Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Requirements in California 2026
Educational Requirements
- Master's or Doctoral degree with at least 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units) of graduate coursework meeting the requirements of BPC § 4999.33.
- Must include 6 semester units (or 9 quarter units) of supervised practicum or field study with at least 280 hours of face-to-face counseling.
- Electronic Transcripts (sent directly to the BBS).
Experience Requirements
- At least 3,000 total supervised hours over 104 supervised weeks (minimum). A "supervised week" is one in which you received at least 1 hour of individual/triadic supervision or 2 hours of group supervision.
- 1,750 hours (minimum) of direct clinical counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families.
- 1,250 hours (maximum) of nonclinical practice: psychological testing, clinical reports and notes, client-centered advocacy, workshops, seminars, training, and conferences.
- Weekly supervision (every logged week): Minimum of 1 hour of individual/triadic or 2 hours of group supervision in any week you log experience.
- Individual/triadic minimum: Of those 104 supervised weeks, at least 52 weeks must include at least 1 hour of individual or triadic supervision (group-only weeks may cover the other 52).
Gotchas
- Weekly Cap: You cannot log more than 40 hours across all settings in any 7 consecutive days.
- Weekly Supervision Requirement: You cannot log any hours for a week that was not supervised (at least 1 hour individual/triadic or 2 hours of group supervision logged during that week).
- The 10-Hour Threshold (BPC § 4999.46.2): If you provide more than 10 hours of direct clinical counseling in a single week in a work setting, you need 2 units of supervision that week in that setting (instead of the usual 1 unit). This applies whether you work 11 hours or 35.
- Supervision Cap: No more than 6 hours of individual, triadic, or group supervision in any week may be credited toward licensure.
- Six-Year Rule: All experience must be earned within the 6 years immediately preceding the date the BBS receives your Application for Licensure. Your APCC registration is also valid for 6 years total (initial year plus 5 annual renewals).
- Employment Type: You must be a W-2 employee or volunteer — independent contracting (1099) is not allowed except for narrow exceptions like volunteer expense reimbursements or board-approved stipend/loan-repayment programs. You may not work in private practice or a professional corporation until your first APCC number has been issued.
- Subsequent Registrations: Associates working under a second or third APCC registration may not work in a private practice or professional corporation. There are no exceptions (BPC § 4999.46.1).
- Live Scan Documentation (graduates on/after Jan 1, 2020): To use the 90-day rule, your workplace must have required Live Scan fingerprinting before you started gaining hours, and you must include a copy of the processed State of California Request for Live Scan Service form (provided by your employer) with your Application for Licensure. A copy of the processed form is the only documentation accepted by law. Without it, your hours only count from the date your APCC number was issued.
Additional Coursework
- Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention (6 hours) — required of all applicants.
- Provision of Mental Health Services via Telehealth (3 hours) — required pre-licensure for in-state degree holders. Out-of-state degree holders must complete it before their first license renewal.
- Out-of-state degree applicants: see the Out-of-State Application for Licensure for additional course requirements.
More on CEUs here — what continuing education you'll need after you're licensed (every two years).
Examinations
- California Law and Ethics Exam: Taken during your APCC registration period. Required to renew your APCC each year you have not yet passed it — apply early in the renewal cycle since processing can take up to 6 weeks.
- National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE): Taken after the BBS approves your Application for Licensure. You must take it within one year of approval, or you risk file closure and losing hours.
When can I start counting my hours? What is the 90-day rule?
TLDR: If you apply for your APCC number within 90 days of your degree award date, you can start counting post-degree hours immediately. If you wait longer than 90 days, you cannot count any hours until your APCC number is officially issued.
The date you may begin counting post-degree hours depends on:
- Within 90 Days: If the BBS receives your APCC application within 90 days of your degree award date, you may accrue hours immediately upon graduation. If you graduated on or after January 1, 2020, your workplace must have required Live Scan fingerprinting before you started, and you must keep a copy of the processed Request for Live Scan Service form to submit with your Application for Licensure (see Gotchas above).
- After 90 Days: If you submit your application more than 90 days after your degree award date, you must wait until your APCC registration number is issued before you can begin counting any experience.
- Workplace setting: Regardless of timing, you may not work in a private practice or professional corporation until your APCC number has been issued.