Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Montana

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Candidate (LCPC Candidate) are the mental health counselor licenses issued by the state of Montana.

In order to earn an LCPC Candidate credential, applicants must:

• Complete a master’s program in counseling of at least 60 semester hours with CACREP core courses. Candidates may apply for licensure with only 45 semester credits. However, the remaining 15 credits must be completed within five years of licensure.
• Submit a completed application and additional forms
• Pay a $200 application fee
• Complete a background check with fingerprints

To transition to a full LCPC, candidates must:

• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience, at least half of which must be postgraduate.
• Pass the NCE or NCMHCE exam
• Submit a completed application and related forms
• Pay $200 application fee

Counseling licenses in Montana are renewed annually. They cost $175.

Counselors are required to submit an online application, as well as 20 hours of continuing education hours. LPC Candidates are not required to complete continuing education hours.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction issues a Class 6 School Counselor Specialist License.

The requirements for this license are:

• Complete a CACREP-accredited school counselor program or a master’s in school counseling from a regionally accredited institution, including a 600-hour internship in a school setting
• Pass the Praxis School Guidance and Counseling exam
• Complete the free, online course “An Introduction to Indian Education for All in Montana”
• Submit a completed University Recommendation form
• Pass a background check
• Submit a notarized Montana Educator Licensure Notary Page
• Pay $36 license fee

Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree (and are within four courses of graduating from a master’s program) may apply for a Class 5 license.

The Class 6 School Counselor Specialist License issued in Montana is valid for five years. Renewals cost $30. School counselors must complete 60 renewal units per renewal cycle.

Class 5 licenses either expire or are upgraded. They do not renew.

Montana Board of Behavioral Health

The Montana Board of Behavioral Health credentials Licensed Addiction Counselors (LAC) and Licensed Addiction Counselor Candidates (LAC Candidate).

Requirements for an LAC Candidate license include:

• A minimum of an associate degree from an accredited institution in alcohol and drug studies, addiction, or substance abuse or an associate in a related field with at least six semester credit hours in human behavior, sociology, psychology, or a similar emphasis, three semester credit hours in psychopathology, and nine semester hours in counseling
• 330 hours of education and training in addiction courses
• A completed application
• A background check, including fingerprinting
• A Training and Supervision Plan form
• $250 application fee

LAC applicants must meet the requirements for a LAC candidate license, as well as:

• Pass either the NAADAC NCAC Level 1 or Level 2 exam, the Northwest Certified II exam, the Southwest Certification II exam, the NAADAC MAC exam, or the IC&RC ADC or AADC exam
• Complete 1,000 hours of supervised work experience

Renewals for LAC and LAC candidate licenses are due every year. LAC licenses cost $150 to renew and LAC candidates cost $100.

Complete applications must be submitted along with 20 hours of continuing education. New license holders are not required to submit hours for their first renewal.

Montana Department of Labor & Industry Board of Behavioral Health

Rehabilitation counselors in Montana must hold either a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Candidate (LCPC Candidate) license.

In order to earn an LCPC Candidate credential, applicants must:

• Complete a master’s program in counseling of at least 60 semester hours with CACREP core courses. Candidates may apply for licensure with only 45 semester credits. However, the remaining 15 credits must be completed within five years of licensure.
• Submit a completed application and additional forms
• Pay a $200 application fee
• Complete a background check with fingerprints

To transition to a full LCPC, candidates must:

• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience, at least half of which must be postgraduate.
• Pass the NCE or NCMHCE exam
• Submit a completed application and related forms
• Pay $200 application fee

Counseling licenses in Montana are renewed annually. They cost $175.

Counselors are required to submit an online application, as well as 20 hours of continuing education hours. LPC Candidates are not required to complete continuing education hours.

The Montana Board of Psychologists licenses Behavior Analysts and Assistant Behavior Analysts.

Requirements for licensure are:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $600 application fee (behavior analyst) or $250 (assistant)
• Hold a BCBA (behavior analyst) or BCaBA (assistant)
• Complete a Montana-approved criminal background check, including fingerprinting
• Agree to abide by the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts
• Complete 100 hours of supervised clinical work experience in addition to hours required by the BACB (behavior analysts only)
• Submit a supervision form (assistants only)

Behavior analyst licenses issued in Montana expire annually on December 31st.

To renew, applicants must:

• Submit a completed application,
• Complete 10 continuing education hours per year; one of those hours must be in ethics
• Pay $600 renewal fee (behavior analyst) or $250 (assistant)

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry Board of Behavioral Health credentials Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Candidates (LMFT Candidate).

Requirements for an LMFT Candidate license are:

• Complete a master’s program in marriage and family therapy from a CACREP- or COAMFTE-accredited program (or an approved equivalent)
• Submit a completed application
• Submit a completed training and supervision plan for supervised work experience
• Pay a $200 application fee
• Complete a background check with fingerprints

LMFT license applicants must meet candidate license requirements, as well as:

• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience in marriage and family therapy
• Pay $200 application fee
• Pass the AMFTRB exam

Marriage and family therapy licenses in Montana must be renewed annually.

They cost $175 and therapists are required to submit an online application, as well as 20 hours of continuing education hours.

LPC Candidates are not required to complete continuing education hours.

Child therapists in Montana must hold either a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Candidate (LCPC Candidate) license.

In order to earn an LCPC Candidate credential, applicants must:

• Complete a master’s program in counseling of at least 60 semester hours with CACREP core courses. Candidates may apply for licensure with only 45 semester credits. However, the remaining 15 credits must be completed within five years of licensure.
• Submit a completed application and additional forms
• Pay a $200 application fee
• Complete a background check with fingerprints

To transition to a full LCPC, candidates must:

• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience, at least half of which must be postgraduate.
• Pass the NCE or NCMHCE exam
• Submit a completed application and related forms
• Pay $200 application fee

Counseling licenses in Montana are renewed annually. They cost $175.

Counselors are required to submit an online application, as well as 20 hours of continuing education hours. LPC Candidates are not required to complete continuing education hours.