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Washington 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 Washington State Department of Health — Mental Health Counselors.
A master's or doctoral degree in mental health counseling, or a behavioral-science master's/doctoral degree in a related field, from an approved program; behavioral-science degrees must include counseling theory coursework and a supervised practicum/internship with direct client contact covering the content areas in WAC 246-809-220. Verify current requirements with the Washington State Department of Health.
A national examination administered through the Center for Credentialing and Education / NBCC — either the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) or the National Counselor Examination (NCE); Washington requires applicable suicide-prevention training but no separate standalone state jurisprudence exam. Verify current requirements with the Washington State Department of Health.
A minimum of 36 months of full-time counseling or 3,000 hours of supervised postgraduate experience under a qualified licensed mental health counselor, including at least 1,200 hours of direct counseling and at least 100 hours of immediate supervision; graduates of CACREP-accredited programs receive credit for 50 supervision hours and 500 experience hours. Verify current requirements with the Washington State Department of Health.
Washington participates in the Counseling Compact. It is codified as the Interstate Counseling Compact (Chapter 18.17 RCW), with the Department of Health implementing compact-privilege rules. License portability is also available by endorsement. Verify current requirements with the Washington State Department of Health.
Telehealth practice is governed by state law and board rules. Verify current telehealth requirements with the Washington State Department of Health — Mental Health Counselors.
Other licensed behavioral-health professions in Washington. 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.