Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Arkansas

All prospective counselors in Arkansas are first credentialed as Licensed Associate Counselors (LAC). There are several steps to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). For the initial application, they must:

• Submit a completed LAC application form
• Pay the $200 application fee
• Include a color passport photo no less than 12 months old
• Submit a completed core curriculum summary
• Provide an unofficial transcript if in the last semester of grad school or an official transcript if already graduated

For the written exams and file building, the board issues an authorization for the candidate to take the NCE exam through the NBCC upon verification that education requirements have been met. Candidates schedule, pay for, and take the exam after they:

• Submit a letter of intent
• Provide four letters of recommendation, two of which must be from faculty or adjuncts, one from a clinical supervisor, and one from another mental health professional
• Complete a fingerprint packet from the board for federal and state background checks.
• Submit official transcripts showing awarded master’s degree

Candidates then prepare for an oral interview and file completion. They should verify with the board that they have received official transcripts, official test scores, and background check results.

Candidates then schedule an oral interview once the board has sent the email requesting the candidate to do so. They may attend other oral interviews to know the format and better prepare.

Finally, after passing the oral interview, they can obtain an LAC license. To do this, they must:

• Submit a signed supervision agreement
• Provide the board with a revised statement of intent if requested
• Pay a new license fee. Contact the board to know the correct prorated amount

To become an LPC, LACs must provide evidence of three years of full-time employment in counseling. One year of experience may be substituted for 30 semester-hours of graduate coursework beyond the initial master’s in counseling. Once the work experience is complete, candidates can submit a petition to the board to become an LPC.

Arkansas LAC and LPC licenses are renewed biennially on May 31st in even-numbered years. Renewals cost $250 for LACs and $300 for LPCs.

In addition, counselors must submit proof of 24 continuing education hours.

Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling and Marriage & Family Therapy

The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

School counselors in Arkansas apply for endorsement through the school district. The requirements are:

• Hold an Arkansas educator license or pass the Praxis exam Principles of Learning and Teaching for K-6, 5-9, or 7-12.
• Have a master’s degree or higher in guidance and school counseling or another field; if the degree is not in school counseling, the applicant must complete an approved graduate, non-degree program of study in guidance and school counseling
• Complete a 100-hour practicum over ten weeks with at least 40 hours of direct service to students and at least one hour of supervision per week
• Complete a 600-hour internship with at least 240 hours of direct student contact and one hour of supervision per week
• Submit a complete application
• Pass the Praxis Professional School Counselor exam
• Pass a background check
• Pay the application fee

Teaching licenses with a counseling endorsement must be renewed every five years. To renew, candidates must:

• Complete a new background check
• Pay $75 application fee
• Submit a completed application
• Complete the required professional development hours

Arkansas State Board of Examiners of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (ASBEADAC)

Arkansas Substance Abuse Certification Board (ASACB)

The Arkansas State Board of Examiners of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (SBEADAC) and the Arkansas Substance Abuse Certification Board (ASACB) are the two agencies certifying substance abuse counselors in Arkansas.

ASBEADAC issues both Licensed Associate Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor (LAADAC) and Licensed Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC) certifications. 

Applicants for the certifications must:

• Must be at least 21 years old


• Have three years and 6,000 hours of supervised work experience approved and documented by a Certified Clinical Supervisor in good standing with the Board


• Hold 270 hours of approved education, including a minimum of six hours related to ethics within the last two years


• Have completed a master’s for a LAADAC or a bachelor’s for a LADAC


• Pass a national qualifying written exam approved by SBEADAC, sufficient to “ensure professional competence in keeping with the highest standards of the alcoholism and drug abuse counseling profession”


• Submit a completed application


• Send three letters of recommendation


• Pay $265 license fee


• Submit a Notarized Statement of Agreement


• Sign a copy of the Code of Ethics

Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) and Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) certifications are issued by the ASACB.

Requirements for an ADC credential include:

• Three years and 6,000 hours of supervised work experience in drug and alcohol counseling (1,000 hours may be waived for an associate degree, 2,000 hours for a bachelor’s, and 4,000 for a master’s or higher)


• A minimum of 300 clock hours of education related to substance abuse, including six hours in ethics


• A 300-hour supervised practicum, including at least 10 hours in each of the  IC&RC/AODA Twelve Core Functions 


• Signed code of ethics


• $250.00 testing fee


• Passing score on the ADC exam


• A completed application

AADC certification applicants must meet the requirements for ADC, as well as:

• Pass the AADC exam


• Hold a master’s degree in behavioral science or human services field with a clinical application


• Have one year and 2,000 hours of supervised work experience in drug and alcohol counseling

ASBEADAC renewals are required every two years. 

The requirements are:

• Pay the appropriate fee (LADAC $250 and LAADAC $200)


• Complete a renewal application


• Complete a minimum of 30 continuing education hours including six hours of ethics; at least 15 hours must be in person, by webinar, or Zoom (any interactive class); at least 15 hours must be substance abuse related.

ASACB renewals are on a two-year certification cycle and expire November 1 of odd numbered years.

Renewal fees are $250 per biennium and must be accompanied by 40 hours of approved continuing education, of which six hours must be in ethics. Fourteen of the remaining 34 hours may be gained by informal education options. 

Rehabilitation counselors in Arkansas must be Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC).

All prospective counselors in Arkansas are first credentialed as Licensed Associate Counselors (LAC). There are several steps to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). For the initial application, they must:

• Submit a completed LAC application form


• Pay the application fee


• Include a color passport photo no less than 12 months old


• Submit a completed core curriculum summary


• Provide an unofficial transcript if in the last semester of grad school or an official transcript if already graduated

• Submit a letter of intent

• Provide four letters of recommendation, two of which must be from faculty or adjuncts, one from a clinical supervisor, and one from another mental health professional


• Complete a fingerprint packet from the board for federal and state background checks.


• Submit official transcripts showing awarded master’s degree

Candidates then prepare for an oral interview and file completion. They should verify with the board that they have received official transcripts, official test scores, and background check results.

Candidates then schedule an oral interview once the board has sent the email requesting the candidate to do so. They may attend other oral interviews to know the format and better prepare.

Finally, after passing the oral interview, they can obtain an LAC license. To do this, they must:

• Submit a signed supervision agreement


• Provide the board with a revised statement of intent if requested


• Pay a new license fee. Contact the board to know the correct prorated amount

To become an LPC, LACs must provide evidence of three years of supervised full-time employment in counseling. One year of experience may be substituted for 30 semester-hours of graduate coursework beyond the initial master’s in counseling. Hours earned may be substituted for no more than two years of supervised professional experience. Once the work experience is complete, candidates can submit a petition to the board to become an LPC.

In addition, both LPC and LAC renewals counselors require proof of 24 continuing education hours with at least three of those hours in ethics.

There are no state requirements for licensing behavior analysts in Arkansas. Board-certified behavior analysts with BCBA certification can enroll in the state registry to be eligible to bill Medicaid. 

However, applied behavior analysts who have completed graduate education in counseling can be Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and submit an application for a specialized license as a Behavior Analyst.

LPCs must first earn a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) license. The steps for licensure are:

• Submit a completed LAC application form


• Pay the $100 application fee


• Include a color passport photo (no less than 12 months old)


• Submit a completed core curriculum summary


• Provide an unofficial transcript if in the last semester of grad school or an official transcript if already graduated


• Pass the NCE exam through the NBCC


• Submit a letter of intent


• Provide four letters of recommendation, two of which must be from faculty or adjuncts, one from a clinical supervisor, and one from another mental health professional


• Complete a fingerprint packet from the board for federal and state background checks.


• Submit official transcripts showing master’s degree completion


• Pass an oral interview


• Submit a signed supervision agreement


• Provide the board with a revised statement of intent if requested


• Pay a new license fee; contact the board for correct prorated amount

To become an LPC, LACs must provide evidence of three years of full-time employment in counseling. One year of experience may be substituted for 30 semester hours of graduate coursework beyond the initial master’s in counseling.

Once the work experience is complete, candidates can submit a petition to the board to become an LPC. After an LPC license has been approved, candidates may pay a $100 fee and submit an application for a behavior analyst specialization, including proof of BCBA certification.

Arkansas LPC licenses must be renewed biennially on May 31st on odd-numbered years. Renewals cost $300 for LPCs.

For each renewal cycle, counselors must submit proof of 24 continuing education hours, including at least two hours of ethics.

LPCs must renew their specialized Behavior Analyst license concurrently.

The Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling issues Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licenses.

The requirements for an LAMFT license are:

• Pay the $100 application fee
• Submit a completed application
• Provide proof of eligibility work in the US
• Complete the core curriculum summary for LAMFT
• Show proof of current enrollment in an MFT program or official transcripts demonstrating a master’s degree or higher in marriage and family therapy (CACREP- or COAMFTE-accredited programs only)
• Pass a fingerprint background check
• Pass the AMFTRB written exam
• Submit a letter of intent
• Provide four letters of recommendation, two of which must be from faculty or adjuncts
• Complete a fingerprint packet from the board for federal and state background checks
• Pass an oral interview
• Submit a signed supervision agreement
• Provide the board with a revised statement of intent if requested
• Pay a new license fee

To become an LMFT, applicants must:

• Submit a complete application
• Submit official transcripts showing awarded master’s degree
• Complete three years of supervised work experience (30 semester-hours of postgraduate graduate coursework may substitute for one year of experience)
• Pay a prorated new license fee

Arkansas LAMFT and LMFT licenses are renewed biennially on May 31st of the renewal year (every two years). Renewals cost $200 for LAMFTs and $250 for LMFTs.

In addition, LMFTs must submit proof of 24 continuing education hours, two of which must be in ethics.

Child therapists in Arkansas must be Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC). While there is no specialization in pediatric counseling, child therapists can apply for a play therapy specialization.

All prospective counselors in Arkansas are first credentialed as Licensed Associate Counselors (LAC). There are several steps to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). For the initial application, they must:

• Submit a completed LAC application form
• Pay the $200 application fee
• Include a color passport photo no less than 12 months old
• Submit a completed core curriculum summary
• Provide an unofficial transcript if in the last semester of grad school or an official transcript if already graduated
• Pay $100 application fee

For the written exams and file building, the board issues an authorization for the candidate to take the NCE exam through the NBCC and the AR Jurisprudence Exam upon verification that education requirements have been met. Candidates schedule, pay for, and take the exams after they:

• Submit a letter of intent
• Provide four letters of recommendation, two of which must be from faculty or adjuncts, one from a clinical supervisor, and one from another mental health professional
• Complete a fingerprint packet from the board for federal and state background checks.
• Submit official transcripts showing awarded master’s degree

Candidates then prepare for an oral interview and file completion. They should verify with the board that they have received official transcripts, official test scores, and background check results.

Candidates then schedule an oral interview once the board has sent the email requesting the candidate to do so. They may attend other oral interviews to know the format and better prepare.

Finally, after passing the oral interview, they can obtain an LAC license. To do this, they must:

• Submit a signed supervision agreement
• Provide the board with a revised statement of intent if requested
  
• Pay a new license fee. Contact the board to know the correct prorated amount

To become an LPC, LACs must provide evidence of three years of full-time employment in counseling. One year of experience may be substituted for 30 semester-hours of graduate coursework beyond the initial master’s in counseling. Once the work experience is complete, candidates can submit a petition to the board to become an LPC.

Arkansas LAC and LPC licenses are renewed biennially on May 31st on even-numbered years. Renewals cost $250 for LACs and $300 for LPCs.

In addition, counselors must submit proof of 24 continuing education hours, including three hours of ethics.