Welcome to the Counseling License State Guide

2. Clinical Supervision Hours

A set number of supervised work hours after graduation, completed under a supervisor your state board approves. In Texas, LPC Associates must complete at least 18 months of supervised experience totaling 3,000 hours, including at least 1,500 hours of direct counseling, under a board-approved supervisor, according to the Texas BHEC. Florida requires mental health counselor applicants to complete two years of post-master's supervised experience under a board-approved qualified supervisor, according to its Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (both last verified Oct. 16, 2026).

3. Background Check

A background check, which may include fingerprinting. In Texas, for example, applicants receive fingerprinting instructions after they submit an online application, according to the Texas BHEC (last verified Oct. 16, 2026).

4. Counselor Examination

A passing score on a state-recognized counselor exam. The National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) from the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) are used for counselor licensure in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Depending on the state, you may need to pass the NCE, the NCMHCE or both, or you may be able to choose between them. Texas, for example, accepts either exam, according to the Texas BHEC, while Florida requires the NCMHCE, according to its mental health counseling board (both last verified Oct. 16, 2026).

School counselors may follow a different path. In Texas, for example, school counselors hold a School Counselor certificate from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), which requires a master's degree from an accredited institution, an approved educator preparation program and the required test (last verified Oct. 16, 2026).

Some states also accept the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Exam, which is covered in the exam section below. Some states, such as Texas, also require a separate jurisprudence exam on their own laws and rules: Texas applicants must complete the Texas LPC jurisprudence exam no more than six months before applying, in addition to the NCE or NCMHCE, according to the Texas BHEC (last verified Oct. 16, 2026). For more details, see your state counseling licensure requirements.

5. Additional Certifications for Specialties

Specialty certification is voluntary, but it can show that you've met national standards in a focus area. The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) offers two specialty certifications: the Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) and the National Certified School Counselor (NCSC). NBCC's Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) certification is under review and currently unavailable. To hold a specialty certification, you must also hold the general National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential. Even if you don't need a specialty certification, the NCC is a helpful credential because it shows you've voluntarily met national counseling standards.

6. Continuing Education

Continuing education rules for license renewal come from the board that issued your license, so check your state's requirements. Texas, for example, requires licensees to report the continuing education hours required for their renewal period before they can renew, according to the Texas BHEC (last verified Oct. 16, 2026). Online courses are offered through the American Counseling Association and other professional counseling organizations.

LPC, LMHC, LCPC and Other Counselor License Titles

The title on a counseling license varies by state. Texas, for example, licenses Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) and issues an LPC Associate license to counselors who are completing supervised experience, according to the Texas BHEC. Florida licenses Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs), according to its mental health counseling board. Illinois issues both Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) licenses, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) (all last verified Oct. 16, 2026).

Other states use titles such as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). In Ohio, for example, the LPCC is the clinical counselor license described in Ohio Revised Code 4757.22. To learn more about the LPC credential, see what an LPC is and does.

Counselor Exams for Licensure or Certification

• National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE)
• National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE)
• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Exam

A major component of obtaining state licensure as a professional counselor is the counseling exam. Your state licensing board decides which exam you need, but the NCE and NCMHCE are national exams from NBCC. According to NBCC, a state may require the NCE, the NCMHCE or both, and some states let you choose which exam to take.

Some states also accept the CRC Exam. Pennsylvania, for example, accepts the CRC Exam as one of several exam options for its professional counselor license, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State (last verified Oct. 16, 2026). For detailed requirements in your state, see the state guides below.

NCE Exam

The National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) features 200 multiple-choice questions to assess your counseling knowledge. The NCE is used for counselor licensure in many states and is an exam option for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification. NBCC notes that the NCE may also be accepted for practice within military health systems, including TRICARE. NBCC first used the NCE in 1983 for NCC certification, and the exam has been periodically reviewed and revised since then.

The NCE is currently organized around six work-behavior domains identified by NBCC job analysis, and NBCC's NCE handbook also states that the exam is aligned with the original eight CACREP curriculum areas. The NCE currently covers six domains:

• Professional Practice and Ethics
• Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis
• Areas of Clinical Focus
• Treatment Planning
• Counseling Skills and Interventions
• Core Counseling Attributes

The NCE includes 200 multiple-choice questions, with 160 scored items and 40 unscored field-test items that are embedded throughout the exam for future test development. Because only 160 questions count toward the final result, the maximum possible score is 160. The passing score may vary by exam form. For state licensure candidates, the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) automatically reports official scores to the candidate's state licensing board within 30 days of the end of the monthly testing cycle, so a separate score verification request isn't needed for that board, according to the NCE handbook.

NBCC will introduce a revised NCE on July 1, 2027. The new version has 170 multiple-choice questions with three possible answers each, including 30 unscored field-test items, and reports scaled scores from 100 to 500, with 360 required to pass, according to NBCC's 2027 NCE exam specifications.

NCMHCE Exam

The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) currently uses 11 case studies designed to reflect real clinical mental health counseling practice, one of which is unscored. Each case study presents an intake and two follow-up counseling sessions, with 9 to 15 multiple-choice questions per case, for a total of 130 to 150 questions, 100 of which are scored, according to the NCMHCE handbook. The current NCMHCE content outline is organized around six domains:

• Professional Practice and Ethics
• Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis
• Areas of Clinical Focus
• Treatment Planning
• Counseling Skills and Interventions
• Core Counseling Attributes

Candidates are scored on the total number of correct responses, with no penalty for guessing, and the maximum possible score is 100. To pass the examination, candidates must score at or above the cut score for that exam form. NBCC notes that the cut score can vary slightly across forms because of statistical equating. For state licensure candidates, official scores are reported to the candidate's state licensing agency within 30 days of the end of the testing cycle. Candidates may also request an official score report separately through NBCC/CCE.

NBCC will also introduce a revised NCMHCE on July 1, 2027, with 10 case studies, 130 to 150 questions and scaled scores from 100 to 500, with 360 required to pass, according to NBCC's 2027 NCMHCE exam specifications.

CRC Exam

Administered by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC), the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Exam is accepted for counselor licensure in some states, such as Pennsylvania (see above). CRCC's state licensure board directory lists states that CRCC reports recognize the exam by rule, regulation or departmental policy. Use it as a starting point, and confirm requirements directly with your state board.

The CRC Exam has 175 multiple-choice questions, 150 scored and 25 unscored field-test items, covering 12 knowledge domains. It's divided into two sections: Rehabilitation and Disability (R) and Counseling (C). Candidates must achieve a passing score on both sections in a single exam administration to pass the exam overall. The exam is administered in 3½ hours. Candidates receive a preliminary score report at the test site, and official results are mailed about four weeks after the testing window closes.

How to Register and Prepare for the Tests

To register and prepare for a counseling exam, first confirm which examination your state board requires for licensure or certification. For NBCC exams, registration procedures vary by state, so begin with your state board's licensure page and NBCC's licensure exam information. According to NBCC, once eligible, candidates register through NBCC's Credentialing Gateway and schedule testing with Pearson VUE, with the option of testing in person or online. For the CRC Exam, candidates apply through CRCC and take the exam during the published testing windows. Because fees and procedures can change, candidates should always review the current official handbook, registration page and fee schedule before applying. Both NBCC and CRCC also provide official preparation resources, including exam handbooks and study guidance.

Counseling Supervision

Practicing counselors and counselors-in-training refer to it simply as “supervision”. What they are referring to are the hours set aside for counselors and counselors-in-training to meet with their supervisor to discuss their sessions, seek guidance with clients, or generally make comments or express concerns about their work or professional development. Supervision happens at two stages: during your graduate program, under supervisors who meet your program's requirements, and after graduation, under a supervisor your state licensing board approves. How those hours are documented and submitted depends on your program's or your board's rules.

Fieldwork for Counselors-in-Training: Graduate Study

Counseling programs accredited by CACREP require practicum and internship experiences in addition to course credits. Practicum is a field experience that allows students to observe and learn from established counselors in a clinical setting while interacting with clients on a limited basis. Internship training places master’s students in clinical or school settings to assist with counseling and gain hands-on experience. CACREP's 2024 standards require a practicum of at least 100 hours, including at least 40 hours of direct service with clients, and an internship of at least 600 hours, including at least 240 hours of direct service. The standards also set separate qualifications for the faculty and site supervisors who oversee this fieldwork.

Fieldwork hours are part of earning your degree. Ask your program and your state licensing board whether any of them count toward the board's supervised experience requirement.

If you plan to attend a university in a different state from where you plan to practice, check early with the licensing board in the state where you plan to practice about how it will evaluate your training.

Clinical Supervision for Counselors-in-Training: Post-Graduate Study

Counseling supervision not only meets state licensure requirements but also provides a fertile training ground in a mentorship setting. Throughout a counselor-in-training’s experience at a clinical site, a qualified supervisor guides their learning and applied skills practice. Counselors-in-training can experience firsthand the assessment and appraisal of clients’ presenting concerns, treatment planning, goal development, how sessions unfold with different clients, group process, and how to develop an empathetic working relationship with clients. Throughout the process counselors-in-training absorb valuable knowledge through practice, observation and discussion.

State licensing boards set the amount of supervised experience required for licensure and who may provide supervision. In Ohio, for example, clinical counselor (LPCC) applicants with a master's degree need at least two years of supervised experience after their degree, supervised by a licensed professional clinical counselor or another qualified professional approved by the state's counselor licensing committee, according to Ohio Revised Code 4757.22 (last verified Oct. 16, 2026). Because this supervised experience comes after graduate school, it adds to the overall timeline; see how long it takes to become a counselor.

Practicing in Another State: License Portability and the Counseling Compact

Each state issues its own counseling license, so a license from one state doesn't automatically let you practice in another. Texas, for example, doesn't have reciprocity with any other jurisdiction, and all applicants must meet all of its licensure requirements, according to the Texas BHEC (last verified Oct. 16, 2026).

The Counseling Compact is an interstate agreement designed to make it easier to practice across state lines. To use it, a counselor must hold an unencumbered license to independently assess, diagnose and treat clients, issued by the member state where they primarily reside (their home state), according to the Counseling Compact Commission's frequently asked questions. A license from a state other than your home state doesn't qualify, counselors who practice under supervision or a provisional license aren't eligible, and other compact requirements still apply, including a jurisprudence exam and a fee for each state where you want a privilege to practice. Privileges can be used only between member states where the compact is live.

As of Oct. 16, 2026, the Counseling Compact Commission reports that the compact is live in some member states while others are still completing implementation steps, so check the Commission's current notices and your state board before you apply.

Note: There may be additional licensure and/or certification methods not covered here. Contact your state licensing or certification board for more information.

Counseling Licensure Requirements by State

Select your state to see its counseling licensure requirements and licensing board information.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming
• Washington, D.C.