At a Glance
Georgia generally uses a two-credential pathway for professional counseling licensure: the Associate Professional Counselor (APC) credential followed by the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license. You’ll need a qualifying graduate degree, a Board-approved national examination, and post-master’s directed experience under supervision that meets current Georgia Composite Board rules.
The path to LPC licensure in Georgia typically begins with graduate education followed by APC licensure and supervised post-master’s experience. Most applicants must obtain an Associate Professional Counselor (APC) credential before completing the supervised experience required for LPC licensure. Applicants generally apply for full LPC status after satisfying Georgia’s education, examination, supervised experience, supervision, and Board documentation requirements. Note that the same Board also administers Georgia social work licensure, so readers weighing a counseling versus social work path will find the credential structures administered by the same governing body.
This guide covers every requirement in sequence: the education you’ll need, the exams you’ll take, and the exact forms and fees involved in each stage of the process.
Steps Toward LPC Licensure in Georgia
The LPC licensure process in Georgia follows a three-stage path from graduate education to full licensure.
Step 1: Earn Your Master’s Degree
You’ll need a master’s degree in counseling or an applied psychology field from a regionally accredited institution recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Your program must cover nine core content areas and include a practicum or internship of at least 600 hours. CACREP-accredited programs and certain historically recognized rehabilitation counseling programs may closely align with Georgia’s education requirements; applicants should verify the Board’s current treatment of their program.
Step 2: Earn Your APC Credential
After graduating, you’ll apply to the Georgia Composite Board for your Associate Professional Counselor (APC) credential. This requires your official transcripts, two professional references, a supervised experience contract with your supervisor, and a $100 application fee. Once approved, the Board notifies the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) that you’re cleared to test. After Board approval and successful completion of a Board-approved examination, eligible applicants may be issued the APC credential.
Step 3: Complete Supervised Experience and Apply for LPC
As an APC, you’ll log directed experience under the supervision of a qualified LPC. Experience requirements vary based on degree level, practicum/internship history, application date, and current Georgia Board rules. Once complete, your supervisor submits the required verification forms, and you submit your LPC application with a $100 fee. Georgia limits APC practice while completing LPC experience requirements, so applicants should plan carefully around the current Board timeline.
Associate Professional Counselor (APC) Requirements
The APC credential is your formal entry into Georgia’s supervised counseling workforce. Here’s what the application process requires.
Step 1: Fulfill the Education Requirement
Your graduate degree must meet Georgia’s current requirements for counseling or applied psychology content. Official transcripts must be submitted according to the Board’s current instructions, which may allow sealed paper or approved electronic delivery. Your program must include a practicum or internship of at least 600 hours.
Step 2: Obtain Two Professional References
You’ll need two references from teachers or supervisors who are familiar with your counseling experience. Each reference fills out Form D, which you include with your APC application.
Step 3: Secure a Supervisor and File the Experience Contract
Before beginning supervised experience, applicants should secure a Board-qualified supervisor and submit any required supervision or directed-experience documentation. Your supervisor completes their section of the Post-Master’s Directed Experience Under Supervision Contract Affidavit, which you submit alongside your APC application.
Step 4: Submit Your APC Application and Fee
Submit the APC application to the Georgia Composite Board with a $100 application fee. After application review, the Board provides examination authorization instructions in accordance with current procedures. You can check your application status online throughout this process.
Step 5: Pass Your Licensing Exam
Register through the NBCC’s online ProCounselor portal for either the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). NBCC examination registration and administration procedures may involve NBCC, CCE, or designated testing vendors, depending on current exam policies. Once the Board receives confirmation that you’ve passed, it issues your APC credential.
Step 6: Accrue Supervised Experience and Maintain Your APC Credential
The Georgia Board sets APC renewal deadlines, fees, and continuing education requirements, and these should be verified before renewal. Plan your supervision timeline accordingly, because the Board sets limits on APC practice while you complete LPC experience requirements.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Requirements
The LPC license authorizes independent professional counseling practice throughout Georgia. Here’s how to move from APC status to full licensure.
Step 1: Complete the Supervised Experience Requirement
Georgia rules define directed experience and supervision by year, hour minimum, and timeframe. Applicants should verify the current required minimum supervision hours before planning supervised practice. The total years required depend on your education level:
- Master’s degree: Master ‘s-level applicants must complete the amount of directed experience and supervision required under the current rule pathway that applies to their education and practicum/internship history.
- Specialist degree: Specialist-degree applicants may qualify for a different supervised experience pathway, subject to current Board rules.
- Doctoral degree: Doctoral-degree applicants may qualify for reduced supervised experience requirements if their education and internship meet current Board standards.
Supervised experience and supervision must be documented using the Board’s current verification forms and submission procedures, including Form C for work experience and Form E for supervision hours.
Step 2: Obtain Two Professional References
You’ll need two references from teachers or supervisors familiar with your counseling experience. Each completes Form G for inclusion with your LPC application.
Step 3: Submit Your LPC Application and Fee
Submit the LPC application and $100 fee to the Georgia Composite Board. Once approved, the Board issues your LPC license, and you can practice independently throughout the state.
Becoming a Qualified LPC Supervisor
Licensed Professional Counselors may qualify to supervise APCs after meeting current Georgia supervisor eligibility requirements. To qualify, you’ll need post-licensure experience: three years if you hold a master’s degree, two years if you hold a specialist degree, and one year if you hold a doctoral degree. You’ll also need one of the following credentials, or special approval from the Board based on exceptional experience:
- Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) from the NBCC
- Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS) from the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (LPCAGA)
Required Education
To qualify for the APC credential and subsequent LPC licensure, you need a master’s degree in counseling or applied psychology from a regionally accredited school recognized by CHEA. Programs accredited by either of these agencies may align closely with Georgia’s education requirements:
- Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Applicants should verify current program listings directly through CACREP.
- Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE). Applicants with rehabilitation counseling programs should verify current recognition directly with the Georgia Board.
If your program isn’t CACREP or CORE-accredited, it must still be regionally accredited and cover nine specific content areas: human growth and development, diversity or multicultural counseling, counseling skills or techniques, group counseling and group psychotherapy, career and lifestyle development, assessment and appraisal of individuals, research evaluation and methods, professional ethics and orientation, and psychopathology. Your program must also include a practicum or internship of at least 600 hours.
Specialist and doctoral applicants should confirm current education standards and reduced-experience eligibility directly with the Board.
Required Exams
To qualify for the APC credential, you must pass either of the two NBCC-sponsored exams. The Georgia Composite Board must approve your APC application before you can register for either exam.
The National Counselor Examination (NCE) is a multiple-choice exam covering counseling theory and practice. The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) uses a series of clinical scenarios to assess your applied counseling knowledge and decision-making skills. Review the NCE candidate handbook and the NCMHCE candidate handbook before registering. Georgia accepts Board-approved national counseling examinations; applicants should confirm the accepted exam pathway for their application type.
How Long Does It Take to Become an LPC in Georgia?
The timeline to full Georgia LPC licensure varies based on education pace, degree level, supervision pathway, and Board processing. Most pathways involve at least a graduate degree followed by a period of supervised post-master’s practice before LPC eligibility.
Applicants may benefit from identifying a qualified supervisor early so they can begin the supervised experience process efficiently once eligible.
Counseling Salaries and Career Outlook
Salaries in counseling vary by specialty, setting, and licensure level. The figures below are national medians from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2024. Georgia wages may differ from national medians depending on occupation category, region, employer type, and experience.
| Occupation |
National Median Wage |
Job Outlook (2024-2034) |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors |
$59,190 |
17% (much faster than average) |
| School and Career Counselors and Advisors |
$65,140 |
4% (as fast as average) |
| Marriage and Family Therapists |
$63,780 |
13% (much faster than average) |
| Rehabilitation Counselors |
$46,110 |
1% (slower than average) |
Career Opportunities in Georgia
Georgia’s public, nonprofit, and private behavioral health sectors employ licensed counseling professionals across a range of settings. The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities operates state hospitals and manages transitional housing, forensic services, and programs covering mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities. The Georgia Department of Community Health links healthcare services to communities across the state, with a focus on children and rural populations.
Georgia Behavioral Health Professionals, a LifeStance Health member organization, operates multiple locations statewide and provides behavioral health services through a large provider network. Georgia Behavioral Services provides treatment for addiction, family challenges, medication management, and court-ordered evaluations, including anger management and DUI assessments. The Georgia Health Services Network serves veterans, Medicaid recipients, and vulnerable populations, including the elderly and disabled, across hundreds of personal care homes throughout the state.
Renewing Your APC and LPC Credentials
The Georgia Board establishes APC and LPC renewal requirements, continuing education hours, and fees, which may change over time. Verify current renewal deadlines and requirements with the Board before your renewal date.
Reciprocity
If you hold an LPC license in another state with education, supervised experience, and exam requirements similar to Georgia’s, you can apply for a Georgia LPC by endorsement. Submit the endorsement application with a $100 fee, and have your out-of-state licensing board complete Form N to verify your existing license for the Georgia Composite Board.
Resources
Licensed Professional Counselors Association (LPCA) of Georgia. The primary professional organization for LPCs in Georgia. Offers continuing education, networking, and the Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS) credential, which is one of two qualifying credentials for LPC supervisors in the state.
American Counseling Association (ACA) of Georgia. A nonprofit advancing professional counseling across the state with professional development events covering addiction, trauma, marginality, and privilege, and related areas.
Georgia School Counselor Association (GSCA). Founded in 1949, the GSCA supports school counselors across Georgia and advocates for appropriate student-to-counselor staffing ratios in public schools.
Georgia Addiction Counselors Association (GACA). Represents addiction professionals in Georgia through advocacy, education, and workforce development resources. For the full certification pathway in this specialty, see our guide to Georgia substance abuse counseling certification.
Georgia College Counseling Association (GCCA). A membership organization for psychologists and professional counselors providing career, educational, and personal counseling at Georgia colleges and universities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between an APC and an LPC in Georgia?
The Associate Professional Counselor (APC) credential is a supervised pre-licensure status that allows you to work under a qualified LPC supervisor. At the same time,e you accumulate the post-master’s experience required for full licensure. The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license is the full credential, authorizing independent practice across the scope of professional counseling in Georgia.
How many supervised hours do I need for LPC licensure in Georgia?
It depends on your degree level and your practicum/internship history. Georgia sets specific hour and year minimums for directed experience and supervision, and these requirements may vary based on your degree and when you apply. Confirm current requirements directly with the Georgia Composite Board before planning your supervised practice.
Can I get an LPC in Georgia with a non-CACREP degree?
Yes. If your program isn’t CACREP or CORE-accredited, it must be regionally accredited and cover nine specific content areas: human growth and development, diversity and multicultural counseling, counseling skills, group counseling, career development, assessment, research methods, professional ethics, and psychopathology. It must also include a practicum or internship of at least 600 hours.
How long does it take to become an LPC in Georgia?
The timeline varies based on your degree level, program length, and how quickly you complete the supervised experience requirement. Most pathways involve at least a graduate degree followed by a period of supervised post-master’s practice. Confirm the current supervised experience requirements with the Georgia Composite Board to map your specific timeline.
Does Georgia offer LPC licensure by reciprocity?
Yes. If you’re already licensed as an LPC in another state with comparable education, experience, and exam requirements, you can apply for a Georgia LPC by endorsement. The application fee is $100, and your out-of-state licensing board must verify your license using Form N.
Key Takeaways
- Georgia uses a two-credential pathway: obtain your APC credential first, then complete post-master’s supervised experience to qualify for the LPC license.
- Supervised experience requirements vary by degree level and practicum history. Confirm current hour and year minimums with the Georgia Composite Board.
- The Board sets a limit on APC practice while completing LPC experience requirements, so plan your supervision timeline early.
- Programs accredited by CACREP may align closely with Georgia’s education requirements. Verify the current Board treatment of your program before applying.
- The Georgia Board sets APC and LPC renewal requirements, continuing education hours, and fees, and these should be verified before your renewal date.
Prospective students can compare counseling programs aligned with Georgia licensure requirements and find options that align with their educational goals.
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Laura Bennett, MPH is a public health professional with over 12 years of experience in community health education and program coordination. She specializes in helping aspiring professionals explore flexible education pathways, including online and hybrid public health degree programs. Laura is passionate about making public health careers more accessible through practical, accredited training
2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market figures for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, School and Career Counselors and Advisors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Rehabilitation Counselors represent national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed May 2026.
