Counselor Licensure and Certification
Learn what kind of licensing you'll need to be a counselor in your state.
Most states have some form of counselor licensure, credentialing, certification, or registry legislation.
To receive a license or certification as a counselor, an individual generally needs a master's or doctoral degree in counseling from an accredited college or university and at least two years of field work experience. Vocational and guidance counselors usually need two years of graduate study in counseling and one year of counseling experience.
For more information, visit our Counseling and Clinical Psychology career guides.
Counselor Licensure Specialties
Here is a list of the top counseling specialty licenses:
- Certified Alcoholism Counselor (CAC)
- Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (NACCMHC)
- Certified Mental Health Counselor (CMHC)
- Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC)
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
- Marriage, Family and Child Counselor (MFCC)
- Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)
- Master Addictions Counselor (MAC)
- National Certified School Counselor (NCSC)
- National Certified Counselor (NCC)
- Qualified Substance Abuse Professional (QSAP)
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Counseling Specialties
Related Reading
- Certified Substance Abuse Counselor
- A Day in the Life of a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
- Counseling Student Profile
- Marriage and Family Counselor Profile
- Rehabilitation Counselor Profile
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