Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Minnesota

Mental health counselors can be licensed as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) or Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) in Minnesota.

Requirements to be an LPC include:

• A background check including fingerprinting
• Master’s or doctorate in counseling from a CACREP accredited program of at least 48 semester or 72 quarter hours 10 content areas and a 700-hour practicum
• A passing score on the NCE exam
• 2,000 hours of supervised work experience. These can be completed before licensure or after licensure if a supervision plan is put in place. Hours must be completed in a minimum of one year and a maximum of three. 100 hours must be direct supervision.
• A $150 application fee
• A $250 initial license fee

LPCC requirements include submitting:

• Proof of an LPC credential
• A background check including fingerprinting
• Master’s or doctorate in counseling from a CACREP accredited program of at least 48 semester or 72 quarter hours in 10 content areas and a 700-hour practicum
• A passing score on the NCMHCE exam
• Proof of 4,000 hours of supervised work experience. These hours must be completed in a minimum of two years and include two hours of supervision for every 40 hours of client contact. At least 75 percent of the supervision hours must be in person, and 50 percent must be individual.
• Pay a $150 application fee
• Pay a $250 initial license fee

Renewals are required annually for mental health counselors in Minnesota. Renewals cost $250.

Counselors must complete 12 postgraduate semester credit hours during their first four years of licensure and 40 hours of continuing education. Each two-year cycle (after the first four years), counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education.

School counselors in Minnesota must earn a Tier 2 license in school counseling. The requirements for this license are:

• Hold a master’s degree in counseling
• Submit a completed application
• Pay a $90.25 application fee and $57 background check fee
• Pass a background check

Applicants who have a bachelor’s with at least 24 semester credit hours in school counseling coursework may apply for this license if they verify to the board they will complete the necessary courses to achieve licensure within three years.

For a Tier 3 license, candidates must meet all the Tier 2 requirements, as well as complete a CACRE- accredited preparation program approved by the state.

Tier 4 license candidates must meet Tier 2 and 3 requirements, as well as have three years of experience as a school counselor.

Tier 2 licenses issued in Minnesota must be renewed every two years and may be renewed two times. Candidates completing their education must provide proof of making meaningful progress towards degree completion.

Tier 3 licenses expire every three years School counselors at this tier must complete 75 clock hours of continuing education, including all mandatory requirements.

Tier 4 licenses expire every five years. School counselors at this tier must complete 125 clock hours of continuing education, including all mandatory requirements.

All licenses cost $57 to renew.

Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (BBHT)

The Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (BBHT) issues Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) licenses.

LADC applicants must meet general requirements, as well as either the standard method of application or the supervision alternative.

General requirements include:

• A completed application
• A fingerprint-based background check
• $295 application fee and a $33.25 background check fee

For the standard method of application, candidates must:

• Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Complete 270 hours of specific alcohol and drug counseling course work
• Complete an 880-hour alcohol and drug counseling practicum
• Obtain a passing score on a written exam or a written and oral exam

For the supervision alternative, candidates must:

• Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Complete 270 hours of specific alcohol and drug counseling course work
• Complete an 880-hour alcohol and drug counseling practicum
• Obtain a passing score on a written exam
• Complete 2,000 hours of post-degree supervised work experience

LADCs in Minnesota must renew their license every two years. Renewal fees $295.

LADCs must complete 40 hours of continuing education, which must include nine hours on diversity and three hours on professional ethics

Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy

Rehabilitation counselors in Minnesota can be credentialed as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) or Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC).

Requirements to be an LPC include:

• A background check including fingerprinting
• Master’s or doctorate in counseling from a CACREP accredited program of at least 48 semester or 72 quarter hours 10 content areas and a 700-hour practicum
• A passing score on the NCE exam
• 2,000 hours of supervised work experience. These can be completed before licensure or after licensure if a supervision plan is put in place. Hours must be completed in a minimum of one year and a maximum of three. 100 hours must be direct supervision.
• A $150 application fee
• A $250 initial license fee

LPCC requirements include submitting:

• Proof of an LPC credential
• A background check including fingerprinting
• Master’s or doctorate in counseling from a CACREP accredited program of at least 48 semester or 72 quarter hours in 10 content areas and a 700-hour practicum
• A passing score on the NCMHCE exam
• Proof of 4,000 hours of supervised work experience. These hours must be completed in a minimum of two years and include two hours of supervision for every 40 hours of client contact. At least 75 percent of the supervision hours must be in person, and 50 percent must be individual.
• Pay a $150 application fee
• Pay a $250 initial license fee

Renewals are required annually for mental health counselors in Minnesota. Renewals cost $250.

Counselors must complete 12 postgraduate semester credit hours during their first four years of licensure and 40 hours of continuing education. Each two-year cycle (after the first four years), counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education.

Currently, there are no certification or licensing requirements for applied behavior analysts in Minnesota.

However, holding a BCBA certification and maintaining membership with the Minnesota Northland Association for Behavior Analysis can help with employment opportunities or job advancement.

The Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy credentials Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Associate Marriage Family Therapists (LAMFT).

LAMFT license candidates must:

• Be 18 years old or older
• Complete a master’s degree or higher in marriage and family therapy from a regionally accredited school, which includes a 300-hour practicum
• Pass the AMFTRB exam
• Pay the $143.25 application fee
• Pass a criminal background check
• Submit a completed and notarized application
• Provide a recent color photo

Candidates for an LMFT license must meet the LAMFT license requirements, as well as:

• Submit a completed and notarized application
• Pay $110 application fee
• Provide two endorsements, one can be from the supervised work experience supervisor
• Complete two years and 4,000 hours of supervised work experience (must include at least 1,000 hours of direct client contact and 200 hours of supervision)

Marriage and family therapy licenses issued in Minnesota must be renewed every year. LAMFT renewals cost $75 and LMFT renewals cost $125.

Therapists must complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years. Three of those hours must be in ethics.

Child therapists in Minnesota can be credentialed as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) or Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC).

Requirements to be an LPC include:

• A background check including fingerprinting
• Master’s or doctorate in counseling from a CACREP accredited program of at least 48 semester or 72 quarter hours 10 content areas and a 700-hour practicum
• A passing score on the NCE exam
• 2,000 hours of supervised work experience. These can be completed before licensure or after licensure if a supervision plan is put in place. Hours must be completed in a minimum of one year and a maximum of three. 100 hours must be direct supervision.
• A $150 application fee
• A $250 initial license fee

LPCC requirements include submitting:

• Proof of an LPC credential
• A background check including fingerprinting
• Master’s or doctorate in counseling from a CACREP accredited program of at least 48 semester or 72 quarter hours in 10 content areas and a 700-hour practicum
• A passing score on the NCMHCE exam
• Proof of 4,000 hours of supervised work experience. These hours must be completed in a minimum of two years and include two hours of supervision for every 40 hours of client contact. At least 75 percent of the supervision hours must be in person, and 50 percent must be individual.
• Pay a $150 application fee
• Pay a $250 initial license fee

Renewals are required annually for mental health counselors in Minnesota. Renewals cost $250.

Counselors must complete 12 postgraduate semester credit hours during their first four years of licensure and 40 hours of continuing education. Each two-year cycle (after the first four years), counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education.