Licensure by Endorsement

The North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors is pleased to offer current licensees from other states the option to apply for licensure in North Carolina through an endorsement process, if they meet all of the following requirements, under Rule 21 NCAC 53 .0304.

• Shall have a minimum of five years of full-time counseling experience, or eight years of part time counseling experience, or a combination of full time and part time counseling experience equivalent to five years of full time counseling experience, within 10 years directly prior to application;
• Shall have a minimum of 2500 hours of direct client contact;
• Shall have an active independent license that does not require supervision, and be in good standing as a licensed clinical mental health counselor in another state for a minimum of two years directly prior to application; and
• Shall comply with all other applicable rules for licensure as a licensed clinical mental health counselor.

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Application

Applicants must complete all requirements before license can be issued. (G.S. § 90-336)

NCBLCMHC does not accept paper applications and/or application documents. Applicants must apply using the application portal. Application Processing Timeframe (provided there are no legal/ special considerations) 4-6 weeks from completed application submission.

• General Information
• Credentials
• Legal & Ethics History
• Education
• References
• Professional Counseling Experience
• Application Fee ($238, which includes the $38 criminal background check fee)
• Other Required Application Documents
  • Application Validation - Notary
  • Criminal Background Check
  • LCMHC Jurisprudence Exam
  • LCMHC Professional Disclosure Statement
  • Verification of Professional Counseling Experience
  • Out-of-State Licensure Verification

Jurisprudence Exam (Rules .0305(c) and .0307)

• a) The jurisprudence exam is required for licensure application at each level and must be taken within six months prior to application to the Board.
• Jurisprudence Exam Instructions

Experience (Rule .0304)

LCMHC by Endorsement applicants shall have one of the following:

1. At least 5 years of full-time licensed professional counseling experience, including a minimum of 2,500 hours of direct client contact within 10 years directly prior to application;
2. At least 8 years of part-time licensed professional counseling experience, including a minimum of 2,500 hours of direct client contact within 10 years directly prior to application; or
3. A combination of full-time and part-time professional counseling experience equivalent to 5 years of full time counseling experience, including a minimum of 2,500 hours of direct client contact within 10 years directly prior to application as determined by the Board.

Direct Counseling Experience (Rule .0205)Direct Counseling experience shall consist of live contact with individuals, groups, and families through “counseling” as defined in G.S. 90-330(a)(3)(a) and (b)as follows:

1. Counseling. – Assisting individuals, groups, and families through the counseling relationship by evaluating and treating mental disorders and other conditions through the use of a combination of clinical mental health and human development principles, methods, diagnostic procedures, treatment plans, and other psychotherapeutic techniques, to develop an understanding of personal problems, to define goals, and to plan action reflecting the client’s interests, abilities, aptitudes, and mental health needs as these are related to personal-social-emotional concerns, educational progress, and occupations and careers.
2. Appraisal Activities. – Administering and interpreting tests for assessment of personal characteristics.

Professional Counseling Experience

Verification of Professional Counseling Experience

Endorsement Applicants must document on forms provided by the Board:

• Verification of Professional Counseling Experience
• General information of person verifying
  • Experience must be verified by a licensed mental health professional, which may include the following individuals: (Rule .0213)
    • Licensed Professional Counselors (LCMHC);
    • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT);
    • Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) with a master's degree in social work from a school of social work accredited by the Council of Social Work Education;
    • Licensed Psychologists;
    • Licensed Medical Doctors with a Medical Board certification in psychiatry;
    • Nurse Practitioners approved to practice in North Carolina and certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as an advanced practice nurse practitioner and certified in psychiatric nursing; and
    • Clinical Nurse Specialists certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Psychiatric Nurse Association as an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).
• Location of experience
• Verification that licensed experience occurred
• Dates and hours
  • Must separate full-time and part-time
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  • Document direct client contact hours

Licensure Verification

Endorsement applicants must have an active, independent, unrestricted license that does not require supervision, and be in good standing as a licensed clinical mental health counselor in another state for a minimum of two years directly prior to application.

If disciplinary action has occurred prior to application, each case will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Compliance with other applicable rules for licensure

All other rules applicable to licensed clinical mental health counselors in North Carolina also apply to applicants seeking licensure by endorsement.

Out-of-State License Verification Form

The form must be completed by the current state licensure board and submitted directly to the North Carolina Board.