Missouri Counseling Degrees & Licenses

Missouri issues Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (PLPC) licenses.

The requirements for PLPCs are:

• A master’s degree in counseling, counseling and guidance, counseling psychology, clinical psychology, or school psychology. The program must be 48 semester-hours or more in length. Programs must be CACREP or CORE accredited or in line with their standards.
• A passing score on the NCE and Missouri jurisprudence exam
• A completed application
• A background check
• A completed supervision plan for the board to approve
• A $100 application fee

To become an LPC, PLPCs must complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience over a minimum of 24 months and a maximum of five years. Candidates must complete a minimum of 15 hours per week of direct client contact and one hour of face-to-face supervision.

Candidates with doctorates are only required to complete one year and 1,500 hours of work experience.

Licenses in Missouri are renewed every two years.

Counselors are required to submit 40 continuing education hours to renew, of which half the hours must be in a professional setting such as seminars or workshops. There is also a $50 renewal fee.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) certifies Student Services School Counselors. The requirements for the Initial Student Services Certificate (ISS) are:

• Complete a master’s from a DESE approved student services program
• Pass the Missouri Content Assessments Counselor exam
• Have a recommendation for certification from the designated official at the college or university where the program was completed
• Submit a complete application
• Obtain a fingerprint background clearance
• Pay the application fee

To upgrade to a Career Student Services Certificate, candidates must:

• Complete four years of work experience
• Complete 40 hours of professional development
• Participate in the two-year district mentoring program
• Participate in the employing school’s annual Performance-Based Student Services Evaluation process

Initial certificates for school counselors in Missouri are valid for four years. During those four years, school counselors are expected to meet the requirements to upgrade to a Career Student Services Certificate. Career Student Services Certificates are valid for 99 years.

The Missouri Credentialing Board (MCB)

The Missouri Credentialing Board (MCB) issues Registered Alcohol Drug Counselor – Provisional (RADC-P), Missouri Associate Alcohol Drug Counselor I (MAADC I), Missouri Associate Alcohol Drug Counselor II (MAADC II), Certified Reciprocal Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CRADC), Certified Reciprocal Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CRAADC), Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) certifications.

The RADC-P credential is valid for two years and is intended to be held while pursuing a full credential such as CRADC. Candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $160 application fee
• Have at least a bachelor’s degree
• Complete 6,000 hours of work experience within the last ten years; only 4,000 hours are required if the applicant has a master’s degree (4,200 of the 6,000 hours, or 2,800 of 4,000 if the applicant has a master’s, must be in the counseling) performance domains
• Complete three hours of face-to-face continuing education in ethics
• Sign the Code of Ethical Practice and Professional Conduct
• Complete the Family Care Safety Registry Worker Registration Form
• Have verification of current employment in substance use disorder treatment programs or correction

Requirements for MAADC I include:

• A high school diploma or equivalency
• 160 hours of applicable work experience within the last ten years or an associate degree or a one-year addiction certificate program
• Three hours of face-to-face continuing education in ethics
• Signed Mentoring and Clinical Supervision Agreement by a MCB qualified supervisor
• Signed Professional Development Contract by an MCB qualified supervisor
• $110 application fee
• Completed Family Care Safety Registry Worker Registration Form
• Signed Code of Ethical Practice and Professional Conduct

Requirements for MAADC II include:

• A high school diploma or equivalency
• 160 hours of applicable work experience within the last 10 years or an associate’s degree or a one-year addiction certificate program
• Signed Mentoring and Clinical Supervision Agreement by a MCB qualified supervisor
• Signed Professional Development Contract by an MCB qualified supervisor
• $110 application fee
• Completed Family Care Safety Registry Worker Registration Form
• A completed application
• 2,000 hours of applicable work experience within the last ten years if applying with a high school diploma; only 1,000 hours are required if applying with an associate or a one-year addiction certificate; no hours are required if the applicant has a bachelor’s
• 300 hours of a Supervised Practicum in the Performance Domains if applying with an associate, one-year certificate program, or a high school diploma; this is not required if the applicant has a bachelor’s degree
• 90 hours of education (three hours in ethics, face-to-face; 20 of the hours must have been obtained in the preceding 12 months); not required for candidates with bachelor’s degrees
• Signed Code of Ethical Practice and Professional Conduct

Requirements for the CADC include:

• A high school diploma
• 4,000 hours of applicable work experience within the last ten years; 3,000 hours are required if applying with an associate degree or a one-year addiction certificate; 2,000 hours are required hours if applying with a bachelor’s; and only 1,000 hours are required if applying with a master’s
• 300 hours of a Supervised Practicum in the Performance Domains
• Signed Competency Rating Form from MCB qualified supervisor
• Signed Supervised Practicum Form from MCB qualified supervisor
• 180 hours of education (six hours in ethics, face-to-face; 20 of the hours must have been obtained in the preceding 12 months)
• Passing score on the IC&RC International ADC Examination
• $400 application and testing fee
• A completed application
• Family Care Safety Registry Worker Registration Form
• Signed Code of Ethical Practice and Professional Conduct
• A completed and signed Counselor Employment Verification Form

CRADC applicants must meet all the same requirements at CADC, except they must have:

• 6,000 hours of applicable work experience within the last ten years; 5,000 if applying with an associate’s or a one-year addiction certificate; 4,000 hours if applying with a bachelor’s; 2,000 hours if applying with a master’s
• 300 hours of education in substance abuse (six hours in ethics, face-to-face; 20 of the hours must have been obtained in the preceding 12 months)

CRAADC applicants must meet all the CRADC and CADC requirements as well as:

• Have a master’s degree
• Complete 2,000 hours of applicable work experience within the last ten years
• Complete 180 hours of education (six hours in ethics, face-to-face; 20 of the hours must have been obtained in the preceding 12 months)

MCB credentials expire every two years. RADC-P MAADC I do not renew, as they are intended to be stepping stones to more advanced certifications. Requirements for certifications which do renew are:

• Submit a completed application
• Complete 20 hours of continuing education if it is the first renewal, and 40 hours for subsequent renewals; six hours must be in ethics
• Pay $190 fee if renewing a CADC, CRADC, CRAADC, or $95 if renewing the MAADC II

Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors

Rehabilitation counselors in Missouri must be either Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (PLPC).

The requirements for PLPCs are:

• A master’s degree in counseling, counseling and guidance, counseling psychology, clinical psychology, or school psychology. The program must be 48 semester hours or more in length. Programs must be CACREP or CORE accredited or in line with their standards.
• A passing score on the NCE and Missouri jurisprudence exam
• A completed application
• A background check
• A completed supervision plan for the board to approve
• A $100 application fee

To become an LPC, PLPCs must complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience over a minimum of 24 months and a maximum of five years. Candidates must complete a minimum of 15 hours per week of direct client contact and one hour of face-to-face supervision.

Candidates with doctorates are only required to complete one year and 1,500 hours of work experience.

Licenses in Missouri are renewed every two years.

Counselors are required to submit 40 continuing education hours to renew, of which half the hours must be in a professional setting such as seminars or workshops. There is also a $50 renewal fee.

The Missouri Behavior Analyst Advisory Board issues Assistant Behavior Analyst and Behavior Analyst licenses.

Requirements for licensure are:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $150 application fee
• Hold a BCBA (for behavior analyst license) or BCaBA (for assistant license)
• Complete a criminal background check, including fingerprinting
• Complete two hours of continuing education in suicide prevention
• Submit a 2×2 color photograph
• Complete a supervision agreement (if applying as an assistant)

All Assistant Behavior Analyst or Behavior Analyst licenses issued in Missouri expire on October 31st of odd-numbered years.

To renew, analysts must:

• Provide proof of current BCBA or BCaBA certification
• Submit an application
• Pay $150 renewal fee

The Missouri State Committee of Marital and Family Therapists credentials Provisional Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (PLMFT) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (PLMFT)

The requirements for a PLMFT license are:

• Graduate with at least a master’s from a COAMFTE- or CACREP-accredited program or a regionally accredited marriage and family therapy program (at least 45 semester-hours or 60 quarter-hours and ll coursework must be completed in person)
• Complete a background check
• Pass the AMFTRB exam
• Pay $100 application fee
• Submit a completed application
• Complete a verification of supervision form

LMFT license applicants must meet the provisional license requirements, as well as:

• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience in no less than two years (1,500 hours must be direct marriage and family therapy client contact hours; there must be two hours every two weeks of face-to-face supervision)

LMFT licenses in Missouri are renewed every two years.

Counselors are required to submit 40 continuing education hours to renew, of which half the hours must be in a professional setting, such as seminars or workshops. At least two hours must be in suicide assessment, referral, treatment, and management. There is also a $175 renewal fee.

Child therapists in Missouri must be either Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (PLPC).

The requirements for PLPCs are:

• A master’s degree in counseling, counseling and guidance, counseling psychology, clinical psychology, or school psychology. The program must be 48 semester-hours or more in length. Programs must be CACREP or CORE accredited or in line with their standards.
• A passing score on the NCE and Missouri jurisprudence exam
• A completed application
• A background check
• A completed supervision plan for the board to approve
• A $100 application fee

To become an LPC, PLPCs must complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience over a minimum of 24 months and a maximum of five years. Candidates must complete a minimum of 15 hours per week of direct client contact and one hour of face-to-face supervision.

Candidates with doctorates must only complete one year and 1,500 hours of work experience.

Licenses in Missouri are renewed every two years.

Counselors must submit 40 continuing education hours to renew, of which half the hours must be in a professional setting such as seminars or workshops. There is also a $50 renewal fee.