How to Become a Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey

Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey runs through the Professional Counselor Examiners Committee, a body within the State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners with its own separate statutes and regulations. New Jersey uses a two-tier system: Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC), then full LPC.

Step 1: Earn a Qualifying Master's Degree

You need a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution consisting of 60 graduate semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) in counseling. At least 45 of those 60 hours must be in "counseling" coursework satisfying 8 of 9 required categories.

Step 2: Get Approved to Sit for the NCE and Apply for Your LAC

New Jersey requires Professional Counselor Examiners Committee approval before you can register for the National Counselor Examination (unless you completed it through a qualifying graduate program). Submit the state application for authorization, then register with NBCC once approved. LAC applications go through the state's MyLicense Office portal, with initial fees of about $180 in year one of the biennial cycle or $90 in year two. Before hours count, submit a Proposed Plan of Counseling Supervision naming your Board-approved supervisor.

Step 3: Complete Your Supervised Experience

New Jersey requires 4,500 hours of post-master's supervised professional counseling experience over three to six years (one year may be accumulated pre-master's under some circumstances).

Step 4: Apply for Full LPC Licensure

Submit your LPC application through MyLicense with your supervised experience documentation and exam scores. Initial LPC fees run about $250 in year one of the biennial cycle or $125 in year two.

Renewing Your License

New Jersey LAC and LPC licenses both expire on November 30 of even-numbered years, regardless of when they were issued. Renewal requires 40 continuing education hours, including at least 5 hours in ethics, 3 hours in social and cultural competence, and 1 hour on opioid drugs. LACs are typically exempt from CE at their first renewal.

Apply for Your License

Start or continue your application directly with New Jersey Professional Counselor Examiners Committee, 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 New Jersey Professional Counselor Examiners Committee and its published application guidance. Licensing rules, fees, and statutes change. Verify current requirements directly at njconsumeraffairs.gov/pc before making any licensure decision.

New Jersey's 4,500-hour requirement, spread over three to six years, is longer than most states' standard, so factor that into your timeline if you're comparing New Jersey against a neighboring state.