How to Become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Idaho
Idaho's counseling licensure runs through three credential levels: Registered Intern (RI), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). The Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists, part of the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), oversees all three.
Step 1: Earn a Qualifying Master's Degree
You need a graduate degree with at least 60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) in counseling or a closely related field, accredited by CACREP or CORE, or approved by the Board as providing equivalent instruction in counseling theory and technique with supervised counseling experience. Your program should include at least one graduate course in each of eight required content areas, plus at least one year of advanced counseling practicum with a minimum of 280 hours of direct client contact.
Step 2: Register as an Intern (If Needed)
If you've graduated but haven't yet completed your hours, you can register with the Board as an intern for a $25 fee while you accrue supervised experience toward LPC licensure.
Step 3: Complete Your Supervised Experience and Apply for LPC
LPC licensure requires 1,000 clock hours of experience in a counseling setting, with at least 400 hours of direct client contact, supervised at a minimum of one hour of face-to-face consultation for every 20 hours of job or internship experience. The LPC application and license fees are $75 each, for $150 total.
Step 4: Pass a Licensing Exam
Idaho requires a passing score on a Board-approved national exam as part of the licensure process; confirm with DOPL which exam applies to your specific application track before registering.
Step 5: Advance to LCPC (Optional, for Independent Practice)
To reach the clinical, independent-practice level, LPCs need an additional 2,000 hours of supervised direct client contact experience over no less than two years, with at least 1,000 of those hours supervised by an LCPC, at a minimum of one hour of face-to-face supervision for every 30 hours of direct client contact. LCPC applicants also complete a Diagnostic Evaluation graduate course or equivalent training acceptable to the Board.
Renewing Your License
Idaho counseling licenses renew every two years through DOPL's online system.
Apply for Your License
Start or continue your application directly with Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists (DOPL), the official licensing authority. Applications submitted anywhere else won't be processed.
A Note on Accuracy
This post reflects information from Idaho's Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses and its published application packets. Licensing rules, fees, and statutes change. Verify current requirements directly with DOPL at dopl.idaho.gov before making any licensure decision.
Idaho's three-tier structure means it's worth deciding early whether LPC or the higher LCPC clinical credential is your actual goal, since the supervision requirements differ substantially between them.
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