At a Glance
Indiana counseling license requirements follow a two-tier system administered by the state’s Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board (BHHSLB): the Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) and the Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). You’ll need a qualifying master’s degree, passing scores on national licensing exams, and at least 3,000 postgraduate supervised hours. Most people reach full LMHC licensure within eight years of starting their education.
Most Indiana mental health counselors spend at least eight years working toward the Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) credential. That’s four years for a bachelor’s degree, two or more years earning a qualifying master’s, and a minimum of 21 months of supervised postgraduate clinical work. Knowing what the path looks like before you start helps you pick the right program and set realistic expectations for the timeline. If you’re weighing the LMHC against other credential paths, our guide to the difference between an LCSW and LMHC breaks down how these licenses diverge.
Indiana counseling license requirements are administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA), through its Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board (BHHSLB), which issues both credentials you’ll work toward: the LMHCA and the full LMHC. Here’s what each step involves.
Steps to Counseling Licensure in Indiana
The path from graduate student to fully licensed mental health counselor in Indiana moves through these five stages:
Step 1: Complete a qualifying graduate degree
You’ll need a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution. Programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) are widely preferred by Indiana employers and satisfy the BHHSLB’s coursework requirements without additional documentation.
Step 2: Finish your practicum and internship
Your degree program must include at least 100 hours of practicum (40 hours of direct client contact) and at least 600 hours of internship (66 hours of face-to-face supervision). These are typically completed as part of your degree and documented on Forms P and I in the BHHSLB application packet.
Step 3: Apply for and earn the LMHCA
After graduating, submit your application packet and $50 fee to the BHHSLB. Once approved, you’ll take the Indiana jurisprudence exam and the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCE) through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Passing both earns you the LMHCA credential and lets you begin accumulating supervised postgraduate hours.
Step 4: Complete 3,000 hours of supervised postgraduate experience
You’ll need to accumulate 3,000 hours of supervised clinical work over a minimum of 21 months, with at least 100 of those hours in face-to-face supervision. Indiana also requires a 300-hour advanced internship before you can apply for the LMHC. Indiana rules may also limit how many supervised hours can be counted before you pass the NCMHCE, so confirm the current timing rules with the BHHSLB before planning your supervision schedule.
Step 5: Apply for and earn the LMHC
Once your supervised hours are complete, submit your LMHC application and $50 fee. You’ll retake the jurisprudence exam and sit for the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) through NBCC. Passing both gives you the full LMHC credential and the ability to practice independently in Indiana.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA)
The LMHCA is Indiana’s supervised-practice credential. It lets you work with clients and accumulate the clinical hours you need for full licensure while operating under supervision.
Education requirement: A master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling from a regionally accredited institution. Your program must include at least 60 semester credits in counseling. If your master’s degree covered only 48 credits, you can supplement it with additional coursework to reach 60. Use Form C in the LMHCA application packet to document your degree, with Form C1 as a supplemental option.
Practicum and internship requirement: At least 700 combined hours, including a 100-hour practicum (with 40 hours of direct client contact) and a 600-hour internship (with 66 hours of face-to-face supervision). These are verified on Forms P and I in the application packet. You can complete these hours at a site outside your school program, provided a school official approves it as equivalent to a graduate-level clinical placement.
Application and exams: Submit the LMHCA application packet with a $50 application fee and a criminal background check (verify current fees with the BHHSLB before applying). An optional $25 temporary permit lets you practice while waiting to pass the NCE, giving you one year to complete the exam. Once the BHHSLB approves your application, it will send you instructions for the jurisprudence exam and notify NBCC to authorize your NCE registration. You must score at least 75% on the jurisprudence exam (23 of 30 questions correct). After passing both, you can print your LMHCA license online.
One important note: the LMHCA can only be renewed twice. You’ll want to complete your supervised experience and qualify for LMHC licensure within 2 renewal cycles.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
The LMHC is Indiana’s full independent counseling license. You apply after completing your supervised experience as an LMHCA.
Supervised experience requirement: At least 3,000 hours of postgraduate clinical work over a minimum of 21 months and no more than 48 months. At least 100 of those hours must be in face-to-face supervision with an approved supervisor. Qualifying supervisors include an LMHC, psychiatrist, psychologist, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or clinical mental health nurse. Your supervisor documents your hours on Form E2 and your supervision on Form S2.
Advanced internship requirement: A 300-hour advanced internship, documented on Form AI. This is typically completed as part of your graduate program after your initial practicum and internship. If you didn’t complete a formal advanced internship, you can substitute additional practicum and internship hours as long as your combined total across all placements reaches 1,000 hours. Hours completed during a doctoral internship can also apply toward the supervised work experience requirement.
Application and exams: Submit the LMHC application packet with a $50 fee and a criminal background check. You’ll retake the jurisprudence exam and sit for the NCMHCE through NBCC. Pass both, and you can print your LMHC license online.
Education Requirements
To qualify for LMHCA and subsequent LMHC licensure, your graduate degree must come from a school accredited by a regional body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The program must include at least 60 semester credits in counseling and cover the following content areas:
- Clinical instruction
- Skills and knowledge for the practice of psychotherapy and mental health counseling
- Human growth and development
- Foundations of mental health counseling
- Professional ethics and orientation
- Research and program evaluation
- Appraisal and assessment of individuals
- Career and lifestyle development
- Group dynamics, counseling, and consultation
- Helping relationships, including counseling theory and practice
- Cultural and social foundations of counseling
- Contextual dimensions of mental health counseling
Programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) are built around these content areas and are widely recognized by Indiana employers. CACREP accreditation signals that your training meets national benchmarks for clinical readiness, which can matter when you apply for positions in hospitals, community health centers, or private group practices.
Required Exams
Indiana requires two types of examinations at both credential stages. You’ll need BHHSLB pre-authorization before you can register for any NBCC exam.
NBCC examinations: LMHCA applicants must pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCE), a computer-based, multiple-choice exam with a 3-hour, 45-minute time limit. LMHC applicants must pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), a three-hour exam built around 10 clinical simulations that evaluate your judgment in real-world counseling scenarios. Both exams are administered through the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE), which contracts with NBCC to manage registration and testing.
Indiana jurisprudence examination: Both the LMHCA and LMHC applications require a state jurisprudence exam covering Indiana statutes and practice rules for licensed counselors. The exam includes 30 multiple-choice and true/false questions. You need to answer at least 23 questions correctly to pass. The BHHSLB mails instructions once it approves your application.
License Renewal and Continuing Education
Both the LMHCA and LMHC licenses expire on March 31 of even-numbered years, giving you a two-year renewal cycle. To renew, complete 40 hours of continuing education and pay a $100 renewal fee. You can renew online through the PLA or by submitting a renewal form by mail.
Within those 40 hours, at least 20 must be Category I hours, meaning formally organized learning such as courses, workshops, seminars, or approved home-study programs. Two of those hours must cover ethics. If you’ve held your license for less than 24 months at renewal time, only 20 hours are required. If you’ve held it for less than 12 months, no continuing education is required for that cycle.
Reciprocity and Endorsement
Indiana uses the LMHC title for what many states call a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). If you hold an active LMHC or equivalent credential in another state in good standing, you can apply for Indiana licensure through endorsement, which the state also refers to as exemption from examination. To qualify, you must have previously passed the NCMHCE.
Complete Form EE in the LMHC licensure via endorsement application to request an exemption from retaking the NCMHCE. You’ll also need your out-of-state licensing board to verify your credentials directly to the BHHSLB using the official verification form. A temporary permit is available when you apply. The application fee is $50, with an optional $25 for the temporary permit.
Salary and Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors to grow 17 percent from 2024 to 2034, a rate the BLS classifies as much faster than average for all occupations. That translates to roughly 48,300 job openings per year nationally, many driven by retirements and workforce transitions rather than pure expansion.
| Occupation |
National Median Annual Wage |
Projected Growth (2024-2034) |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors |
$59,190 |
17% |
Indiana-specific wage data for this occupation is available through the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state tables. Wages vary by setting. Community mental health centers, private practice, and hospital systems typically pay at different levels, and urban markets like Indianapolis tend to run higher than rural areas of the state.
Career Opportunities in Indiana
Indiana has several large employers for licensed mental health counselors across the public, nonprofit, and healthcare sectors.
Family and Social Services Administration: The state-level agency most counselors working in addiction and behavioral health will encounter. Its Division of Mental Health and Addiction funds and administers services for residents across Indiana’s counties and contracts with providers statewide.
Community Health Network (CHNw): One of Central Indiana’s largest integrated health systems, with advanced care facilities, hospitals, and dozens of community health centers throughout the region. CHNw is a major provider of behavioral health services in Central Indiana.
Ascension: A national healthcare organization with a substantial Indiana footprint, including its St. Vincent Stress Center in Indianapolis, which operates youth and adult behavioral health programs. Ascension runs additional mental health services from six other Indiana locations.
Eskenazi Health: Based in Indianapolis and serving Central Indiana residents for over 160 years, Eskenazi Health operates longstanding community mental health and psychiatric services and has expanded to 16 locations across Indiana.
Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana: A nonprofit organization serving more than 4,000 people annually in northeast Indiana, with programs covering housing support, recovery classes, parent resources, workplace wellness, and mental health training.
Professional Resources
The Indiana Counseling Association (ICA) supports counselors statewide with legislative updates, a student mentoring program, continuing education resources, and an annual conference. The Indiana School Counselor Association (ISCA) serves counselors in K-12 settings and supports students’ academic, professional, social, and emotional development. The Indiana Association for Addiction Professionals (IAAP) offers forums, a national conference, and private certifications for counselors specializing in addiction and behavioral health. The Indiana Association for College Admission Counseling (INACAC) sponsors annual events, including a national conference, college fairs, and professional development workshops for counselors in the college access field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a counselor with just an LMHCA?
Yes. The LMHCA is an active practice credential, not just a waiting permit. You can see clients in mostsettings ase you accumulate the supervised hours required for LMHlicensureC. You can’t practice independently until you earn the full license, but supervised clinical work is fully permitted under the LMHCA.
How long does it take to become an LMHC in Indiana?
Most people complete full licensure in 8 years: 4 years for a bachelor’s degree, 2 or more years for a qualifying master’s, and at least 21 months of supervised postgraduate experience. Indiana sets a maximum window of 48 months to complete the supervised experience requirement, so the LMHC path fits within a 10-year ceiling in most cases.
What exams do I need to pass to become an LMHC in Indiana?
You’ll pass three exams across both credential stages. For the LMHCA: the Indiana jurisprudence exam and the NBCC’s National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCE). For the LMHC: the jurisprudence exam again and the NBCC’s National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). All four require BHHSLB pre-authorization before you can register.
Are there limits on when I can apply supervised hours toward the LMHC?
Indiana rules may limit how many of your 3,000 postgraduate supervised hours can be counted before you pass the NCMHCE. Confirm the current timing rules with the BHHSLB before building your supervision schedule so the restriction doesn’t delay your application.
Does Indiana have reciprocity with other states?
Indiana offers an endorsement pathway for licensed counselors in good standing from other states. You’ll need to have previously passed the NCMHCE and have your out-of-state licensing board verify your credentials directly to the BHHSLB. A temporary permit is available while your application is processed.
Key Takeaways
- Indiana uses a two-tier licensing system. You must earn the LMHCA before qualifying for the LMHC, and the BHHSLB issues both credentials.
- A qualifying master’s degree requires at least 60 semester credits in counseling. CACREP-accredited programs meet state coursework standards and are widely recognized by Indiana employers.
- The LMHC requires 3,000 postgraduate supervised hours over a minimum of 21 months. Indiana sets a maximum window of 48 months to complete the requirement.
- You must pass four exams across both credential stages: the NCE and jurisprudence exam for the LMHCA, then the NCMHCE and jurisprudence exam again for the LMHC.
- License renewal requires 40 CE hours every two years, including at least 20 Category I hours and 2 ethics hours, with a $100 renewal fee.
Looking for programs that meet Indiana’s 60-credit requirement? Browse accredited counseling programs to find options that fit your goals and timeline.
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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 represent national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed May 2026.
