Mental Health Counselor Licensure by State- LMHC, LPC, LCPC and more

Federal regulations require William James College to disclose whether its programs meet the educational requirements for professional licensure in every state and U.S. territory. All William James College professional licensure programs meet the educational requirements for licensing in Massachusetts.

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling MA program meets the requirements for licensure in the states indicated below. We have also identified states in which the WJC program does not meet the academic program licensure requirements and those where a determination has yet to be made.

If you are or will be a William James College student and have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ana Bueso, Department Coordinator, Counseling and Behavioral Health Department, at Ana_Bueso@williamjames.edu, who will direct you to the appropriate person to answer your question.

For your reference, below are links to the professional licensing agency in all states.

Mental health counseling licensure is handled at the state level in the US, which is why you will see different terms and acronyms for licensed professional counselors. While the path to licensure is similar in most states--a master's in counseling, extensive supervised clinical experience, passing an examination, application to a state board for licensure, and continuing education to keep the license current--there are variations among the states and always the possibility that licensure requirements will change.

If you are on the path to licensure, or thinking about getting on the path, it's best to familiarize yourself with the licensure requirements for the state where you intend to practice.

The table below includes links to each state's licensing board, where you can find the most accurate and up-to-date information on application requirements, and gives the acronyms for licenses conferred.

We’ve also included the definitions of the various acronyms used, so if you've ever wondered about the difference between LMHC and LPC, or where they are used, here is your answer. Please keep in mind that states may change this information at any time, and while we try to keep the information updated, you should refer to the state boards' own websites for the most up-to-date information.

State Licensing Boards