Counselors in Kansas are known as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs), though those who wish to continue their education and further develop their clinical skills may seek licensure as Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPCs).

The premier professional organization for LPCs and LCPCs in the state is the Kansas Counseling Association, a branch of the American Counseling Association, whose mission is to “enhance the profession of clinical mental health counseling through advocacy, education, and collaboration.”

Licensure for both LPCs and LCPCs in Kansas is managed by the state Behavioral Science Regulatory Board. Licensure requirements for counselors in Kansas, including those relating to education, supervision, examination, fees, renewal, and “licensure through reciprocity,” 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 LCPCs in the state.

 Kansas requires LPC applicants to hold a master’s degree in counseling or a related field and a total of 60 semester hours of graduate coursework (PDF, 359KB). Forty-five semester hours of graduate counseling coursework must be distributed across the ten core areas, as informed by CACREP accreditation standards. Applicants are required to show at least two discrete and unduplicated semester hours or their academic equivalent reported in each area.

LPC applicants in Kansas should be aware that 15 graduate credit hours supporting the diagnosis or treatment of mental disorders are required for the LCPC license.

LPC licensure in Kansas is considered basic licensure. Kansas requires a supervised practicum and a master’s degree in counseling that meets the Board’s requirements as part of the graduate degree program. 

To qualify for LCPC in Kansas, applicants must have completed a graduate-level supervised clinical practicum including psychotherapy and assessment with individuals, couples, families, or groups, integrating diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders with use of the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic and statistical manual, with no less than 280 hours of direct client contact. This requirement is distinct from postgraduate supervision, which is also required for LPC licensure in Kansas.

In Kansas, there are two short-term license options for graduates who have completed all licensure requirements except passing the exam: a temporary license or a community-based license. Both options last until you receive your permanent license or for up to 24 months, whichever comes first, and neither can be renewed, extended, or issued again at the same licensure level. 

To qualify for either one, the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board must first receive your official transcript showing that your degree has been posted. The key difference is where you work: a community-based license is available only to applicants employed by an eligible setting, such as a community mental health center, a federally qualified health center, a psychiatric residential treatment facility, or a private treatment facility. You can receive only one of these two license types, so if you are issued a temporary license, you cannot later switch to a community-based license, and vice versa.

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“Supervision” is shorthand for post-degree, directed experience in professional counseling under clinical supervision in a work setting. Although Kansas does not require supervision for LPC licensure, it does so for LCPC licensure.

Aspiring LCPCs in Kansas must first be licensed as LPCs to qualify for the application. Additionally, LPCs must have completed 15 credit hours in support of the diagnosis or treatment of mental disorders using the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, through an identifiable study of the following content areas: Psychopathology, diagnostic assessment, interdisciplinary referral and collaboration, treatment approaches, and professional ethics. 

Kansas requires aspiring clinical LPCs to complete 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervised work experience, for at least 24 months, including at least 1,500 hours of direct client contact providing psychotherapy and assessment, and 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision. At least 50 of the 100 supervision hours must be individual supervision; the remaining hours may be individual or group supervision, and no more than six supervisees may participate in a supervisory group. Kansas also requires a BSRB-approved training plan before hours begin to accrue. Full details on clinical supervision can be found in Kansas State Statute 65-5804a.

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Kansas requires national exams as part of its licensure process; the NCE for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensure and the NCMHCE for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) licensure. Kansas may also issue a Licensed Professional Counselor – Temporary (LPC-T) to applicants who have met the requirements but have not yet taken the required 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 Counseling Examination (NCMHCE)

Kansas requires the NCMHCE for licensure as a clinical professional counselor. BSRB states that applicants should complete all clinical licensure requirements, except the exam, before submitting the LCPC application, and that the board must approve the application before the candidate registers with NBCC.

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LPCs and LCPCs in Kansas can expect to pay the following fees for their application, license, renewal, and examination:

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LPC and LCPC licenses may be renewed through the Kansas Behavioral Science Regulatory Board. 

Kansas professional counselors must complete 30 hours of continuing education during each renewal cycle, and those hours may be earned through several board-accepted formats, including workshops, academic courses, interactive online learning, and certain teaching, publication, supervision, or professional organization activities. Kansas also places limits on how many hours you can earn from some categories—for example, no more than 5 hours from non-interactive reading or recorded content without a post-test, and no more than 10 hours each from cross-disciplinary offerings, self-directed learning projects, student supervision, first-time presentations, first-time publications, or participation in professional organizations. 

In addition to the 30-hour total, counselors must include at least 3 hours in ethics and, for licenses renewed on or after July 1, 2025, at least 3 hours in diagnosis and treatment. The BSRB notes that CE for professional counselors is not pre-approved, so courses should clearly relate to improving counseling practice, skills, ethics, values, or knowledge (PDF, 330KB).

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For Counselors Licensed in Other States

Kansas does not have reciprocity with any one state, but it does offer licensure through reciprocity by meeting the requirements in K.A.R. 102-3-4b(b)(3)(A). 

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The following types of counselors in Kansas can expect to earn the corresponding annual median wages, according to May 2024 data from the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Maps: Community and Social Service Occupations, Kansas.

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The following scholarships and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LPCs and LCPCs in Kansas:

National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program – Kansas

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS)

APA Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program (IMFP)

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*Licensure information in this article was reviewed against Kansas BSRB and NBCC sources in March 2026. Applicants should still confirm requirements directly with the Kansas board before applying.

Information Last Updated: March 2026