Missouri Counselor License Exam
To get licensed in Missouri, Professional Counselors are required to take an exam covering such subjects as human growth and development, psychopathology, group therapy and professional ethics Whether you live in Kansas City, Saint Louis, Springfield or another city or county, the resources below will help you get started on the path to receive your Professional Counselor’s license.
Need of a License: A license is needed to work as a counselor in Missouri. Licenses are granted by the Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors.
To qualify to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Missouri, the following must be met:
- Obtain a graduate degree in counseling from an accredited school meeting credit limits.
- Meet supervised clinical experience requirements of 3,000 hours of postgraduate professional counseling, with at least 1200 hours of direct client contact, including at least 100 hours of supervision, in not less than five years.
- An applicant must earn a passing score on the NCE (National Counselor Exam).
How to Apply for Licensure
An application for licensure and other documentation can be obtained online. All documents must be sent to:
Committee for Professional Counselors
3605 Missouri Boulevard
P.O. Box 1335
Jefferson City, MO 65102
1-573-751-0018
1-800-735-2966 TTY
1-573-751-0735 (fax)
Test Content of the NCE
The NCE consists of 200 multiple-choice questions and is administered over a four-hour period. The NCE covers the following six knowledge, skill and task domains:
- Professional Practice and Ethics
- Intake, Assessment and Diagnosis
- Areas of Clinical Focus
- Treatment Planning
- Counseling Skills and Interventions
- Core Counseling Attributes
The questions are aligned to the following CACREP Common Core Areas:
- Human Growth and Development
- Social and Cultural Diversity
- Counseling and Helping Relationships
- Group Counseling and Group Work
- Career Development
- Assessment and Testing
- Research and Program Evaluation
- Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice
For more information, see the NCE Candidate Handbook.
How to Apply to Take the Exam
Apply online to take the NCE.
License Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements
To renew a license, regulations require 40 clock hours of continuing education in acceptable courses and programs offered by approved Continuing Education providers, which must be completed every two year license renewal period.
