Texas Counselor License Exam
To get licensed in Texas, 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 Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, 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 Texas. Licenses are granted by the State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.
To qualify to become a licensed professional counselor in Texas, 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, 50% of which must involve direct client contact. This must also include at least 100 hours of supervision, and be completed in not less than 18 months.
- An applicant must earn a passing score on the NCE (National Counselor Exam).
- Complete the Texas Jurisprudence Exam..
How to Apply for Licensure
An application for licensure and other documentation can be obtained online. All documents must be submitted online, or sent to:
State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors
P.O. Box 149347, MC 1982
Austin, TX 78714
1-512-834-6658
1-512-834-6677 (fax)
lpc@dshs.state.tx.us
www.dshs.state.tx.us/counselor
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.
The exam is administered by Pearson VUE.
Content of the Texas Jurisprudence Exam is not available until a fee is paid to the State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.
License Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements
To renew a license, regulations require 24 clock hours of continuing education in acceptable courses and programs offered by approved Continuing Education providers. This includes at least four hours of continuing education in professional ethics, to be completed every two year license renewal period.
