By: The Capella University Editorial Team
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The path to counseling licensure starts well before graduation.
School counseling, clinical mental health counseling, addiction counseling and marriage and family therapy each come with their own set of requirements. And those requirements can also shift by degree level and licensing board, not just by state and profession.
Here are six ways to prepare for the licensure process.
Start by identifying the license that aligns with your goals. From there, check the education, supervised-practice, examination and licensure requirements set by the relevant state board where you intend to practice.
Marriage and family therapy licensure requirements vary by state and may include a qualifying graduate degree, supervised practice and an examination selected by the state licensing board.
School counselor requirements vary too, just through a different channel. Becoming a school counselor typically means working with your state’s department of education rather than a counseling licensing board, which can mean its own degree, credential, supervised practicum and exam requirements. Check with the state education agency covering where you plan to work, both before enrolling and before applying.
Licensure isn’t portable by default, so the state you choose to practice in shapes which requirements apply to you, even within the same profession.
The American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) have state-by-state licensure requirements resources, solid launching points for comparing states. From there, confirm current requirements directly with the relevant state licensing board, both before enrollment and again before applying. A school can help you understand program requirements, but only the state board determines whether you’re eligible for licensure.
Relocating doesn’t mean your license automatically carries with you. Counselors who move must still meet the destination state’s licensing requirements before they can practice there.
Many states offer a path forward through reciprocity, endorsement or another transfer pathway, though each state’s licensing board sets its own requirements. These typically include:
Beyond that, the destination board may also require an application, verification of your current license and supervised-practice hours, a background check and fingerprinting.
All clinical licenses, whether in counseling or marriage and family therapy, require post-degree supervised experience before you earn a professional license. This experience can begin only after you’ve registered with your state, often under a provisional status such as Associate, Intern or Registered – terms vary by state. Documented proof from a qualified supervisor is a mandated part of the license application process.
Timeframes for completion of site-based learning vary by program and state. You can verify specific site-based learning requirements and timeframes for completion by contacting your school or your state’s licensure board.
The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) administers the NCE, which some state licensing boards require or accept for professional counselor licensure. Across its 200 questions, the exam assesses counseling knowledge spanning the content areas defined by CACREP standards.
Other examinations are accepted in some states or required for special positions, such as the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Exam (CRCE). For marriage and family therapy licensure specifically, nearly every state uses the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) National MFT Exam.
Always remember: requirements vary by state.
Because of the importance of the licensure process, Capella has established a licensure support team to help students smoothly progress toward their chosen counseling discipline, including pursuing a counseling license.
The licensure team researches requirements in all 50 states and can help you prepare while you’re still in school. If you’re planning a move to a new state or just need to confirm which exam applies to your path, Capella’s enrollment specialists can help.
Capella’s online counseling programs are accredited by CACREP (for Clinical Mental Health Counseling) and COAMFTE (for Marriage and Family Therapy).
Capella University makes no representation, warranty or guarantee that successful completion of degree or certificate programs will permit the student to obtain licensure or certification. Students who enroll in a Capella University program in a discipline for which professional practice requires a license or certification are solely responsible for understanding and complying with state, local, or professional licensure and certification requirements.
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