Resources · Path to Licensure

Step-by-step licensure pathways in Colorado.

Colorado regulates its behavioral-health professions through DORA’s Division of Professions and Occupations under a single umbrella statute, the Mental Health Practice Act (C.R.S. Title 12, Article 245). Every clinical profession follows a candidate-then-full-license ladder: an applicant must first register as a board “candidate” (LPCC, SWC, MFTC, PSYC, or the addiction-counselor candidate) BEFORE accruing any post-degree supervised hours — hours logged prior to candidate registration do not count. A signature Colorado feature is the open-book, online Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination, which every profession must pass; under Senate Bill 24-115 (effective Aug. 7, 2024) the jurisprudence exam must now be passed at the candidate-registration stage. SB24-115 also eliminated several entry-level national exams (most notably the ASWB Masters exam for the LSW and an entry counseling exam), shifting Colorado toward a jurisprudence-plus-clinical-exam model. Colorado’s addiction-counseling credentials (CAT, CAS, LAC) are genuine state credentials issued by DORA — not private certifications — and Colorado is a member of both the Counseling Compact and the Social Work Licensure Compact. DORA/DPO contracts the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) to perform education-equivalency review for counseling, MFT, psychology, and addiction-counselor applicants.

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Professional CounselingAddiction & Substance Use CounselingSocial WorkMarriage & Family TherapyPsychology

Professional Counseling

Prep for the NCMHCE / NCE →
LPCC

Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate

Required exam: Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination (open-book, online; required at registration under SB24-115). The national counseling exam (NCMHCE or NCE) is taken on the path to the full LPC, not for the candidate registration.

Scope: Colorado’s provisional counseling registration. An applicant must be registered as an LPCC before accruing any of the post-degree supervised hours required for LPC licensure (hours earned before registration do not count). The LPCC may practice professional counseling only under board-approved supervision; registration is held while the candidate works toward full LPC licensure.
  1. EducationA master’s or doctoral degree in professional counseling or a closely related field (generally 60 semester hours; CACREP accreditation strongly preferred), with the program meeting the curriculum requirements of C.R.S. § 12-245-604 and Board rules (4 CCR 737-1). Out-of-state/non-CACREP applicants undergo an education-equivalency review by the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE).
  2. Supervision / experienceNo prior post-degree experience is required to register; the LPCC registration is the vehicle for accruing hours. The applicant must be in a supervised position so the post-degree clock can begin under a board-approved supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the open-book Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination before the LPCC registration is approved (required since Aug. 7, 2024 under SB24-115).
  4. ApplicationApply online through DORA’s Online Services portal (apps2.colorado.gov/dora/licensing), pay the fee, submit official transcripts, and complete the jurisprudence exam. [The specific DORA application/form code for the LPCC registration was not confirmed against a primary board page.]
LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Required exam: National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) or National Counselor Examination (NCE), both administered by NBCC, PLUS the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination (if not already passed at the candidate stage).

Scope: Colorado’s full, independent professional-counseling license, authorizing the independent practice of professional counseling — including the application of counseling and psychotherapeutic techniques to diagnose and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral conditions — under the Mental Health Practice Act (C.R.S. Title 12, Art. 245, Part 6).
  1. EducationSame master’s or doctoral degree in professional counseling (or closely related field) used for the LPCC registration, meeting the C.R.S. § 12-245-604 / 4 CCR 737-1 curriculum standards.
  2. Supervision / experienceAt least 2,000 hours of post-master’s supervised professional practice completed over a minimum of 24 months, including at least 1,500 hours of direct client contact, accrued while registered as an LPCC; plus 100 hours of supervision over a minimum of 24 months, of which at least 70 hours must be face-to-face individual supervision and up to 30 hours may be group supervision.
  3. ExamPass the NCMHCE or NCE (NBCC sends the score directly to the Board) and the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination if not already passed.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services, submitting transcripts, the supervised-experience documentation signed by the supervisor, the national-exam score, and the jurisprudence result. Colorado is a Counseling Compact member, so eligible out-of-state LPCs may instead pursue a compact privilege to practice.

Official Professional Counseling resources

Addiction & Substance Use Counseling

Prep for the MAC / NCAC exam →
ADDC

Addiction Counselor Candidate

Required exam: Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination (open-book, online), required at registration under SB24-115.

Scope: Colorado’s addiction-counselor candidate registration created/clarified under SB24-115. Like the other mental-health candidate registrations, it must be obtained before post-degree supervised addiction-counseling hours can be accrued toward an upper-tier credential. [This candidate tier is established by SB24-115; the exact DORA registration mechanics were not confirmed against a primary board form.]
  1. EducationEducational standing appropriate to the credential the candidate is working toward (high-school diploma/GED for CAT-track; bachelor’s for CAS-track; master’s for LAC-track), per C.R.S. Title 12, Art. 245, Part 8 and Board rules.
  2. Supervision / experienceNo prior hours required to register; the candidate registration is the vehicle for accruing supervised addiction-counseling hours under a qualified supervisor (LAC, CAS, or other qualified clinician).
  3. ExamPass the open-book Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination before the registration is approved.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services, pay the fee, and complete the jurisprudence exam. [Specific DORA form code not primary-source-confirmed.]
CAT

Certified Addiction Technician

Required exam: National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level I (NCAC I) examination (NAADAC), administered in Colorado through the Colorado Association of Addiction Professionals (CAAP), PLUS the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination.

Scope: Entry-tier state addiction credential issued by DORA. A CAT works under supervision in addiction-treatment settings — facilitating groups, helping implement treatment plans, documenting progress, and providing direct client support — but may not conduct independent clinical assessments, develop treatment plans independently, or provide unsupervised counseling.
  1. EducationA high-school diploma or GED is the educational baseline, combined with required addiction-specific training/coursework per Board rule (4 CCR 743-1).
  2. Supervision / experience1,000 hours of supervised work experience in an addiction-treatment setting, earned over at least six months, under the direct supervision of an LAC, CAS, or other qualified clinician.
  3. ExamPass the NAADAC NCAC I examination (scheduled through CAAP) and the open-book Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services, submit supervised-experience verification signed by the supervisor, the national-exam score, the jurisprudence result, and complete a fingerprint-based background check.
CAS

Certified Addiction Specialist

Required exam: National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II (NCAC II) examination (NAADAC), administered through CAAP, PLUS the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination.

Scope: Mid-tier state addiction credential (DORA). A CAS conducts biopsychosocial assessments, develops and implements treatment plans, and provides individual and group counseling — still under supervision, and without authority to independently diagnose substance-use disorders or to practice in independent private practice.
  1. EducationA bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (psychology, social work, counseling, or a related behavioral-health field is preferred; transcripts are reviewed for required competencies), per Board rule.
  2. Supervision / experienceApproximately 2,000 hours of supervised addiction-counseling experience over a minimum of 12 months, of which at least 1,000 hours must be direct client contact, supervised by an LAC or comparably credentialed professional. [Hour figures from a secondary source; not confirmed against the primary 4 CCR 743-1 rule text.]
  3. ExamPass the NAADAC NCAC II examination (through CAAP) and the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination if not already passed.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services with transcripts (CCE education-equivalency review where applicable), supervised-experience verification, the national-exam score, the jurisprudence result, and a background check.
LAC

Licensed Addiction Counselor

Required exam: Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) examination (NAADAC) — or another board-approved master’s-level national exam — administered through CAAP, PLUS the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination.

Scope: Colorado’s top, full-license addiction-counseling credential (DORA). The LAC holds full clinical privileges — independent diagnosis of substance-use disorders, independent (unsupervised) clinical treatment, private practice, and supervision of CATs and CASs. It functions as a full independent behavioral-health clinician license for addiction counseling.
  1. EducationA master’s degree in counseling, addiction counseling, social work, psychology, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution, with graduate coursework covering advanced clinical theory, diagnosis, treatment planning, ethics, and supervised practicum, per C.R.S. Title 12, Art. 245, Part 8 and 4 CCR 743-1.
  2. Supervision / experience2,000 hours of post-master’s supervised addiction-counseling experience over at least 12 months, including at least 1,000 hours of direct client contact, supervised by an LAC or equivalent independent clinical license. [Hour figures from a secondary source; not confirmed against the primary rule text.]
  3. ExamPass the NAADAC MAC examination (through CAAP) and the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination if not already passed.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services with official transcripts (CCE education-equivalency review where applicable), supervised-experience verification, the national-exam score, the jurisprudence result, and a fingerprint-based background check.

Official Addiction & Substance Use Counseling resources

Social Work

Prep for the ASWB exam →
SWC

Clinical Social Worker Candidate

Required exam: Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination (open-book, online), required at registration under SB24-115. No national exam is required for the SWC registration itself.

Scope: Colorado’s clinical social work candidate registration. An MSW graduate must register as an SWC (or hold another qualifying registration such as LSW or Unlicensed Psychotherapist) BEFORE accruing the post-degree supervised clinical hours required for the LCSW — hours logged without proper SWC registration may not count.
  1. EducationA master’s (MSW) or doctoral degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceNo prior hours required to register; the SWC registration is the vehicle for accruing post-degree supervised clinical hours under a board-approved supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the open-book Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination before the SWC registration is approved.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services, submit the CSWE-accredited transcript, and complete the jurisprudence exam.
LSW

Licensed Social Worker

Required exam: Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination only. Senate Bill 24-115 (2024) ELIMINATED the previously required ASWB Masters examination for the LSW; the jurisprudence exam is now the primary exam at this tier.

Scope: Colorado’s master’s-level (non-independent) social work license. The LSW authorizes the practice of social work but not independent clinical practice (that requires the LCSW). It is commonly held while accruing hours toward the LCSW.
  1. EducationA master’s or doctoral degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceNo post-degree supervised-experience requirement is imposed for the LSW itself; the supervised-hours requirement attaches to the LCSW. (The LSW may be used as the qualifying registration while accruing LCSW hours.)
  3. ExamPass the open-book Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination. (No ASWB Masters exam is required as of SB24-115.)
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services with the CSWE-accredited transcript and the jurisprudence-exam result.
LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Clinical Examination, PLUS the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination.

Scope: Colorado’s top clinical social work license, authorizing the independent practice of clinical social work — including diagnosis, assessment, and psychotherapeutic treatment of mental and emotional disorders — under the Mental Health Practice Act.
  1. EducationA master’s or doctoral degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program, with the clinical concentration/coursework required by Board rule (3 CCR 721-1 series).
  2. Supervision / experience3,360 hours of post-degree supervised clinical social work experience over a minimum of 24 months, of which at least 1,680 hours must be direct client contact for treatment, diagnosis, assessment, or counseling; plus 96 hours of clinical supervision during that period, of which at least 48 hours must be face-to-face individual supervision (the remaining 48 may be group), accrued while registered as an SWC/LSW under a board-approved supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Clinical Examination (ASWB sends the score directly to the Board) and the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination if not already passed.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services with official transcripts, supervised-experience verification, the ASWB Clinical score, and the jurisprudence result. Colorado is a Social Work Licensure Compact member, so eligible out-of-state clinical social workers may instead pursue a compact multistate license.

Official Social Work resources

Marriage & Family Therapy

Prep for the National MFT Exam →
MFTC

Marriage and Family Therapist Candidate

Required exam: Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination (open-book, online; $18 fee, 60-day testing window), required at registration under SB24-115. The AMFTRB national exam is taken on the path to the full LMFT.

Scope: Colorado’s MFT candidate registration. Post-degree supervised practice hours count toward the LMFT only if accrued while registered as an MFTC (or another qualifying registration). MFTC registrations expire on a 3-year cycle.
  1. EducationA master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or an equivalent program, including a supervised practicum/internship, meeting C.R.S. Title 12, Art. 245, Part 5 and Board rules (CCE performs equivalency review for non-COAMFTE programs).
  2. Supervision / experienceNo prior post-degree hours required to register; the MFTC registration is the vehicle for accruing supervised MFT practice under a board-approved supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the open-book Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination before the MFTC registration is approved.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services, submit transcripts, and complete the jurisprudence exam.
LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Required exam: AMFTRB National Marriage and Family Therapy Examination, PLUS the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination (if not already passed at the candidate stage).

Scope: Colorado’s full, independent marriage-and-family-therapy license, authorizing the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders within a relational/family-systems framework under the Mental Health Practice Act.
  1. EducationA master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy (or equivalent, including practicum/internship), meeting Part 5 and Board curriculum standards.
  2. Supervision / experience2,000 hours of post-degree supervised practice over a minimum of 24 months, including at least 1,500 hours of direct client contact (of which at least 1,000 hours must be with couples and/or families); plus 100 hours of supervision (about 50 hours per 1,000 practice hours), with at least 50 hours of individual supervision and up to 50 hours of group supervision (no more than 10 supervisees per group), all accrued while registered as an MFTC.
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB National MFT Examination (scores valid up to 5 years) and the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination if not already passed.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services with transcripts, supervised-experience verification, the AMFTRB score, and the jurisprudence result.

Official Marriage & Family Therapy resources

Psychology

Prep for the EPPP →
PSYC

Licensed Psychologist Candidate

Required exam: Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination (open-book, online; $18 fee), required at registration under SB24-115. The EPPP is taken on the path to the full LP.

Scope: Colorado’s psychologist candidate registration. Post-doctoral supervised hours count toward licensure only if earned while registered as a PSYC. It is the supervised-practice vehicle on the path to the full Licensed Psychologist credential.
  1. EducationA doctoral degree (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.) in psychology from an APA-accredited or equivalent program — at least three academic years of full-time graduate study, including the required practicum/internship — per C.R.S. Title 12, Art. 245, Part 3 and Board rules (3 CCR 721-1).
  2. Supervision / experienceNo prior post-doctoral hours required to register; the PSYC registration is the vehicle for accruing post-doctoral supervised experience under a licensed psychologist.
  3. ExamPass the open-book Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination before the PSYC registration is approved.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services, submit official doctoral transcripts, and complete the jurisprudence exam.
LP

Licensed Psychologist

Required exam: EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) administered by ASPPB — passing scaled score 500 — PLUS the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination.

Scope: Colorado’s doctoral-level, full independent-practice psychology license, issued by the State Board of Psychologist Examiners, authorizing the complete scope of psychological services including assessment, diagnosis, and psychotherapy under the Mental Health Practice Act.
  1. EducationA doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-accredited or equivalent program (at least three academic years of full-time graduate study, including a practicum of at least 400 hours and the required internship), per Part 3 and Board rules.
  2. Supervision / experience1,500 hours of supervised post-doctoral experience completed over at least 12 months, accrued while registered as a PSYC under a licensed psychologist. (Colorado also recognizes qualifying pre-doctoral/internship supervised training within the doctoral program.)
  3. ExamPass the EPPP (ASPPB sends the score directly to the Board; scaled score of 500 required) and the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination if not already passed.
  4. ApplicationApply through DORA Online Services with official doctoral transcripts, supervised-experience documentation, the EPPP score, and the jurisprudence result.

Official Psychology resources

All licenses

Colorado licensing portals & background checks.

How to use this page. Each card shows the education, supervised experience, exam, and application steps for one Colorado license, plus its scope of practice. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the official board before you apply. Verified against the official state boards in June 2026.

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