Counselors in Kentucky who have completed licensure are known as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs), and those who are still in the supervised portion of the licensure process are known as Licensed Professional Counselor Associates (LPCAs).

The premier professional organization for LPCCs and LPCAs in the state is the Kentucky Counseling Association, a state branch of the American Counseling Association, whose mission is to “enhance the quality of life in society by promoting the development of professional counselors, advancing the counseling profession, and using the profession and practice of counseling to promote respect for human dignity and diversity.”

Licensure for both LPCCs and LPCAs in Kentucky is managed by the state Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, a division of the Public Protection Cabinet, Office of Occupations and Professions. Licensure requirements for counselors in Kentucky, including those relating to education, supervision, examination, fees, renewal, and “licensing 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 LPCCs and LPCAs in the state.

Licensure as a professional counselor in Kentucky requires the completion of a master’s, specialist, or doctoral degree in counseling or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.

Appropriate degree programs will be of 60 graduate semester hours and include instruction in each of the following content areas:

LPCC licensure in Kentucky requires a practicum or internship consisting of at least 600 hours. Of the supervised hours required to meet degree requirements, 240 must be in direct client contact. Hours accrued during practicum or internship are distinct from post-degree supervision hours.

(Back to Top)

“Supervision” is shorthand for post-degree, directed experience in professional counseling under supervision in a work setting. After completing a graduate degree program, applicants for professional counseling licensure must first apply as a licensed professional counselor associate (LPCA). Kentucky requires aspiring LPCCs to complete at least 4,000 hours of post-graduate, supervised experience (PDF, 161 KB) in the practice of counseling. 

Of those 4,000 hours, at least 1,600 must be direct counseling hours, and at least 100 must be individual, face-to-face clinical supervision hours. The Board does not recognize group supervision; individual supervision is defined as one LPCC-S working with one or two LPCAs per session. In Kentucky, supervision may be conducted remotely, provided both video and audio are used.

(Back to Top)

LPCC licensure in Kentucky requires a passing score on either the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification or the 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 cases in clinical mental health counseling and assesses clinical problem-solving ability by testing the identification, analysis, and treatment of clinical problems. It is also administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors.

(Back to Top)

LPCCs and LPCAs in Kentucky can expect to pay application, renewal, and examination fees. Please visit the Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors website for the most up-to-date information on fees and to process your online application.  

(Back to Top)

LPCC licenses in Kentucky expire annually on October 31. A 60-day grace period runs through December 31, during which licensees may still renew; after that, unrenewed licenses are terminated. Note that the grace period applies only to filing the renewal — all required CE hours must still be completed by October 31. License renewal requires payment of the appropriate renewal fee and completion of continuing education. Licenses issued 120 days prior to the renewal date shall not be required to be renewed until October 31 of the following year.

LPCCs in Kentucky must complete at least 10 hours of continuing education (CE) in professional counseling during the 12-month renewal period to successfully renew their licenses. Within that requirement, the Board mandates three Board-approved courses on specific timelines: a 3-hour Domestic Violence training within the first three years of initial licensure; a 6-hour Suicide Assessment, Treatment, and Management training within the first year of licensure (exempt for graduates of CACREP-accredited programs) and then every six years thereafter; and a 3-hour Kentucky Law course (Law for Regulating the Practice of Professional Counseling) every three years.

CE may be obtained through educational programs sponsored or approved by the American Counseling Association, Kentucky Counseling Associations, National Association of Social Workers, American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, American School Counselor Association, American Psychological Association, Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services, National Board for Certified Counselors, or their affiliates.

Alternatively, CE may be earned by attending academic courses, completing home-study courses, instructing courses, or authoring articles, pending approval by the Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors.

(Back to Top)

For Counselors Licensed in Other States

The Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors offers an alternative route to licensure for counselors who have already obtained licensure in other states. This process is known as “licensing reciprocity.” Kentucky has reciprocity agreements with North Carolina (PDF, 232 KB) and Tennessee (PDF, 139 KB) that allow licensed professional counselors from these states to practice in Kentucky with reciprocal licensure.

Eligibility conditions differ by state: North Carolina applicants must have at least two years of fully licensed experience as an LCMHC, complete an FBI background check, complete a 3-hour Kentucky Board-approved Law course, and pay the application fee. Tennessee applicants must have at least 5 years of full-time work experience and hold the Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider (LPC/MHP) designation, specifically, not any other Tennessee counseling license, along with proof of active, in-good-standing licensure, a criminal background check, and the application fee.

(Back to Top)

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

(Back to Top)

The following scholarships and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LPCCs and LPCAs in Kentucky:

(Back to Top)

*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.

Information last updated: March 2026