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Arkansas 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 Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.
A graduate degree primarily professional-counseling in content from a regionally accredited institution, with a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours of counseling/therapy coursework meeting the Board's (or CACREP) academic and training standards. Verify current requirements with the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.
The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) administered by NBCC, plus the Board's jurisprudence examination. Verify current requirements with the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.
3,000 client-contact hours of supervised experience acceptable to the Board, of which at least 2,200 must be direct (face-to-face) client contact, with supervision at 1 hour per 10 client-contact hours for the first 500 direct hours (Level 1) and 1 hour per 20 hours thereafter (Level 2). Verify current requirements with the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.
Arkansas is reported to have enacted the Counseling Compact, but this could not be confirmed against an official Arkansas state source — confirm the state’s compact status and operational availability with the Board. License portability is also available by endorsement. Verify current requirements with the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.
Telehealth practice is governed by state law and board rules. Verify current telehealth requirements with the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.
Other licensed behavioral-health professions in Arkansas. 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.