How to Become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri
Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri runs through the Committee for Professional Counselors, part of the Missouri Division of Professional Registration. Missouri issues three credential levels: Counselor-in-Training (CIT) or Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC) while completing supervised hours, and full LPC.
Step 1: Earn a Qualifying Master's Degree
You need a master's degree or higher in counseling, counseling psychology, clinical psychology, or school psychology from a regionally accredited institution, with at least 48 semester hours reflecting the Committee's coursework requirements.
Step 2: Pass the NCE and Register Your Supervision
After completing your degree and passing the NCE, submit a Supervision and CIT/Provisional Licensure application to the Committee, with official transcripts sent directly from your institution. A provisional license is issued automatically once supervision is registered and approved.
Step 3: Complete Your Supervised Experience
Missouri requires 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience over 24 months, with a minimum of 1,200 hours of direct client contact. Your supervisor must hold an active Missouri license for at least two years and complete approved supervisor training before you begin logging hours.
Step 4: Pass the Missouri Jurisprudence Exam
Missouri also requires the Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Examination, an open-book test available online for a $45 fee, with no additional fee for retakes.
Step 5: Apply for Full LPC Licensure
Submit your LPC application with your supervisor's Verification of Post-Degree Supervised Counseling Experience form and the $100 application fee.
Renewing Your License
Missouri LPCs must complete at least 40 hours of counseling-related continuing education per renewal cycle. Continuing education is not required for PLPCs.
Apply for Your License
Start or continue your application directly with Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors, the official licensing authority. Applications submitted anywhere else won't be processed.
A Note on Accuracy
This post reflects information from the Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors and the Missouri Division of Professional Registration. Licensing rules, fees, and statutes change. Verify current requirements directly at pr.mo.gov/boards/counselors before making any licensure decision.
Missouri's open-book jurisprudence exam is one of the more straightforward state-specific requirements nationally, but it's still a separate step from the NCE that's easy to forget to schedule.
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