At a Glance
Getting a Tennessee counseling license means choosing between two credential levels: the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Services Provider designation (LPC/MHSP). Both require a 60-credit master’s degree, supervised post-degree hours, and passing national exams administered through the NBCC. The LPC/MHSP is the advanced credential allowing independent diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
Tennessee has two levels of mental health licensure, and which one you pursue depends on what you want to do in practice. The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential covers general counseling, including work with individuals, groups, and organizations on personal, social, career, and educational issues. The LPC/MHSP goes further: it authorizes you to independently diagnose and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Both licenses are issued by the Tennessee Board for Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapists, a division of the Tennessee Department of Health.
The same board also oversees the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) credential, which is a separate license focused specifically on marriage and family systems. If social work is more aligned with your goals, see the Tennessee Social Work License requirements. This guide focuses on the LPC and LPC/MHSP pathways.
Steps Toward Counseling Licensure in Tennessee
Licensure in Tennessee follows a sequential process that builds from education through supervised experience and formal examination. Here’s how the path breaks down for both credential levels.
Step 1: Earn a Qualifying Graduate Degree
Complete a master’s degree in counseling or a closely related field with at least 60 semester credits. The program must include a supervised practicum or internship of at least 500 hours, with 300 of those hours completed in a community or mental health agency setting. Degrees must come from a program accredited by CACREP, a regional body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a comparable accrediting body.
Step 2: Create an Online Account and Submit Your Application
Set up an account through the Tennessee Department of Health’s Licensure and Regulatory System. From there, you’ll submit your application for LPC licensure along with a notarized Declaration of Citizenship, the LPC application fee (currently listed as $200, plus a $10 state regulatory fee), results of a criminal background check, and a completed LPC Course Work Summary document. Have your school send official transcripts directly to the State Board.
Step 3: Complete Supervised Post-Degree Experience
The LPC requires two years of post-master’s supervised counseling experience, at least 10 hours per week, totaling a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours and 100 supervision hours (50 hours of contact supervision per year). You’ll practice under supervision until the requirement is met. Once completed, your supervisor submits a verification form to the State Board.
Step 4: Upload Supporting Documents
As you work through your supervised hours, upload the remaining required documents to your online account: the Mandatory Practitioner Profile Questionnaire and two letters of recommendation from licensed mental health professionals who are familiar with your work.
Step 5: Pass the Required Exams
You must pass both the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam. Both are administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) through its partner organization, the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). Designate the Tennessee State Board as an approved recipient of your results when you register.
Step 6: Receive Your LPC License
Once the State Board has received and approved all required materials (transcripts, supervised experience verification, exam results, and your complete online application), it will issue your LPC license.
Adding the LPC/MHSP Designation
The LPC/MHSP is an advanced designation built on top of the LPC. It authorizes independent diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, which is the scope required for most clinical mental health positions in Tennessee. Here’s how you upgrade.
Step 1: Apply for a Temporary LPC/MHSP License
Once you hold a full LPC and have passed the NCE, you’re eligible to apply for a temporary LPC/MHSP license. Log in to your Tennessee Department of Health online account, submit the request with the $150 fee, and have your supervisor and the Supervisory Agreement approved by the State Board. The temporary license allows you to practice within the LPC/MHSP scope under supervision for up to three years.
Step 2: Complete LPC/MHSP Supervised Experience
The LPC/MHSP requires 3,000 hours of post-master’s supervised clinical counseling experience, completed over at least two years but no more than four. Of those hours, 1,500 must be face-to-face client contact, and 1,500 must be in clinically related activities. You also need 150 hours of direct supervised experience. Your supervisor verifies completion of the LPC/MHSP application.
Step 3: Pass the NCMHCE
The LPC/MHSP requires passing the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) in addition to the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam. Both are offered through the NBCC. The NCMHCE presents 10 clinical simulations and evaluates your decision-making across mental health scenarios. You have three hours to complete it.
Step 4: Upgrade to Full LPC/MHSP License
After meeting the supervised experience and exam requirements, apply through your online account to convert your temporary license to a full LPC/MHSP license. The upgrade fee is $75.
Education Requirements
The foundation for both credentials is a graduate degree in counseling or a closely related field with at least 60 semester credits. For the LPC, the program must cover these core subject areas:
- Theories of human behavior, personality, and learning
- Theories of psychotherapy and counseling
- Abnormal behavior
- Research
- Ethics
- Multicultural counseling
- Counseling techniques
- Group dynamics, techniques, and theories
- Appraisal and evaluation procedures
For the LPC/MHSP, your degree must also include 9 semester credits covering diagnosis, appraisal and assessment of mental disorders, treatment and treatment planning, psychopathology, and the use of the DSM.
Your degree must include a qualifying practicum or internship of at least 500 hours, with 300 hours completed in a community or mental health agency. CACREP, a CHEA-recognized regional body, or a comparable accrediting body must accredit programs. The State Board maintains a list of approved graduate counseling programs on its website.
Required Exams
All exams for LPC and LPC/MHSP licensure are computer-based and administered through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)‘s partner organization, the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE), via the online ProCounselor portal. You’ll need to pass the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam, which covers state statutes and professional counseling rules, each time you apply for a new license level.
The NCE, required for the LPC, is a 200-question multiple-choice exam covering core academic content from your graduate counseling program. You have three hours and 45 minutes to complete it. The NCMHCE, required for the LPC/MHSP, presents 10 clinical simulations and evaluates your responses to mental health scenarios over a three-hour period.
Becoming a Supervisor
Both LPCs and LPC/MHSPs can qualify as supervisors, but LPC supervisors cannot supervise candidates working toward the LPC/MHSP. To qualify, you must have held your license for at least five years and complete 12 hours of supervision training. You submit proof of that training with your supervisor application to the State Board. Every two years at renewal, three of your required continuing education hours must cover supervision topics.
License Renewal
Both the LPC and LPC/MHSP licenses renew every two years. Tennessee currently requires professional counselors, marital and family therapists, and clinical pastoral therapists to complete 10 clock hours of continuing education each calendar year, totaling 20 hours over a two-year renewal cycle. Three of those hours must cover professional ethics, Tennessee Code Annotated Title 63 Chapter 22, or applicable board rules. Renewal is processed through your online account. The biennial renewal fee is listed as $115, plus a $10 state regulatory fee.
How Long Does It Take?
Plan on roughly eight years from the start of your undergraduate education to full LPC licensure. A bachelor’s degree takes four years, a master’s in counseling takes another two, and then you need two more years of supervised post-degree experience before you qualify for the LPC. If you’re targeting the LPC/MHSP, add at least two more years of supervised clinical experience on top of that, bringing the total to around 10 years from the beginning of your undergraduate work.
Some accelerated master’s programs can reduce the graduate portion, and some candidates complete their supervised hours on the faster end of the range. But the supervised experience minimums are set by statute, so there’s a floor you can’t go below regardless of how quickly you move through the academic side.
Reciprocity
Tennessee allows professional counselors to be licensed by examination or endorsement from other states. The board also maintains a Tennessee/Kentucky reciprocity agreement. Because reciprocity and endorsement rules can change, applicants should confirm current portability options directly with the Tennessee Board before applying. Under the board’s reciprocity policy, eligible applicants must have maintained an active license from another jurisdiction for at least three of the five years immediately preceding the application, hold an unencumbered license, pass the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam, and meet the statutory requirements for the selected license type.
Salary and Job Outlook
The counseling field is growing significantly in Tennessee. According to Projections Central, the state employed 5,420 substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in 2022, a figure projected to reach 7,180 by 2032, representing 33% growth and approximately 690 annual job openings over that period. That’s well above the national rate: the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 17% employment growth for this occupation nationwide from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average.
The table below shows national BLS May 2024 median wages for counseling and therapy occupations. These are national figures, not Tennessee-specific wages. Verify current Tennessee wage data at bls.gov/oes.
| Occupation |
National Median Annual Wage (May 2024) |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors |
$59,190 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists |
$63,780 |
Career Opportunities in Tennessee
Tennessee has a well-developed behavioral health infrastructure, with opportunities spread across public agencies, nonprofit providers, and large academic health systems.
The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services coordinates mental health, crisis, and substance abuse services statewide. It’s the primary state agency for licensed counselors working in publicly funded settings. Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services operates across five counties and maintains 24/7 crisis response staff. No one is denied services for inability to pay.
Vanderbilt Health treats more than two million patients annually and includes Vanderbilt Behavioral Health, which provides inpatient, outpatient, and emergency psychiatric care for all ages. Mercy Community Healthcare operates in Franklin and Lewisburg, offering adult primary care, pediatrics, and mental and behavioral health services on a sliding fee scale. Church Health, based in Memphis, is one of the largest faith-based, privately funded healthcare organizations in the country, serving tens of thousands of uninsured residents in Shelby County with behavioral health, psychiatric, and counseling services.
Professional Resources
These organizations support Tennessee counselors through networking, continuing education, advocacy, and licensure resources.
Tennessee Counseling Association (TCA) is the statewide professional home for counselors of all specialties. TCA hosts an annual conference and organizes chapters and divisions focused on areas like counselor education and supervision, multicultural counseling, college counseling, rehabilitation, and mental health counseling.The
Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association (TLPCA) focuses specifically on licensed professional counselors. TLPCA hosts an annual summit, provides licensing and insurance resources, and tracks legislative developments affecting the profession. It also serves as a referral resource for clients seeking counseling help.
Tennessee School Counselor Association (TSCA) advocates for students and school counseling professionals statewide. TSCA offers professional development opportunities and resources around licensure and career advancement.
Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) is a statewide trade association representing nonprofit corporations and community mental health centers providing behavioral health services across Tennessee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between an LPC and an LPC/MHSP in Tennessee?
An LPC can provide general counseling services, covering career, personal, social, and educational work, to individuals, groups, and organizations. They can’t independently diagnose or treat mental disorders. The LPC/MHSP is the advanced credential that covers everything an LPC does, plus the authority to diagnose and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Most clinical mental health positions in Tennessee require the LPC/MHSP.
What degree do I need to become licensed as a counselor in Tennessee?
Both the LPC and LPC/MHSP require a master’s degree in counseling or a closely related field with at least 60 semester credits, including a supervised practicum or internship of at least 500 hours. Your program must come from a CACREP-accredited institution or a school accredited by a CHEA-recognized regional body. For the LPC/MHSP, your degree must also include at least nine additional semester credits covering diagnosis, treatment, and assessment of mental disorders.
How many supervised hours do I need for each license level?
The LPC requires at least 1,000 clinical hours and 100 supervision hours over two years of post-master’s experience (at least 10 hours per week). The LPC/MHSP requires 3,000 post-master’s hours over two to four years, including 1,500 face-to-face client contact hours, 1,500 clinically related activity hours, and 150 hours of direct supervised experience.
Can I transfer my counseling license from another state to Tennessee?
Tennessee allows professional counselors to be licensed by examination or endorsement from other states, and the board maintains a Tennessee/Kentucky reciprocity agreement. Under the board’s reciprocity policy, eligible applicants must have held an active license from another jurisdiction for at least three of the five years immediately preceding their application and must hold an unencumbered license. Because portability rules can change, confirm current options directly with the Tennessee Board before applying.
What exams do I need to pass to become licensed in Tennessee?
The LPC requires passing the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam. The LPC/MHSP requires passing the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) and the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam. All exams are administered through the NBCC via the ProCounselor portal. You’ll need to pass a new Jurisprudence Exam each time you apply for a different license level.
Key Takeaways
- Tennessee has two counseling license levels: the LPC for general counseling and the LPC/MHSP for clinical mental health work, including diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
- Both require a 60-credit master’s degree from an accredited program, post-degree supervised hours, and passing NBCC exams. The LPC/MHSP builds on the LPC and requires additional supervised hours and the NCMHCE.
- The LPC path takes about two years of supervised experience after your master’s degree. The LPC/MHSP adds at least two more years to that.
- Tennessee allows licensing by examination or endorsement from other states and maintains a Tennessee/Kentucky reciprocity agreement. Because portability rules can change, confirm current options with the Tennessee Board before applying.
- The job outlook in Tennessee is strong. Projections Central forecasts 33% employment growth for mental health counselors in the state from 2022 to 2032, well above the 17% national growth rate projected by the BLS for 2024 to 2034.
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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 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market figures for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists represent national data, not school-specific information. Tennessee state employment projections from Projections Central 2022–2032 long-term projections. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed May 2026.
