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How to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in North Carolina

1. Apply by Requesting an Application
  NCBLPC
P. O. Box 1369
Garner, NC 27529-1369
  Upon completion of your graduate degree in Counseling, send a letter to NCBLPC requesting an application packet. Be sure to enclose a check for $5 (which reduces your application fee to $95 upon return of the completed application).
Pay Online at www.ncblpc.org
   
2. Request 3 Letters of Recommendation
  Request three letters of recommendation using the forms supplied in the application packet. Each envelope must have a signature across the seal. It is returned to the applicant to be submitted with the application packet.
   
3. Log Your Work Under Clinical Supervision
  Clinical supervision is required as part of the licensure process. Secure a clinical supervisor (must be approved by Board) to provide 1 hour of clinical supervision per 40 hours of clinical work. Practicum and Internship hours will apply toward the recommended hours.
   
4. Request Transcripts
  Send requested transcripts from your college or university directly to NCBLPC.
   
5. Take the Exam!
  Graduate students, visit www.nbcc.org to determine eligibility to take the National Counselor Examination (NCE). Graduates and state-to-state transfers, contact NCBLPC.
  Upon successful completion of the NCE, mail a check along with the preprinted form (found in your application packet) to NBCC requesting that official documentation of scores be mailed directly to NCBLPC.

NCBLPC North Carolina Board for Licensed Professional Counselors (www.ncblpc.org)

North Carolina Board for Licensed Professional Counselors
Requirements for Licensure in North Carolina

The following information is adapted from the NCBLPC.org website:

  • Master’s Degree from a regionally accredited college or university, with a minimum of 48 semester hours, or a graduate degree in a related field supplemented with substantially equivalent courses, or a Master’s Degree in counseling or related field in which the applicant was enrolled in the graduate program prior to July 1, 1994.
  • No less than two years of Master’s and post-Master’s counseling experience in a professional setting, with a minimum of 2,000 hours of supervised professional practice as defined by NCBLPC. The supervised experience also must include at least 100 hours of individual (face-to-face) supervision or group supervision. At least one quarter of supervised experience must be group supervision.
  • Supervised by a Licensed Professional Counselor with at least five years of counseling experience. Other credentialed mental health professionals will be considered by the Board on a case-by-case basis.
  • Pass the National Counselor Examination.
  • Submit an acceptable Professional Disclosure Statement.
  • Submit a complete application to NCBLPC for review.

What is the NCBLPC?

The North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors (NCBLPC or the "Board"), which is appointed by the Governor, is empowered by the LPC Act to carry out the provisions of the Act, which include, among others, examining and passing on the qualifications of applicants, issuing licenses and license renewals, adopting ethical standards and examination materials, establishing standards for continuing professional counselor education, and conducting investigations and hearings as necessary to enforce the LPC Act.

National Counselor Organizations AMHCA – American Mental Health Counselors Association (www.amhca.org)

ACA – American Counseling Association (www.counseling.org)

Counselor Organizations in North Carolina LPCANC – Licensed Professional Counselors Association of North Carolina

NCCA – North Carolina Counseling Assn. (www.nccounseling.org)

Licensed Professional Counselors Association of North Carolina

LPCANC is a service and advocacy organization, separate and distinct from the NCBLPC.

Services & Programs

  • LPCANC provides continuing education, a forum for professional networking, colleague support, and legislative advocacy for Licensed Professional Counselors.
  • In order to contribute to the continuing education and professional development of LPCs, LPCANC holds an annual conference, hosts regional workshops throughout the year, and strives to collaborate with university counselor education graduate programs in NC.

A Brief History

In 1995, a group of licensed counselors met in Raleigh, North Carolina for the purpose of starting a professional association. Licensure for counselors was relatively new in North Carolina (1993: House Bill 218, Article 24) and with the vastly changing landscape of how mental health care was to be managed in coming years, this group of counselors felt they needed an association that exclusively represented the interests of licensed professional counselors. The Licensed Professional Counselors Association of North Carolina was chartered in the Fall of 1995.

LPCANC Mission Statement

Whereas Licensed Professional Counselors serve a vital role in the mental health and wellbeing of the citizens of NC, the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of North Carolina (LPCANC) promotes the development of LPCs through professional excellence and advocacy. LPCANC provides a voice for public policy, directs the activities of our professional lobbyist, and responds to the continuing education needs of LPCs in North Carolina.

Committees of LPCANC

  • Bylaws
  • Conference
  • Ethics
  • Finance
  • Marketing and Media
  • Membership
  • Nominations & Awards
  • Professional Development
  • Public Policy and Professional Issues
  • University Relations

The Professional Development Committee, the University Relations Committee, and the Membership Committee of the LPCANC have developed this brochure to assist you in becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor.