State Licensure
About State Licensure
Mandatory to Practice
State licensure is mandatory to practice counseling independently. Standards for becoming licensed are established by state legislatures in each state. As a general rule, these standards include an education requirement, an exam requirement and an experience requirement. In most instances, new professionals must have graduated before they can apply or register to test for state licensure. To find out more about your state’s specific requirements, click on the State Boards Directory link below.
Exams Used for Licensure
All states that offer counselor licensure use examinations created and owned by NBCC. Most use the National Counselor Examination (NCE). (Note: this is the same exam NBCC uses for national certification applicants.) Some use a clinical exam called the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE), and some use a combination of both exams. For more specific testing and study guide information, check on the link below.