On Good Authority - State Requirements for Counselors

Requirements for:

Counselors
State / Contacts	Approval Source	Requirement	Renewal Date
Alabama Phone: (800) 822-3307 Website: http://abec.alabama.gov	NBCC	ALC: 20/3 Ethics LPC: 40/6 Ethics biennially	July 31 of Renewal Year
Alaska Website: http://commerce.state.ak.us/occ/ppco.htm	NBCC; ASWB	No more than 1/2 by home study 3 must be professional ethics 1st biennial renewal>12<18 mnths:20 hrs 1st biennial=12<18 mnths:30 hrs 2nd and subsequent:40 hrs	Biennially. Next date:10/31/11
Arizona Phone: (602) 542-1882 Website: http://www.bbhe.state.az.us	NBCC (needs Certificate of Completion)	40 hours	Biennially starting with month and date of issuance
Arkansas Phone: (870) 901-7055 Website: http://arkansas.gov/abec/	NBCC (Must be on approved list)	24 hrs / min 2 ethics Home study - no limit	Biennial 7/1. Next date is 7/1/2010
California Website: http://www.cacd.org
Colorado Phone: (303) 894-7766 Website: http://www.dora.state.co.us/mental-health		No CE required	6/30 - odd years
Connecticut Phone: (860) 509-7603 Website: http://ct.gov/dph	NBCC; ASWB	15 - home study ok	Annual - by licensee's birth month
Delaware Phone: (302) 744-4500 Website: http://dpr.delaware.gov/	NBCC	40 hrs No less than 20 must be face-to-face	9/30 Even years
District of Columbia Phone: (202) 724-4900 Website: http://hpla.doh.dc.gov/hpla	NBCC	40 hrs/ 6 ethics, 4 trauma counseling 50% home study	12/31 Even years
Florida Phone: (850) 488-0595 Website: http://doh.state.fl.us/mqa	NBCC; ASWB	30/3 ethics, 2 medical errors	3/31 - 2 yrs - next 3/31/11
Georgia Phone: (478) 207-1670 Website: http://sos.georgia.gov/plb/counselors/	NBCC; ASWB	35/3 ethics - No more than 5 by home study. Ethics cannot be done by home study	9/30 even years
Hawaii Phone: (808) 586-3000 Website: http://hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/pvl/programs/mental/		No CE required	6/30 Triennium starts 6/30/08 next is 2011
Idaho Phone: (208) 334-3233 Website: http://ibol.idaho.gov/cou.htm	NBCC	20 - no limit Copy of certificate from approved provider required.	Before birth date each year
Illinois Phone: (217) 785-0800 Website: http://idfpr.com/dpr/who/prfcns.asp	NBCC	30 max 15 home study Must include examination	3/31 odd years
Indiana Phone: (317) 234-2064 Website: http://www.in.gov/pla/bandc/mhcb	NBCC; ASWB	40 hrs/ 20 each year 50% home study	4/1 even years
Iowa Phone: (515) 281-4422 Website: http://idph.state.ia.us/licensure/	NBCC	40 max. 20 home study	10/1 biennial even years
Kansas Phone: (785) 296-3240 Website: http://ksbsrb.org/	Not Needed	30 /3 ethics, 6 diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders: If posttest - max. 30, no posttest - max. 15 Must be profession related	2 year last day of month of issuance
Kentucky Phone: (502) 564-3296 x226 Website: http://finance.ky.gov/bpc	NBCC	Min. 10 NBCC Home study much be Kentucky board approved	10/31 Annual
Louisiana Phone: (225) 765-2515 Website: http://lpcboard.org	NBCC	40 Home study requires certificate on completion	2 yr in June
Maine Phone: (207) 624-8626 Website: http://maine.gov/pfr/olr	NBCC	55/ 4 ethics - 5 max. home study. Requires certificate of completion	2 yr on issuance date
Maryland Phone: (800) 633-9657 Website: http://dhmh.state.md.us/bopc	NBCC	30 / max 10 from home study	2 yr on odd year
Massachusetts Phone: (617) 727-3080 Website: http://mass.gov/reg/boards/mh	NBCC (Must be on approved list)	30/ 50% home study	Biennial 12/31 odd years
Michigan Phone: (517) 335-0918 Website: http://michigan.gov/healthlicense		None Required	5/31 Your initial Counselor license is only good until the next expiration date of your profession (anywhere from 4 months to 1 year). After your first renewal, your license will be valid for 3 years.
Minnesota Phone: (612) 617-2178 Website: http://www.bbht.state.mn.us	NBCC (Must be on approved list)	After year 4 post-license: 12 additional postgraduate semester credit hours. Thereafter 40 clock hours biennially. 10 by Home study.	Annual - Last day of month of orignal license
Mississippi Phone: (662) 716-3932 Website: http://www.lpc.state.ms.us	Verification consists of a certificate issued by NBCC, or certificates from other professional mental health organizations that will be reviewed by the board.	12/3 ethics or legal issues dealing in delivering of counseling services.	6/30 Annual
Missouri Phone: (573) 751-0018 Website: http://pr.mo.gov/counselors.asp	NBCC	40/ biennially - 20 home study	6/30 Biennial - odd year
Montana Phone: (406) 841-2392 Website: http://swpc.mt.gov	NBCC (Must be on approved list)	20	1/1 Annual
Nebraska Phone: (402) 471-2117 Website: http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/crl/mhcs/mental/mentalhealth.htm	NBCC (Must be on approved list)	32 in prior 24mths/ 2 ethics 20 home study	9/1 even years
Nevada Phone: (702) 486-7388 Website: http://marriage.state.nv.us/	N/A	40 every 2 years - Max. 15 home study-must be field related	1/1 biennial. Next is 1/1/11
New Hampshire Phone: (603) 271-6762 Website: http://nh.gov/mhpb	NBCC	40/6 ethics 20 home study	2 yrs. Date of issuance
New Jersey Phone: (973) 504-6582 Website: http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/medical/procounsel.htm	NBCC (Must be on approved list)	40/5 ethics Distance learning - requires certificate of completion	6/30 biennially
New Mexico Phone: (505) 476-4610 Website: http://www.rld.state.nm.us/counseling	NBCC; ASWB	40/ 12 home study	2 yrs - issuance date
New York Phone: (518) 474-3817 x450 Website: http://www.op.nysed.gov/mhclic.htm		No CE Required	License valid for life. Registration required: see site for details
North Carolina Phone: (701) 667-5969 Website: http://www.ncblpc.org	NBCC	30 1st renewal, 40/ 3 ethics Certificate of completion required for home study	6/30 biennially
North Dakota Phone: (701) 667-5969 Website: http://www.ndbce.org	NBCC; ASWB	30 LPC 10 clinical additional for LPCC	2 year issuance date
Ohio Phone: (614) 466-0912 Website: http://cswmft.ohio.gov		30/3 ethics 15 home study-must apply for approval NBCC and ASWB are not pre-approved	2 years issuance date
Oklahoma
Oregon Phone: (503) 378-5499 Website: http://www.oblpct.state.or.us	NBCC (Must be on approved list)	40 hrs as condition of renewal on 4/1 even years	4/1 annual
Pennsylvania Phone: (717) 783-1389 Website: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/social	NBCC; ASWB	30/3 3 ethics Up to 20 home study	2/28 - every odd year
Rhode Island Phone: (401) 222-2828 Website: http://www.health.ri.gov/hsr/		40 hrs/ 20 from Category I - Category I- states web-based offerings. Regulations do not specifically identify other education programs that could be considered home study.	7/1 even year
South Carolina Phone: (803) 896-4658 Website: http://www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/counselors		40 / 15 home study Home study requires pre-approval by board	8/31 Biennial
South Dakota Phone: (605) 331-2927 Website: http://dhs.sd.gov/brd/counselor	NBCC	Forty hours of approved continuing education is required biennially per licensee at the end of each odd-numbered year. 40/ 4ethics	Each license is renewed annually per calendar year.
Tennessee Phone: (800) 778-4123 x25138 Website: http://health.state.tn.us/boards/PC_MFT&CPT/	NBCC	10/3 ethics (additional hrs for multiple licenses see site) Max. 5 home study	Biennial-birth month
Texas Phone: (512) 834-6658 Website: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/counselor	NBCC; ASWB	24/4 ethics	Initial - 1 year by birth month after
Utah Phone: (801) 530-6628 Website: http://dopl.utah.gov/licensing/professional_counseling.html		40/2 a maximum of six hours per two year period by home study	9/30 biennial even years
Vermont Phone: (802) 828-2390 Website: http://vtprofessionals.org	NBCC	40/4 ethics Max. 20 home study	1/1 Odd years - next 1/1/09
Virginia Phone: (804) 367-4610 Website: http://dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/	NBCC	20/2 ethics, standards of practice or laws governing behavioral science in Virginia Home study accepted	6/30 annual
Washington
West Virginia Phone: (800) 520-3852 Website: http://www.wvbec.org	NBCC	40/3 ethics (not by home study) 20 home study accepted	6/30 odd year
Wisconsin Phone: (608) 267-7223 Website: http://drl.wi.gov/boards/cpc	NBCC	30 /4 ethics Any continuing education program sponsored by the national board for certified counselors (NBCC) or by a provider approved by NBCC.	March odd years
Wyoming Phone: (307) 777-7788 Website: http://plboards.state.wy.us/mentalhealth/index.asp	No Preapproval	45 No limit to home study - need certificate. Content must be licensed discipline related.	Biennial- birth date