Alabama Counselor License Exam
To get licensed in Alabama, Professional Counselors are required to take an exam covering such subjects as human growth and development, psychopathology, group therapy and professional ethics. Whether you live in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile or another city or county, the resources below will help you get started on the path to receive your Professional Counselor’s license.
Need of a License: A license is needed to work as a counselor in Alabama. Licenses are granted by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.
To qualify to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Alabama, the following must be met:
- Obtain a graduate degree in counseling from an accredited school meeting credit limits.
- Meet supervised clinical experience requirements of 3,000 hours of post-graduate professional counseling, including at least 2,250 hours of direct client contact, and 750 hours devoted to administrative tasks such as record keeping.
- An applicant must earn a passing score on the on the NCE (National Counselor Exam).
How to Apply for Licensure
An application for licensure and other documentation can be obtained online. All documents must be sent to:
Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling
950 22nd Street North, Suite 765
Birmingham, AL 35203 85012
Test Content of the NCE
The NCE consists of 200 multiple-choice questions and is administered over a four-hour period. The NCE covers the following six knowledge, skill and task domains:
- Professional Practice and Ethics
- Intake, Assessment and Diagnosis
- Areas of Clinical Focus
- Treatment Planning
- Counseling Skills and Interventions
- Core Counseling Attributes
The questions are aligned to the following CACREP Common Core Areas:
- Human Growth and Development
- Social and Cultural Diversity
- Counseling and Helping Relationships
- Group Counseling and Group Work
- Career Development
- Assessment and Testing
- Research and Program Evaluation
- Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice
For more information, see the NCE Candidate Handbook.
How to Apply to Take the Exam
A PDF of the NCE registration is available online, along with test dates.
License Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements
To renew a license, regulations require 40 clock hours of continuing education in acceptable courses and programs offered by approved Continuing Education providers. The hours must include six hours in professional ethics, and be completed every two year licensure renewal period.
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