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Alabama licenses Mental Health Counselors/Therapists as Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Applicants generally complete a qualifying graduate degree, accrue post-degree supervised clinical experience, and pass a national examination. Verify current education, supervised-experience, examination, renewal, and continuing education requirements directly with the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.
A master's or doctoral degree in counseling (effective January 1, 2022, at least 60 graduate semester hours) in an approved area such as clinical mental health counseling from a regionally accredited institution, including a supervised practicum of 100 hours with at least 40 hours of direct client service. Verify current requirements with the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.
A passing score on the National Counselor Examination (NCE) administered via Pearson VUE; no separate Alabama jurisprudence exam is required. Verify current requirements with the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.
3,000 hours of Board-approved post-ALC (Associate Licensed Counselor) supervised experience, of which at least 2,250 hours must be direct counseling service; hours cannot begin to accrue until the ALC license is issued. Verify current requirements with the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.
Alabama participates in the Counseling Compact. It was enacted via SB 99 (2022) and is being implemented through the Counseling Compact Commission; confirm whether privileges are yet being issued. License portability is also available by endorsement. Verify current requirements with the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.
Telehealth practice is governed by state law and board rules. Verify current telehealth requirements with the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.
Other licensed behavioral-health professions in Alabama. Each links to its own full state guide — always verify current requirements with the relevant official board.
This guide is for general informational purposes only and should not be treated as legal, licensing, or employment advice. Counselor licensing laws, board rules, education and supervised-experience requirements, examinations, and renewal requirements vary by state and may change. Always verify current requirements directly with the official state counseling licensing board or applicable regulatory agency.