How to Become a Clinical Professional Counselor in Nevada

Nevada counselors are licensed as Clinical Professional Counselors (CPCs), not LPCs, through the Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors. You'll hold CPC-Intern status while completing supervised hours.

Step 1: Earn a Qualifying Master's Degree

You need a graduate degree of at least 48 semester hours (72 quarter hours) in mental health or community counseling. CACREP accreditation is not required, but a non-accredited program must meet Board standards, including concurrent practicum and internship supervised by an appropriate mental health professional.

Step 2: Apply for Your CPC-Intern License

Submit your application online with the application fee (around $150) and a $27 fingerprint-processing fee for background checks through Nevada Public Safety and the FBI. After an academic review, you'll be invited to an in-person interview; passing it gets you a list of Board-approved supervisors. You must secure primary and secondary supervisors and submit supervision contracts before your intern license is issued.

Step 3: Complete Your Supervised Experience

Nevada requires 3,000 hours of supervised experience over at least two years, including at least 1,500 hours of direct client contact and at least 300 hours of supervision, with at least 160 hours under your primary supervisor and 40 under a secondary supervisor. Hours accrued before your intern registration don't count.

Step 4: Pass the NCMHCE

Nevada requires the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination, which replaced the NCE as the state's required exam. You can become eligible to test at the intern level, before your supervised hours are complete.

Step 5: Apply for Full CPC Licensure

Submit your CPC application with a $75 fee, your supervised experience documentation, and your NCMHCE score sent directly from NBCC.

Apply for Your License

Start or continue your application directly with Nevada Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors, the official licensing authority. Applications submitted anywhere else won't be processed.

Apply on the Board's Website

A Note on Accuracy

This post reflects information from the Nevada Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors. Licensing rules, fees, and statutes change. Verify current requirements directly at marriage.nv.gov before making any licensure decision.

Nevada's switch to the NCMHCE as its required exam (rather than the NCE most other states start with) is worth confirming directly with the Board if you've already taken the NCE elsewhere and are hoping it will transfer.