Counselors in Vermont who have completed their licensure are known as licensed clinical mental health counselors (LCMHC). The state’s premier professional organization for these professionals is the Vermont Mental Health Counselors Association, a state chapter of the American Mental Health Counselors Association.

Licensure is administered by the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office of Professional Regulation: Allied Mental Health. Licensure requirements for counselors in Vermont, including education, supervision, examination, fees, renewal, and licensure by endorsement, are detailed below.

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Licensure as a clinical mental health counselor in Vermont requires an acceptable master’s or higher degree from an accredited educational institution and at least 60 graduate credits in clinical mental health counseling coursework. A 48-credit degree from an accredited school will be accepted, but must be supplemented to meet the 60-credit licensure requirement. 

For non-CACREP degrees, applicants must complete coursework in diagnosis, assessment, and treatment; at least five of seven core areas; three graduate credits in multicultural studies, research and evaluation, and career development and lifestyle appraisal; and at least three graduate credits in at least two of the following: marriage, couples, and family counseling; human sexuality for counselors; crisis intervention; addictive disorders; and psychopharmacology.

In addition to the coursework listed above, Vermont licensure requires a 700-hour internship. No more than 100 hours may be practicum, and at least 600 hours must occur within a counseling or related degree. This requirement is distinct from post-degree supervision, which is also necessary for licensure in Vermont.

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Supervision refers to post-master’s clinical mental health counseling practice completed under a clinical supervisor in a work setting. Vermont requires applicants to complete 3,000 hours of supervised practice over at least 2 years. This must include at least 2,000 hours of direct service, with the remaining 1,000 hours in either continued clinical practice or related services. Applicants must also complete no fewer than 100 hours of face-to-face supervision, with at least 50 hours in an individual setting 

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Vermont requires a passing score on both the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). Under Vermont’s current rules, examination results for first-time applicants must be obtained within five years of the final licensure decision.

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.

The NCMHCE is designed to assess the knowledge, skills, and abilities considered important for providing effective counseling services. It is also administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors.

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Vermont counselors can expect to pay the following fees for their license, application, and renewal:

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Vermont clinical mental health counselor licenses are renewed on a biennial schedule, currently set to expire on January 31 of odd-numbered years. Renewal applications open six weeks before expiration. Under Vermont’s initial licensing policy, an initial license issued 90 days or less before the renewal date is valid through the next full two-year renewal period.

Vermont also allows a 90-day provisional license in certain cases when all application requirements are complete except official verification of licensure.

Clinical mental health counselors in Vermont must complete 40 hours of continuing education with the first renewal application after two years of licensure and during each subsequent renewal cycle. Only continuing education completed within two years of the renewal date counts. 

Vermont requires that at least 4 of the 40 hours be specifically designated to professional ethics, and the remaining 36 hours must be in the theory and practice of clinical mental health counseling. CE may be earned through eligible formal activities, including graduate academic courses, institutes, workshops, seminars, and conferences approved by the Board. 

Licensees may also earn credit through eligible individualized learning activities, but no more than 28 hours per renewal period may be earned in that category. Individualized learning may include approved home study or online training, teaching or consultation, and supervision. 

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For Counselors Licensed in Other States

Vermont offers licensure by endorsement for applicants who are independently licensed or certified and in good standing in another U.S. or Canadian jurisdiction with standards the Board considers substantially equivalent to Vermont’s. 

Vermont also has a five-year active-practice pathway for applicants who have been licensed or certified to practice independently, have no disciplinary history, and have actively practiced clinical mental health counseling for at least five years before applying. 

Separately, the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation offers a Fast Track Endorsement option for professionals who have been fully licensed to practice independently in another state for three or more years immediately preceding the application.

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Vermont counselors may earn the corresponding annual median wages, according to the May 2024 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Wage Statistics Maps: Vermont.

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The following scholarships, forgivable loan programs, and loan repayment opportunities may be available to aspiring professional counselors in Vermont:

Vermont Mental Health Professional Forgivable Loan Incentive Program

VSAC-Assisted Scholarships

Vermont Care Partners Education Investment Program (VEIP)

NBCC Foundation Rural Scholarship

NBCC Foundation Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counseling

NBCC Foundation Military Scholarship

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program

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*Last updated March 2026: Licensure information and other details may have changed since this article was published. Candidates should always confirm requirements directly with the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation and the Board of Allied Mental Health Practitioners before applying. For current details on scope of practice, education, supervised experience, continuing education, renewal, and endorsement, review the Vermont Board of Allied Mental Health Practitioners Administrative Rules (PDF, 335 KB) and the Vermont Allied Mental Health Apply & Renew page.
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