Texas Counselor Licensure Requirements

Texas was one of the earliest states to pass a counselor licensure law and did so in 1981. The Texas State Licensure Board information is available at: www.dshs.state.tx.us/counselor. Under Texas law, an individual licensed is called a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). The law provides for both title as well as practice control of the counseling profession.

The Licensed Professional Counselor Intern is an individual who has completed all the academic requirements and is practicing under supervision to complete the required 3 years and 3,000 hours of post-master’s counseling experience which includes 1,500 hours of direct client contact. This supervision must be provided by a board approved LPC. A recent change in the rules requires that interns complete their 3,000 hours in no more than 5 years. The State of Texas requires successful completion of the National Counselor Exam (NCE) for licensure. To become licensed, the Texas Jurisprudence Exam must also be completed.

A number of universities in Texas allow graduate students the option of completing the NCE prior to graduation. Those who successfully complete the exam are eligible for the National Certified Counselor credential upon graduation assuming their academic program is accredited by Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Students who complete the NCE can use these exam results later for state licensure. A number of universities in the state also use the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE) as an exit requirement. Universities that allow completion of the NCE before graduation include:

St. Mary’s University
Sam Houston State University
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Texas State University San Marcos
Texas Women’s University
San Marcos
Wayland Baptist University