual supervision for every twenty (20) hours of direct client contact.

A supervised graduate-level educational experience, such as a practicum or internship, may be applied toward this requirement. That supervision may be provided by a counselor education faculty member or doctoral student at an accredited college or university, or a site supervisor approved by an accredited college or university.

To be licensed as a clinical professional counselor, applicants must complete 2,000 hours of direct client contact. Of those 2,000 hours, 1,000 must be supervised by a licensed clinical professional counselor specifically; the remaining hours may be supervised by any Board-approved supervisor as defined above.

Supervision must include one (1) hour of clinical supervision for every thirty (30) hours of direct client contact, with at least half of the supervised hours involving individual, rather than group, supervision.

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Idaho requires different examinations depending on the level of licensure being sought. Both are administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).

LPC licensure in Idaho requires a passing score on the National Counselor Examination (NCE). The NCE is a 200-question multiple-choice exam that evaluates a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities across the core domains of counseling practice, including human development, group work, career development, assessment, research, and professional ethics.

LCPC licensure requires a passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE). Rather than testing factual recall through standalone questions, the NCMHCE uses a case-based format that replicates the work of a practicing clinical mental health counselor.

The exam comprises 11 case studies — 10 scored and 1 unscored — each presenting a clinical narrative followed by a set of multiple-choice questions distributed across three sections. Candidates have 255 minutes to complete the full exam. Questions are written to measure higher-order reasoning, requiring candidates to apply knowledge rather than simply recall it.

The NCMHCE assesses competency across four domains: Professional Practice and Ethics; Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis; Treatment Planning; and Counseling Skills and Interventions.

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Registered Counselor Interns, LPCs, and LCPCs in Idaho can expect to pay the following fees for their application, renewal, examination, and other licensure expenses:

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LPC and LCPC licenses in Idaho are transitioning to a biennial (two-year) renewal cycle. As of October 14, 2025, the Board has begun this transition: not all licenses will be affected immediately. License renewal requires payment of the appropriate renewal fee (see above) and completion of continuing education.

Both LPCs and LCPCs in Idaho must complete the following continuing education (CE) requirements in each 24-month renewal period: six hours in ethics, three hours in professional boundaries, and three hours in suicide assessment or intervention (Rule 24.15.01 PDF). Licensees must also comply with the continuing education and competence sections of the applicable Code of Ethics.

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For Counselors Licensed in Other States

The Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists has an alternative route to licensure for counselors who have already obtained their professional counseling licenses in other states. This process is known as “licensure by endorsement”.

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The following types of counselors in Idaho can expect to earn the corresponding median annual wages, according to May 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

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The following grants, scholarships, and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LPCs and LCPCs in Idaho:

Pride Foundation Scholarships

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program

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*Licensure information, including requirements, salaries, renewals, scholarships, and fees, was retrieved as of March 2026. Information may have changed since; check with the state’s board of licensing for more information.

Last Updated: March 2026