Minn. Stats. 148B.50

MINNESOTA RULES 2150.0050 to 2150.7610

Application forms are available from the Board or on the Board website at LPC Application & Other Forms.

License application, examination, coursework requirements, professional supervision, license reciprocity, scope of practice, and renewal information is available from the Board's LPC Licensure web page.

Three application methods are currently available to persons seeking LPC licensure. The three options are:

Licensure by Examination

Licensure for psychological practitioners (LPPs) and psychologists (LPs) currently licensed in Minnesota

Licensure by Reciprocity

By Examination (Minn. Stat. § 148B.53, subd. 1)

Master's or Doctoral degree program in counseling or a related field, from a program that is CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs) accredited or by an accrediting agency recognized by CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation).

Degree upon which license application is based must include:

-at least 48 semester or 72 quarter credits;
-a minimum 700 hour supervised field experience; and
-specific academic course content in ten subject areas.

However, Minn. Stat. § 148B.531 allows up to 20 semester or 30 quarter credits and any of the field experience hours to be completed post-degree for licensure purposes. If more than 20 semester or 30 quarter credits are earned post-degree, they must be earned in an organized sequence of study.

The ten core content areas are:

1. The helping relationship, including counseling theory and practice;
2. Human growth and development;
3. Lifestyle and career development;
4. Group dynamics, processes, counseling, and consulting;
5. Assessment and appraisal;
6. Social and cultural foundations, including multicultural issues;
7. Principles of etiology, treatment planning, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders and dysfunctional behavior;
8. Family counseling and therapy;
9. Research and evaluation; and
10. Professional counseling orientation and ethics.

2,000 hours of supervised professional practice; these hours may be (1) hours that were completed prior to licensure, if the Board finds the past supervision acceptable, or (2) they may be completed after licensure, based on a supervision plan that is accepted by the Board.

Successful completion of the National Counseling Examination (NCE) administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) or an alternate examination, determined by the Board to be equivalent to the NCE.

$425.00 check or money order to cover the application fee, the initial license fee, and the OET license surcharge fee. All fees are non-refundable.

LPP or LP (Minn. Stat. § 148B.53, subd. 1[c] and 1[d])

Current Minnesota LPP or LP licensure.

Supervision: 2,000 hours of supervised professional practice.

LPP: These hours may be completed prior to or after LPC licensure if based on supervision that is accepted by the Minnesota Board of Psychology.

LP: Supervision completed for the LP license is accepted as meeting the 2,000 hours. True and correct copies of supervision verification submitted to the Minnesota Board of Psychology should be submitted to the BBHT.

Note that the LPC license will be based upon the degree that the LPP or LP license is based upon.

$425 check or money order to cover the application fee, the initial license fee, and the OET license surcharge fee. All fees are non-refundable.

Reciprocity (Minn. Stat. § 148B.56)*

Current licensure of a credential in another state that is determined by the Board to have substantially similar licensure requirements and scope of practice as Minnesota LPCs.

2,000 hours of supervised professional practice; these hours may be (1) hours that were completed prior to licensure, if the Board finds the past supervision acceptable or the license upon which reciprocity is based required at least 2,000 hours of supervision prior to licensure, or (2) they may be completed after licensure, based on a supervision plan that is accepted by the Board.

$425.00 check or money order to cover the application fee, the initial license fee, and the OET license surcharge fee. All fees are non-refundable.

*Please note that he Minnesota LPC license will be based upon the degree that the license or credential utilized for reciprocity is based upon. Visit the Board's web page regarding LPC Licensure by Reciprocity for more information regarding the reciprocity process.

See: Information for LPC Supervisors

Initial license application fee for Licensed Professional Counseling (LPC) - $150

Initial LPC license fee - $250

Annual active license renewal fee for LPC - $250 or equivalent

Annual inactive license renewal fee for LPC - $125

Initial license application fee for licensed professional clinical counseling (LPCC) - $150

Initial license fee for LPCC - $250

Annual active license renewal fee for LPCC - $250 or equivalent

Annual inactive license renewal fee for LPCC - $125

License renewal late fee - $100 per month or portion thereof

Copy of Board order or stipulation - $10

Certificate of good standing or license verification - $25

Duplicate certificate fee - $25

Professional firm renewal fee - $25

Sponsor application for approval of a continuing education course - $60

Initial registration fee - $50

Annual registration renewal fee - $25

Approved supervisor application processing fee - $30

 

OET Licensing Surcharge

Beginning January 1, 2010, a 10% surcharge is being assessed on every new application for licensure received at the BBHT and every license renewal application. The fee is being collected for MN.IT Services (formerly Minnesota Office of Enterprise Technology (OET)) pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 16E.22. It will be used to fund a State wide electronic licensing system. For alcohol and drug counselors who apply to obtain or renew a license, a surcharge of $29.50 will be assessed to fund MN.IT Services's project. For licensed professional counselors and licensed professional clinical counselors who apply to obtain or renew a license, a surcharge of $25 will be assessed. To read more about the surcharge, please visit our webpage, titled, OET Licensing Surcharge on New Licenses and License Renewals.

Licensing surcharge to be assessed

The Minnesota Legislature passed legislation requiring a 10% surcharge of no less than $5 and no more than $150 on each business, commercial, professional or occupational license. The funding from this surcharge will go to MN.IT Services (formerly Minnesota Office of Enterprise Technology (OET)), which is establishing an electronic licensing system for the state. The surcharge will be in place through June 30, 2015. See Minn. Stat. § 16E.22.

Licenses are issued on the first day of the month following the approval of the application. Licenses must be renewed annually, one day before the license issue anniversary date.

Not defined. The board will hold incomplete applications open indefinitely.

See Minn. Stat. § 148B.50-.593.

Continuing Education:

At the completion of the first four years of licensure, every licensee must provide evidence to the board of completion of 12 additional postgraduate semester credit hours in counseling, except that no licensee is required to show evidence of greater than 60 semester hours in counseling subjects over the course of their graduate career.

Examination:

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) has information about the National Counseling Exam (NCE), including study information.

Other Resources:

American Counseling Association (ACA)

Minnesota Counseling Association (MnCA)

Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)