Counseling Degrees & Licenses in New Mexico

Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) are the licenses issued in New Mexico.

To earn a LMHC license candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $75 application fee
• Provide a 2×2-inch current color photograph
• Complete a master’s in counseling of at least 48 semester hours, nine of which must be a practicum. Courses must be in 11 core curriculum areas.
• Pass the NCE
• Be 21 years of age
• Arrange for supervision to complete work experience

In order to be a LPCC, candidates must meet the above requirements as well as:

• Pass the NCMHCE exam
• Complete 3,000 hour of post-graduate supervised work experience. It must include 100 hours of supervision. Up to 1,000 hours may be from the candidates’ practicum or internship.
• Pay $75 application fee

New Mexico requires counselors to renew their licenses every two years. The renewal fee is $75 for LMHCs and $150 for LPCs.

Both licenses require 40 hours of continuing education, six of which must be in ethics.

The New Mexico Public Education Department issues school counseling licenses. Candidates for this license must meet one of the following requirements:

• Have a master’s in school counseling from a regionally accredited institution (at least 36 semester hours and including a practicum)
• Hold either a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LPCC) license issued by the New Mexico Counseling & Therapy Practice Board and complete six graduate semester hours in school counseling
• Hold National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) credential issued by National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

All applicants must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $150 application fee
• Pass the Praxis Professional School Counselor exam

School counselor licenses in New Mexico expire every five years. Renewals must be completed online and include a $120 renewal fee.

Counselors are not required to complete any continuing education but are required to submit a Superintendent ‘s Recommendation for Continuing Licensure.

Counseling and Therapy Practice Board

The Counseling and Therapy Practice Board in New Mexico licenses Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (LADAC) and three tiers of Licensed Substance Abuse Associate (LSAA).

To earn an LSAA license, candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $75 application fee and $75 licensing fee
• Provide a current passport-sized photo
• Be 21 years old
• Submit an experience plan for supervised work experience along with supervisors information and signature
• Have an associate degree in counseling or a related field for an LSAA Tier 1; those with a bachelor’s can earn an LSAA Tier 2, and those with a master’s can earn an LSAA Tier 3
• Complete 90 hours of training in alcohol and drug counseling

LADAC license candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $75 application fee and $150 licensing fee
• Provide a current passport-sized photo
• Be 21 years old
• Pass the NCAC level 1 exam from NAADAC
• Complete 276 hours of training and education in counseling and drug abuse (at least 90 hours in alcohol abuse, 90 hours in drug abuse, 90 hours in counseling, and six hours in ethics)
• Complete work experience; applicants with an associate degree must complete three years (3,000 hours), including 200 hours of supervision; those with a bachelor’s must complete two years (2,000 hours), including 100 hours of supervision; and those with master’s must complete one year (1,000 hours), including 50 hours of supervision

Renewals for LSAA and LADAC counselors in New Mexico happen every two years. The LSAA costs $75 and the LADAC costs $150.

Counselors must complete 40 hours of continuing education in order to be eligible to renew. These hours must include six hours in ethics.

New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board

Rehabilitation counselors in New Mexico must be either Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselors (LPC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC).

To earn a LMHC license candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $75 application fee
• Provide a 2×2-inch current color photograph
• Complete a master’s in counseling of at least 48 semester hours, nine of which must be a practicum. Courses must be in 11 core curriculum areas.
• Pass the NCE
• Be 21 years of age
• Arrange for supervision to complete work experience

In order to be a LPCC, candidates must meet the above requirements as well as:

• Pass the NCMHCE exam
• Complete 3,000 hour of post-graduate supervised work experience. It must include 100 hours of supervision. Up to 1,000 hours may be from the candidates’ practicum or internship.
• Pay $75 application fee

New Mexico requires counselors to renew their licenses every two years. The renewal fee is $75 for LMHCs and $150 for LPCs.

Both licenses require 40 hours of continuing education, six of which must be in ethics.

Currently, there are no state certification or licensing requirements for applied behavior analysts in New Mexico.

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

The New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board credentials Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapists (LAMFT)

To earn an LAMFT license, candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $75 application fee
• Provide a 2×2-inch current color photograph
• Complete a master’s in marriage and family therapy from a regionally accredited institution that meets curriculum requirements
• Provide statements from supervisors verifying supervision has been arranged
• Pass the AMFTRB exam
• Be 21 years of age
• Arrange for supervision to complete work experience

In order to be an LMFT, candidates must meet the associate license requirements as well as:

• Complete two years of supervised work experience as a marriage and family therapist, with at least 1,000 hours of client contact and 200 hours of supervision (100 of which must be individual supervision)
• Submit an LMFT application
• Pay $75 application fee

New Mexico requires marriage and family therapists to renew their licenses every two years. The renewal fee is $220.

Therapists must complete 40 hours of continuing education units per renewal cycle, six of which must be in ethics.

New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board

Child therapists in New Mexico must be either Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselors (LPC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC).

To earn a LMHC license candidates must:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $75 application fee
• Provide a 2×2-inch current color photograph
• Complete a master’s in counseling of at least 48 semester hours, nine of which must be a practicum. Courses must be in 11 core curriculum areas.
• Pass the NCE
• Be 21 years of age
• Arrange for supervision to complete work experience

In order to be a LPCC, candidates must meet the above requirements as well as:

• Pass the NCMHCE exam
• Complete 3,000 hour of post-graduate supervised work experience. It must include 100 hours of supervision. Up to 1,000 hours may be from the candidates’ practicum or internship.
• Pay $75 application fee

New Mexico requires counselors to renew their licenses every two years. The renewal fee is $75 for LMHCs and $150 for LPCs.

Both licenses require 40 hours of continuing education, six of which must be in ethics.