Counseling Licensure in Georgia
In Georgia, becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) requires a master’s degree of at least 60 semester hours, passing the NCE or NCMHCE exam to earn your Associate Professional Counselor (APC) credential, and completing two to four years of post-degree supervised experience. The process is governed by the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists.
If you want to practice counseling professionally in Georgia, the LPC is the credential that enables independent practice. Understanding the steps to becoming a counselor at a national level is a good starting point, but Georgia has its own specific requirements. Getting there takes an average of 6 to 8 years, including your bachelor’s, master’s, and the required post-degree supervised experience. Here’s what the Georgia Composite Board requires, step by step.
- Earn your master’s degree in counseling or a related field from an accredited program.
- Apply to become an Associate Professional Counselor (APC) and register a post-degree supervised experience contract with the Georgia Composite Board.
- Take the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) as administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) to receive your APC credential.
- Complete the required post-degree supervised experience under APC status.
- Apply for your Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license.
Educational Requirements
Georgia requires a qualifying graduate degree before you can apply for APC or LPC licensure. The degree must be primarily counseling in content and come from a regionally accredited institution.
- A minimum of a master’s degree or higher in clinical counseling or counseling psychology, consisting of at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours.
- Programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) are recognized as meeting Georgia’s educational standards. Degrees from non-CACREP or non-CORE programs may still qualify if the institution holds regional accreditation recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), provided the program is primarily counseling in content.
- The degree program must cover specific core content areas, including human development, counseling theory, group counseling, career development, research and evaluation, assessment, social and cultural foundations, and professional ethics. The Georgia Composite Board’s How-To Guide for Professional Counselors lists the full course area requirements. Verify these directly with the Board, as they are subject to change.
- The degree program must include a supervised practicum or internship primarily in counseling content. See the internship section below for current hour requirements.
Internship
Your master’s program must include a supervised practicum or internship as part of the degree requirements. The hour requirement depends on when your degree was conferred.
- For degrees conferred on or before September 30, 20 September 30m of 300 supervised practicum or internship hours.
- For degrees conferred after September 30, 20 September 30m of 600 supervised practicum or internship hours.
If you’re still selecting a graduate program, choose one that meets the 600-hour threshold. It’s the current standard, and it reduces your post-degree supervised experience requirement by a full year.
Apply for the Associate Professional Counselor (APC) Credential
Before you can accumulate post-degree supervised experience, you need the APC credential. The exam is part of this process, not a separate step that comes later.
- Apply with the Georgia Composite Board for your APC credential. Your application must include a Post-Master’s Directed Experience Under Supervision Contract Affidavit completed and signed by your approved supervisor.
- Pass a criminal background check.
- Once the Board approves your application, it will notify NBCC that you’re cleared to test. You then register for either the NCE or the NCMHCE. Your APC credential is issued after you pass.
- Submit your application through the Board’s GOALS online licensing portal. The Board no longer accepts paper applications. Application materials and instructions are at sos.ga.gov.
- The application fee is approximately $100 (subject to change by the Board).
- APC status is limited to a maximum of five years. You must complete all supervised experience and exam requirements within that window to qualify for full LPC licensure.
Supervised Experience
After receiving your APC credential, you complete post-degree supervised experience in a work setting acceptable to the Georgia Composite Board. The required time varies by degree level and whether your graduate program included a qualifying internship.
| Degree Level | Without Qualifying Internship | With 600-Hour Internship | LPC Supervision Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master’s | 4 years | 3 years | 2 years under an LPC |
| Specialist | 3 years | 2 years | 1 year under an LPC |
| Doctoral | 1 year | 1 year | Under LPC supervision |
Acceptable work settings include mental health agencies, community organizations, educational institutions, rehabilitation programs, and career development settings, among others. Verify the specific definitions of directed experience and supervision hours with the Georgia Composite Board, as the rules define how qualifying hours are calculated, and these definitions may be updated.
Apply for Your License
Once you’ve completed your supervised experience, you’re ready to apply for full LPC licensure through the GOALS portal.
- Submit your LPC application to the Georgia Composite Board with all required documentation and the $100 application fee.
- Required materials typically include sealed official transcripts, supervised experience verification forms signed by your supervisor, official exam score reports sent directly from NBCC, and two professional references.
- All licenses share a common expiration date of September 30th, every September 30th. Plan your application timing accordingly.
If you hold an active, unencumbered LPC license in another state, you may be eligible to apply for licensure by endorsement rather than starting the process from scratch. Georgia reviews endorsement applications on a state-by-state basis. Georgia has also joined the Counseling Compact, which allows licensed counselors to practice across member states without additional licensure. The process for applying for Compact privileges is still being established; check the Board’s website for the current status. Application forms and instructions are available at sos.ga.gov.
Continuing Education
LPC and APC credential holders in Georgia must renew every two years and complete continuing education (CE) during each renewal cycle. All licenses expire on September 30th of each year.
Complete 35 hours of continuing education every two years, including at least 5 hours in professional ethics (live). A minimum of 20 hours must be completed through live or synchronous instruction, with up to 15 hours allowed via asynchronous online coursework.
CE requirements are subject to update. Verify current requirements directly with the Georgia Composite Board before your renewal period closes.
Counselor Salaries in Georgia
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Georgia earned a mean annual salary of $54,930 as of May 2024. The BLS projects 17.9% employment growth for this occupation in Georgia between 2022 and 2032. Counselors considering a specialization in addiction treatment can explore the separate substance abuse counselor certification in Georgia, which follows a different credentialing path.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between an APC and an LPC in Georgia?
The Associate Professional Counselor (APC) is a credential that allows you to practice under supervision while accumulating the post-degree experience required for full licensure. An LPC has completed all education, exam, and experience requirements and can practice independently. You must hold APC status for at least two years before qualifying for the LPC, and APC status expires after five years.
How long does it take to become an LPC in Georgia?
Plan for roughly six to eight years total. A bachelor’s degree typically takes four years, followed by at least two years for a master’s program. After graduating, you’ll spend two to four years completing the required post-degree supervised experience as an APC, depending on your degree level and whether your graduate program included a 600-hour internship.
What exam is required for Georgia LPC licensure?
Georgia accepts two NBCC exams: the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). You must take and pass one of these exams as part of your APC application process, before you begin accumulating post-degree supervised experience. The Board approves your application first, then notifies NBCC that you’re cleared to test.
What’s the difference between an LPC and an LCSW in Georgia?
The LPC and the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) are both independent clinical credentials in Georgia, but they come from different degree paths and are governed by different licensing requirements. The LPC requires a master’s degree in counseling or a related field, while the LCSW requires a Master of Social Work (MSW). If you’re weighing these options, our guide to the difference between an LPC and an LCSW covers the key distinctions in education, scope of practice, and career paths.
How many continuing education hours do Georgia LPCs need to renew?
Georgia LPCs and APCs must complete 35 hours of continuing education every two years. At least 5 of those hours must be in professional ethics, completed through live or synchronous instruction. A minimum of 20 total hours must be live or synchronous, with up to 15 hours allowed through asynchronous online coursework.
Key Takeaways
- Two credentials, one path – Georgia LPC licensure runs through the APC credential first. You take the NCE or NCMHCE to earn your APC, then complete two to four years of supervised experience before applying for the LPC.
- Your master’s program matters – The degree must be at least 60 semester hours and include a supervised practicum or internship completed after September 30, 2 September 30, including 600 internship hours, which reduces your post-degree experience requirement by a full year.
- Apply online through GOALS – The Board no longer accepts paper applications. All APC and LPC applications go through the Georgia Composite Board’s GOALS online portal.
- APC status has a clock: you have 5 years from the date of APC issuance to complete all requirements and apply for the LPC. Licenses expire on September 30th every year.
- 35 CE hours every two years – At least 5 must be ethics (live), 20 total hours must be live or synchronous, and up to 15 can be asynchronous online.
Ready to find a program that meets Georgia’s requirements? Explore counseling career and degree resources to compare programs, review specializations, and learn what licensure looks like across different paths.
2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Social Workers, Social and Human Services Assistants, Social and Community Service Managers, and Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed April 2026.