How to Become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Mississippi
Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor in Mississippi runs through the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors. Mississippi uses a two-tier system: Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (P-LPC) while completing supervised hours, then full LPC status.
Step 1: Earn a Qualifying Graduate Degree
You need a graduate degree from an institution accredited by a regional or national accrediting body the Board approves.
Step 2: Pass the NCE and Apply for Your P-LPC
A passing score on the National Counselor Examination (NCE) must be submitted as part of your online P-LPC application. You'll practice under a Board-qualified supervisor (LPC-S) once your P-LPC is issued; only supervised experience under an approved LPC-S counts toward full licensure.
Step 3: Complete Your Supervised Experience
Mississippi requires 3,000 hours of supervised experience, with at least 1,200 hours in direct service with clients and 100 hours of individual face-to-face supervision (up to 50 of which may be group supervision).
Step 4: Pass the Mississippi Jurisprudence Exam
In addition to the NCE, Mississippi requires a passing score on its own Jurisprudence Exam, administered through an entity the Board determines; no separate Board approval is required to sit for it, but you're responsible for any associated fees.
Step 5: Apply for Full LPC Licensure
Submit your LPC application to the Board with your supervised experience documentation and both exam results.
Renewing Your License
Mississippi LPC licenses renew every two years and require 24 hours of continuing education, with at least 6 hours in professional ethics or legal issues in service delivery. The Mississippi Jurisprudence Exam must be retaken with every renewal, along with periodic fingerprint-based criminal history checks.
Apply for Your License
Start or continue your application directly with Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors, the official licensing authority. Applications submitted anywhere else won't be processed.
A Note on Accuracy
This post reflects information from the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors and its published rules and regulations. Licensing rules, fees, and statutes change. Verify current requirements directly at lpc.ms.gov before making any licensure decision.
Mississippi's requirement to retake the Jurisprudence Exam at every renewal, not just at initial licensure, is easy to overlook if you're used to a one-time state exam elsewhere.
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