Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Maryland

Mental health counselors in Maryland are licensed as Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPCs) or Licensed Graduate Professional Counselors (LGPCs).

Candidates first apply to be LGPCs. The requirements include:

• A master’s in counseling of 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits or doctorate in counseling of 90 semester credits or 135 quarter credits.
• A 125-hour supervised clinical experience, internship, or practicum
• Passing the Maryland Law Assessment exam
• A $200 application fee
• A $200 licensing fee
• Passing the NCE exam

To transition from LGPC to LCPC, candidates must meet the above requirements as well as:

• Complete three years of supervised clinical work experience with a minimum of 3,000 hours. Two of those years and 2,000 hours must be post-graduate. Also, 1,500 hours must be direct client contact and 100 hours must be under supervision. If a candidate has earned a doctoral degree, then only 2,000 hours and two years of experience are required.

Counseling licenses in Maryland expire two years after the date they were issued. It costs $301 to renew a counseling license. Counselors must complete 40 continuing education units per renewal.

The Maryland State Department of Education issues certification for school counselors. The five options for qualification for this certificate are:

• Complete a master’s in school counseling or school guidance and counseling and have a National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) certificate, as well as two years of work experience as a school counselor or teacher
• Complete a state-approved master’s in school counseling or school guidance and counseling and have two years of work experience as a school counselor (or teacher) or complete 500 hours of a supervised practicum in school counseling or school guidance and counseling
• Complete a CACREP-accredited master’s in school counseling or school guidance and counseling
• Complete master’s in school counseling or school guidance and counseling from an approved program under the Interstate Contract agreement for support service and have two years of work experience as a school counselor (or teacher) or complete 500 hours of a supervised practicum in school counseling or school guidance and counseling
• Complete a master’s degree and have a valid school counselor certificate from another state, as well as 27 months of work experience as a school counselor in the last seven years

School counselor certificates issued in Maryland are valid for five years. To renew, counselors must:

• Complete six semester hours of acceptable credit (these hours must include the importance of intervention and referral of major mental illnesses)
• Complete three years of satisfactory experience
• Complete a professional development plan

The Maryland State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists credentials ​Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LCADC) and Licensed Graduate Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LGADC). They also certify Certified Supervised Counselors-Alcohol and Drug (CSC-AD), Certified Associate Counselors-Alcohol and Drug (CAC-AD), and Alcohol and Drug Trainees (ADT).

To earn an ADT certification, applicants must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $150 application fee
• Be pursuing a CSC-AD or CAC-AD certificate (or an LCADC or LGADC license)
• Have either an associate in a health and human services counseling field or complete 15 semester (or 25 quarter credit hours) in addiction and counseling related courses
• Have verification of supervision
• Complete a criminal background check

To earn a CSC-AD certification, applicants must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $150 application fee
• Have an associate in a health and human services counseling field or have an associate in a substantially related field meeting the coursework requirements and complete a six-semester internship
• Pass the NCAC Level I exam from NAADAC
• Pass the Maryland Law Assessment
• Complete a criminal background check

To earn a CAC-AD certification, applicants must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $150 application fee
• Have a bachelor’s in a health and human services counseling field or have an associate in a substantially related field meeting the coursework requirements and complete a six-semester internship
• Complete one year and 2,000 hours of supervised work experience in drug and alcohol counseling
• Pass the NCAC Level II exam from NAADAC
• Provide three professional references
• Pass the Maryland Law Assessment
• Complete a criminal background check

LGADC license candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $200 application fee
• Have a master’s degree in a health and human services counseling field from a regionally accredited institution (at least 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours, and an internship that is at least 1,000 hours)
• Pass the MAC exam from NAADAC Pass the Maryland Law Assessment
• Complete a background check

LCADCs must meet all the requirements for LGADCs, as well as:

• Complete two years and 2,000 hours of post-graduate supervised work experience (1,500 hours must be direct client contact and 100 hours must be supervision, with at least 50 of those hours being individual supervision)
• Have a master’s degree in a health and human services counseling field from a regionally accredited institution (at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours, and an internship that is at least 1,000 hours)

Licenses and certificates issued by the Maryland State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists expire every two years. Renewals for certificate holders or trainees are $200, while renewals for license holders cost $301.

All certificate and license holders must complete 40 continuing education hours, of which 30 hours must be formal courses, classes, or lectures.

Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists

Rehabilitation counselors in Maryland are credentialed as Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPCs) or Licensed Graduate Professional Counselors (LGPCs).

Candidates first apply to be LGPCs. The requirements include:

• A master’s in counseling of 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits or doctorate in counseling of 90 semester credits or 135 quarter credits.
• A 125-hour supervised clinical experience, internship, or practicum
• Passing the Maryland Law Assessment exam
• A $200 application fee
• A $200 licensing fee
• Passing the NCE exam

To transition from LGPC to LCPC, candidates must meet the above requirements as well as:

• Complete three years of supervised clinical work experience with a minimum of 3,000 hours. Two of those years and 2,000 hours must be post-graduate. Also, 1,500 hours must be direct client contact and 100 hours must be under supervision. If a candidate has earned a doctoral degree, then only 2,000 hours and two years of experience are required.

Counseling licenses in Maryland expire two years after the date they were issued. It costs $301 to renew a counseling license. Counselors must complete 40 continuing education units per renewal.

Behavior Analysts in Maryland are licensed by the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. Requirements for licensure are:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $200 application fee
• Hold either BCBA or BCBA-D certification
• Complete a criminal history records check

Renewals for licenses in Maryland are required every two years. The fee is $301.

To renew, analysts must submit a completed application, as well as proof of current BCBA or BCBA-D certification.

The Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapist credentials Licensed Graduate Marriage & Family Therapists (LGMFT) and Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapists (LCMFT).

LGMFT candidates must:

• Have a master’s from an accredited institution of at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (at least 45 credits in six core areas)
• Pass the Maryland Law Assessment exam
• Pay a $250 application fee
• Pay a $150 licensing fee
• Pass the AMFTRB exam
• Pass a criminal records check

To transition from an LGMFT to LCMFT, candidates must meet the above requirements, as well as:

• Complete two years of supervised clinical work experience with a minimum of 2,000 hours (1,000 hours must be direct client contact and 100 hours must be under supervision)

Marriage and family therapy licenses in Maryland expire two years after the date they were issued. It costs $301 to renew a counseling license.

Counselors must complete 40 continuing education units per renewal.

Child therapists in Maryland are credentialed as Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPCs) or Licensed Graduate Professional Counselors (LGPCs).

Candidates first apply to be LGPCs. The requirements include:

• A master’s in counseling of 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits or doctorate in counseling of 90 semester credits or 135 quarter credits.
• A 125-hour supervised clinical experience, internship, or practicum
• Passing the Maryland Law Assessment exam
• A $200 application fee
• A $200 licensing fee
• Passing the NCE exam

• Complete three years of supervised clinical work experience with a minimum of 3,000 hours. Two of those years and 2,000 hours must be post-graduate. Also, 1,500 hours must be direct client contact and 100 hours must be under supervision. If a candidate has earned a doctoral degree, then only 2,000 hours and two years of experience are required.

Counseling licenses in Maryland expire two years after the date they were issued. It costs $301 to renew a counseling license. Counselors must complete 40 continuing education units per renewal.