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Iowa licenses Mental Health Counselors/Therapists as Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). 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 Iowa Board of Behavioral Science.
A master's or doctoral degree with an emphasis in mental health counseling; CACREP graduates who began after July 1, 2012 need at least 60 semester hours (45 for earlier starts), and non-CACREP graduates need a Center for Credentialing and Education curriculum-equivalency evaluation with 3 graduate semester hours in each required content area. Verify current requirements with the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science.
The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) administered by NBCC (effective January 1, 2022); no separate Iowa jurisprudence exam was identified. Verify current requirements with the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science.
A minimum of two years and 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience, including at least 2,000 hours of direct client contact and at least 110 hours of direct supervision (at least 24 of which are live or recorded observation); experience cannot begin until all graduate coursework is complete. Verify current requirements with the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science.
Iowa participates in the Counseling Compact. It is codified at Iowa Code section 147H.1 (2023 Acts ch 156); the national Counseling Compact has passed its ten-state activation threshold. License portability is also available by reciprocity. Verify current requirements with the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science.
Telehealth practice is governed by state law and board rules. Verify current telehealth requirements with the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science.
Other licensed behavioral-health professions in Iowa. 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.