Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Colorado

Colorado credentials Licensed Professional Counselor Candidates (LPCCs) and Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs).

The LPCC is a temporary license and the requirements are:

• Submit transcripts from a master’s degree from a CACREP accredited program or an education review from the Center for Credential and Education (CCE) demonstrating the program is equivalent to the CACREP one.
• Pay the appropriate fee
• Complete the online application, including an affidavit of eligibility to work in the US and a social security number

The LPCC license is good for four years. To apply for the LPC licensure, candidates must:

• Earn a minimum of 2,000 hours of work experience over the course of two years, 100 of the hours must be in supervision
• Pass the NCE exam and send official scores to the licensing board
• Pay the required application fee
• Submit a completed application
• Take and pass the Colorado Mental Health Profession’s Jurisprudence Examination
• Complete a Healthcare Professions Profiling Program account

Counseling licenses in Colorado are valid for two years and can be renewed online. Licenses expire on August 31st of odd-numbered years.

LPCs are required to demonstrate Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) by:

• Completing a Professional Survey and Self-Assessment
• Creating professional goals for the coming cycle and write a Learning Plan to meet those goals
• Completing 40 Professional Development Hours in line with the Learning Plan and professional goals, with no more than 20 hours in one professional category

Renewal applications and applicable fees must be submitted online.

The Colorado Department of Education issues a Special Service Provider Endorsements in school counseling. Candidates for an initial endorsement must:

• Submit a complete online application
• Submit fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation
• Pay $110 application fee
• Hold a master’s degree or higher in school counseling that is either CACREP-accredited (or the equivalent)
• Complete a 100-hour practicum
• Complete a 600-hour internship
• Pass the Praxis Professional School Counselor exam with a score of 156 or higher
• Submit official transcripts from all schools attended

Alternatively, if an applicant is a licensed counselor or social worker, the requirements for this interim school counselor endorsement are:

• Submit a complete online application
• Submit fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation
• Pay $110 application fee
• Have a valid counseling (LPC) or social work (LSW, LCSW) license issued by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies
• Have three years of full-time work experience as a social worker or professional counselor.

Both the interim and initial endorsements are valid for one to three years. To advance from the interim to the professional license, candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $90 application fee
• Complete an approved induction program for school counselors
• Pass the Praxis Professional School Counselor exam

Special Service Provider Endorsements issued in Colorado are valid for five years. To renew, applicants must:

• Pay $90 application fee
• Submit a renewal application
• Complete six semester hours (or 90 total hours) of renewal credit
• Complete the Professional Activities Summary
• Provide employment history for the past five years

State Board of Addiction Counselor Examiners

The State Board of Addiction Counselor Examiners in Colorado credentials Certified Addiction Counselors (CAC) and Licensed Addiction Counselors (LAC).

CAC licenses are issued at level I, II, or III. Level I is considered entry-level, whereas level II can work independently and level III allows the licensee to provide supervision to a level I.

CAC I candidates must:

• Graduate from high school
• Complete Colorado Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) 112 hours of required training courses
• Complete 1,000 hours of supervised work experience
• Pass the Online Jurisprudence Exam
• Submit a completed application
• Pay $225 application fee

CAC II candidates must:

• Meet CAC I requirements
• Pass 126 hours of CAC II required training classes,
• Pass the NCAC I exam.
• Complete 2,000 hours of clinically supervised work experience in addition to the 1,000 required for CAC I
• Submit a completed application
• Pay $225 application fee

CAC III candidates must:

• Meet CAC II requirements
• Complete a clinical bachelor’s degree in the behavioral health sciences
• Pass 56 hours of CAC III required training classes
• Pass an NCAC II exam
• Complete 2,000 hours of clinically supervised work experience in addition to the 1,000 required for CAC I and 2,000 required for CAC II
• Submit a completed application
• Pay $225 application fee

LACs can supervise and practice independently. Requirements include:

• A clinical master’s degree
• Proof of passing the NAADAC MAC exam
• Meeting all requirements for a CAC III
• A completed application
• $250 application fee

In Colorado, CAC and LAC licenses expire on August 31 of odd-numbered years.

Renewals are completed online and must be accompanied by a fee, 40 professional development hours, a Professional Survey and Self-Assessment, and a Learning Plan to accomplish goals set in the self-assessment.

Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners

Rehabilitation counselors in Colorado are required to be either Licensed Professional Counselor Candidates (LPCCs) or Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs).

The LPCC is a temporary license and the requirements are:

• Submit transcripts from a master’s degree from a CACREP accredited program or an education review from the Center for Credential and Education (CCE) demonstrating the program is equivalent to the CACREP one.
• Pay the appropriate fee
• Complete the online application, including an affidavit of eligibility to work in the US and a social security number

The LPCC license is good for four years. To apply for the LPC licensure, candidates must:

• Earn a minimum of 2,000 hours of work experience over the course of two years, 100 of the hours must be in supervision
• Pass the NCE exam and send official scores to the licensing board
• Pay the required application fee
• Submit a completed application
• Take and pass the Colorado Mental Health Profession’s Jurisprudence Examination
• Complete a Healthcare Professions Profiling Program account

Counseling licenses in Colorado are valid for two years and can be renewed online. Licenses expire on August 31st of odd-numbered years.

LPCs are required to demonstrate Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) by:

• Completing a Professional Survey and Self-Assessment
• Creating professional goals for the coming cycle and write a Learning Plan to meet those goals
• Completing 40 Professional Development Hours in line with the Learning Plan and professional goals, with no more than 20 hours in one professional category

Renewal applications and applicable fees must be submitted online.

The 2019 Mental Health Practice Act in Colorado states that behavior analysis and therapy fall under the scope of practicing psychology; therefore, behavior analysts must be licensed psychologists.

The Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners licenses psychologists. Applicants must:

• Earn a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in psychology or a doctor of psychology (PsyD) from a program approved by the American Psychological Association (APA)
• Pay the required application fee
• Pass the jurisprudence exam
• Complete an Affidavit of Eligibility and provide proof of right to work in the US
• Complete a Healthcare Professions Profiling Program (HPPP)
• Complete 1,500 hours of supervised work experience over a minimum of one year; there must be 75 hours of supervision and 50 of those hours must be face-to-face
• Pass the Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB)
• Submit a completed application

Psychologist licenses in Colorado expire on August 31 of every odd-numbered year.

To renew, a psychologist must submit an application along with a learning plan, and complete 40 hours of professional development hours that meet the goals set out in the learning plan.

The Colorado State Board of Marriage and Family Therapist Examiners licenses Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) and Marriage and Family Therapist Candidates (MFTC).

MFTC candidates must:

• Submit transcripts from a master’s degree from a COAMFTE-accredited program or have an education review from the Center for Credential and Education (CCE)
• Pay the appropriate fee
• Complete the online application, including an affidavit of eligibility to work in the US and a social security number

The MFTC license is good for four years.

To apply for the MFT licensure, candidates must:

• Earn a minimum of 2,000 hours of work experience over the course of two years; 100 of the hours must be in supervision and 1,500 hours must be face-to-face hours with clients (and 1,000 of those hours must be with couples and families)
• Pass the AMFTRB examination
• Pay the required application fee
• Submit a completed application
• Take and pass the Colorado Mental Health Profession’s Jurisprudence Examination
• Complete a Healthcare Professions Profiling Program profile

MFTC licenses issued in Colorado may not be renewed.

MFT licenses in Colorado are valid for two years. Licenses expire on August 31st of odd-numbered years.

MFTs are required to demonstrate Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) by:

• Completing a Professional Survey and Self-Assessment
• Creating professional goals for the coming cycle and writing a Learning Plan to meet those goals
• Completing 40 professional development hours in line with the Learning Plan and professional goals, with no more than 20 hours in one professional category

Renewal applications and the paying of applicable fees must be completed online.

Colorado child therapists are required to be either Licensed Professional Counselor Candidates (LPCCs) or Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs).

The LPCC is a temporary license and the requirements are:

• Submit transcripts from a master’s degree from a CACREP accredited program or an education review from the Center for Credential and Education (CCE) demonstrating the program is equivalent to the CACREP one.
• Pay the appropriate fee
• Complete the online application, including an affidavit of eligibility to work in the US and a social security number

The LPCC license is good for four years. To apply for the LPC licensure, candidates must:

• Earn a minimum of 2,000 hours of work experience over the course of two years, 100 of the hours must be in supervision
• Pass the NCE exam and send official scores to the licensing board
• Pay the required application fee
• Submit a completed application
• Take and pass the Colorado Mental Health Profession’s Jurisprudence Examination
• Complete a Healthcare Professions Profiling Program account

Counseling licenses in Colorado are valid for two years and can be renewed online. Licenses expire on August 31st of odd-numbered years.

LPCs are required to demonstrate Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) by:

• Completing a Professional Survey and Self-Assessment
• Creating professional goals for the coming cycle and write a Learning Plan to meet those goals
• Completing 40 Professional Development Hours in line with the Learning Plan and professional goals, with no more than 20 hours in one professional category

Renewal applications and applicable fees must be submitted online.