The path to becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Georgia is a multi-stage process overseen by the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists. Earning this credential confirms that a counselor has met stringent standards in education, examination, and supervised professional experience. This journey ensures that new counselors are prepared to provide safe and ethical mental health services. Successfully navigating the requirements for supervised practice is the defining factor in moving from a graduate-level trainee to an independent licensed professional.
Foundation: Academic Prerequisites
The journey begins with a strong academic foundation, requiring candidates to hold a master’s degree or higher in a program that is primarily counseling or applied psychology. This degree must be earned from a regionally accredited institution and consist of at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework. The curriculum must cover specific content areas, such as human growth and development, psychopathology, and appraisal of individuals. The graduate program must also include an approved, supervised internship or practicum that is primarily counseling in nature. This pre-graduation clinical experience must consist of at least 600 hours to meet the state’s requirements for licensure eligibility.
Initial Step: Obtaining Associate Professional Counselor Status
Once academic requirements are met, the next step is obtaining the temporary license known as Associate Professional Counselor (APC) status. The APC credential is the only way a graduate can legally accrue the post-master’s supervised hours needed for full LPC licensure. Applying for APC status involves submitting the application, official transcripts verifying the degree and coursework, and the required fee to the Composite Board.
The applicant must also register an acceptable contract with the Board detailing the plan for obtaining post-degree experience under supervision. A candidate must secure an approved work setting and a qualified supervisor before the APC application is processed. Hours accrued before the Board officially approves the APC status and the supervision contract generally do not count toward the licensure total. The APC license is valid for a maximum period of five years.
Detailed Supervised Experience Requirements
The core of the licensure process involves completing a total of 3,000 hours of supervised post-master’s directed experience in a Board-approved work setting. This requirement ensures the counselor has sufficient clinical practice before being granted an independent license. The 3,000 hours must be completed over a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years.
Within the total 3,000 hours, two minimum requirements must be met. A counselor-in-training must complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of direct client contact, which refers to face-to-face counseling, assessment, or intervention with clients. The associate professional counselor must receive a minimum of 105 hours of directed, face-to-face supervision from the approved supervisor.
This supervision requirement is typically paced at 35 hours per year. Supervision must be provided on a weekly basis. Acceptable work settings provide professional counseling services and require the associate to be an employee of a company or agency, not self-employed or in private practice.
Requirements for Qualified Supervisors and Documentation
Strict requirements govern the clinical supervisor and the documentation process. A supervisor must be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has been licensed for a minimum of three years prior to providing supervision. Other licensed mental health professionals, such as Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) or psychologists, may also qualify if they meet specific post-licensure experience criteria and hold the necessary supervisor credentials.
All qualified supervisors must hold an approved credential, typically either the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) or the Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS) from the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (LPCAGA). Obtaining these credentials requires the supervisor to complete specific training, often a 30-hour course, in clinical supervision. The supervisor is responsible for providing regular documentation to the Board.
This documentation includes quarterly reports that track the supervisee’s accrued hours and clinical development. Upon successful completion of all required hours, the supervisor must submit a final verification form directly to the Board. This form confirms that the associate professional counselor has met the supervised experience requirement for full licensure.
The Licensing Examination
In addition to academic preparation and supervised experience, the candidate must pass a national licensing examination. Georgia requires applicants to pass either the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), both administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Candidates often take the examination after completing academic requirements and receiving APC status, as the Board must approve the application before granting permission to test.
The NCE is a broader, multiple-choice assessment of fundamental counseling knowledge. The NCMHCE uses a clinical, scenario-based format designed to test diagnostic and treatment planning skills. Passing the required examination demonstrates the candidate’s mastery of the professional knowledge base. The Board receives the passing score directly from the NBCC.
Final Application for LPC Licensure
The final stage is submitting the application for the full LPC credential after all three requirements—education, supervised experience, and examination—have been completed. The final application packet must include proof of a passing score on the national examination and the final, signed Verification of Post-Master’s Experience form submitted by the supervisor.
The candidate must also complete a background check and submit the final application fee to the Board. The Georgia Composite Board reviews the application packet to ensure all statutory and regulatory requirements have been met. Once the review process is complete and the application is approved, the candidate is issued the full LPC license, granting the right to practice professional counseling independently.