Path 1B - LPCC Application Requirements for Non-BBS Licensed Individuals

Who May Apply?

Non-BBS-licensed individuals, including, but not limited to, individuals with an LPCC license, or equivalent license in another jurisdiction and individuals with education and experience that meet the requirements outlined below (Business and Professions Code section (BPC) 4999.54(a)(1)).

If you still have questions after reviewing the information on this website, please contact the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR LICENSED PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL COUNSELORS.

Education Requirements

A non-BBS licensed individual interested in applying for the LPCC “grandparented” licensure must possess a masters or doctoral degree that is “counseling or psychotherapy in content.” The degree must meet a number of different requirements.

First, depending on the issue date of the degree, the applicant’s degree must include a specific number of the nine core content areas. For an individual with a degree issued in 1996 and after, the degree must be 48 semester or 72 quarter units in length and include seven of the nine core areas. For an individual with a degree issued prior to 1996, the degree must include 30 semester or 45 quarter units and at least six of the nine core content areas. These applicants have to complete no less than 48 semester or 72 quarter units total. In order to qualify for “grandparented” LPCC licensure, applicants must make up any deficiencies in the core content areas through graduate-level coursework. A counselor educator can be credited with meeting a core competency area if he or she can document teaching a course within the core content area, but in order to be able to take advantage of this exception, the counselor educator must have seven of the nine core content areas included in his or her degree program.

For degrees issued in 1996 or after, the non-BBS-licensed LPCC “grandparenting” applicants must have six semester or nine quarter units of supervised practicum or field study experience. For degrees issued prior to 1996, applicants must have three semester units or four and one-half quarter units of supervised practicum or field study experience. The supervised practicum for all non-BBS-licensed LPCC “grandparenting” applicants must also include a minimum of 150 hours of face-to-face supervised clinical experience counseling individuals, families, or groups.

In addition to the core content areas, a non-BBS-licensed applicant for “grandparented” LPCC licensure must also complete the following:

• A two semester or three quarter unit course in psychopharmacology;
• 15 contact hours of training in alcoholism and other chemical substance abuse dependency;
• 10 contact hours of training in human sexuality;
• 15 contact hours of training in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention;
• Seven contact hours of training in child abuse assessment and reporting;
• 18 contact hours of training in California law and professional ethics;
• 10 contact hours of training in aging and long-term care; and,
• 15 contact hours of instruction in crisis or trauma counseling.

Out-Of-State Degrees

Applicants with out-of-state degrees must submit syllabi for all coursework listed on the Degree Program Certification form and the Remedial Coursework Certification form, except as specified below.

• If your degree was conferred in 1983 or later AND at the time of conferral, the degree program was CACREP accredited, then you DO NOT have to submit syllabi EXCEPT for coursework listed as meeting the “Diagnosis” core content area, however, the Board may require submission of syllabi after evaluating your application.

WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN THE BOARD REQUESTS COURSE SYLLABI

Experience Requirements

Non-BBS-licensed LPCC “grandparenting” applicants must also document completion of at least two years, full-time or the equivalent, of post-degree counseling experience, including at least 1,700 hours of experience in a clinical setting supervised by an LMFT, LCSW, a licensed psychologist, professional clinical counselor, or equivalent, a licensed physician and surgeon specializing in psychiatry, or a master’s level counselor or therapist who is certified by a national certifying or registering organization (e.g. National Board of Certified Counselors or the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification).

Examination Requirements

In addition to education and experience requirements, non-BBS-licensed LPCC “grandparenting” applicants must also pass three examinations. All licensure paths require examinations. The examinations include:

• Either the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification or the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Examination;
• The National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination; and,
• A California law and ethics examination.

Passing scores on these examinations are an application requirement. If you have already passed any of the national examinations, you must submit an official score verification certificate to the Board with your application. If you need to register for the CRCE, then contact the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC). If you need to register for the NCE or the NCMHCE, you must first submit an LPCC application to the Board. After the Board completes its evaluation of your application, you will receive a notice with exam registration information. This notice will include information on taking the California Law and Ethics Examination as well.

If any application requirements are not met at the time an individual submits his or her application, he or she will have one year from the BBS’ notification to the applicant of a deficiency to provide the necessary materials to prove completion of all application requirements. This is particularly important to remember for individuals who must take the three examinations mentioned above because this means the applicant has a limited window to pass the examinations if he or she has not already done so.

Fingerprinting Requirements

All applicants must be fingerprinted with the BBS. Please click herefor more information on the fingerprinting process.

Missing Education or Experience Hours? Still Need to Take an Exam?

That's okay. You may submit your application even if you have not completed all of the requirements. You have one year from the date you receive a deficiency letter from BBS to submit proof of remediation of these deficiencies. HOWEVER, you will not be issued a license until you complete all of the requirements and submit a complete initial license application with the necessary fee. This is particularly important to remember for individuals who must take the three examinations mentioned above because this means the applicant has a limited window to pass the examinations if he or she has not already done so.

Updated: January 3, 2012