Resources · Path to Licensure

Step-by-step licensure pathways in Idaho.

Idaho consolidates nearly all behavioral-health licensing under the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Counseling and marriage & family therapy share a single combined board, and Idaho requires the NCE for the entry counselor license (LPC) and the separate NCMHCE for the clinical tier (LCPC) — not a choice between them. Two professions are NOT state-licensed in Idaho: addiction counseling is a private IC&RC certification through IBADCC (shown below and clearly labeled), and behavior analysis has no Idaho credential at all (national BACB certification only), so that profession is omitted here. Psychology is doctoral-only and adds an Idaho Jurisprudence Examination on top of the EPPP.

Want the one-line summary instead? See the Idaho licensure overview →
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Professional CounselingAddiction & Substance Use CounselingSocial WorkMarriage & Family TherapyPsychology

Professional Counseling

Prep for the NCMHCE / NCE →
LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Required exam: National Counselor Examination (NCE), NBCC.

Scope: Generalist professional counseling — assessment, counseling, and treatment of mental and emotional conditions; the entry counselor license, which may require supervision for clinical work.
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree in counseling (minimum 60 semester / 90 quarter credits), including an advanced practicum with at least 280 hours of direct client contact, covering the eight CACREP core areas. CACREP accreditation is preferred; non-CACREP degrees get a coursework review.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete the board’s post-degree supervised experience (approximately 1,000 hours including at least 400 hours of direct client contact) under an approved Idaho-licensed mental-health professional.
  3. ExamPass the NCE; scores sent from NBCC directly to the Board.
  4. ApplicationApply through the eDOPL portal with the fee, official transcripts, passing NCE score, and supervised-experience verification.
LCPC

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor

Required exam: National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), NBCC.

Scope: Independent clinical mental-health practice including diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders without supervision; may supervise LPCs.
  1. EducationSame qualifying master’s or doctoral counseling degree as the LPC (60+ semester credits, CACREP core areas).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete the additional post-LPC supervised clinical experience required by the Board (approximately 2,000 hours, a portion supervised by an LCPC).
  3. ExamPass the NCMHCE.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the eDOPL clinical-upgrade application with fee, transcripts, passing NCMHCE score, and supervised-experience verification.

Official Professional Counseling resources

Addiction & Substance Use Counseling

Prep for the MAC / NCAC exam →
SUDA

Substance Use Disorders Associate (IBADCC certification — not a state license)

Required exam: IC&RC associate-level (SUDA) examination.

Scope: Entry-level substance-use disorder counseling performed under an IBADCC-approved clinical supervisor. This is a voluntary IC&RC certification through IBADCC, not an Idaho state license.
  1. EducationMeet IBADCC entry education with the required SUD-specific education hours.
  2. Supervision / experienceAccrue supervised work toward associate practice under an IBADCC-approved clinical supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the IC&RC associate examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through IBADCC (Certemy) with references and a criminal-background check.
ADC

Alcohol/Drug Counselor (IBADCC certification — not a state license)

Required exam: IC&RC Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC) examination.

Scope: Bachelor’s-level SUD counseling — clinical evaluation, treatment planning, case management, individual/family/group counseling, and documentation — performed with clinical supervision from an IBADCC-approved supervisor.
  1. EducationComplete the SUD-specific education hours required by the IBADCC/IC&RC ADC standard.
  2. Supervision / experienceDocument the supervised work experience across the IC&RC twelve core functions under an approved clinical supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the IC&RC ADC examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through IBADCC (Certemy) with references and criminal-background check; recertify per IBADCC cycle.
AADC

Advanced Alcohol/Drug Counselor (IBADCC certification — not a state license)

Required exam: IC&RC Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC) examination.

Scope: Master’s-level advanced SUD clinical counseling with higher independence than the ADC; an IC&RC certification through IBADCC, not a state license.
  1. EducationHold the master’s-level education with required SUD content per the AADC standard.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete the advanced supervised clinical SUD experience required for the AADC standard.
  3. ExamPass the IC&RC AADC examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through IBADCC (Certemy) with documentation and background check.

Official Addiction & Substance Use Counseling resources

Social Work

Prep for the ASWB exam →
LBSW

Licensed Bachelor Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Bachelors examination.

Scope: Generalist bachelor’s-level social work — case management, supportive counseling, assessment, intervention, and program administration. Not independent clinical practice.
  1. EducationEarn a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceNo post-degree supervised experience required for the entry LBSW.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Bachelors examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through eDOPL with transcripts, fee, and criminal-background check.
LMSW

Licensed Master Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Masters examination.

Scope: Advanced master’s-level practice across all LBSW activities; clinical social work permitted under supervision.
  1. EducationEarn an MSW (or DSW) from a CSWE-accredited program (may apply in the final semester).
  2. Supervision / experienceNo post-MSW experience required for the LMSW tier itself.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Masters examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through eDOPL with transcripts, fee, and background check.
LMSW-Independent

Licensed Master Social Worker (Independent practice)

Required exam: ASWB Masters examination (held from the LMSW).

Scope: Authorizes independent (non-clinical / macro) master’s-level practice without supervision.
  1. EducationMSW from a CSWE-accredited program, with the LMSW already held.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete 3,000 hours of supervised post-licensure experience.
  3. ExamNo additional national exam beyond the ASWB Masters already held (confirm with the Board).
  4. ApplicationApply through eDOPL for the independent-practice upgrade with supervised-experience verification.
LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Clinical examination.

Scope: Independent clinical social work — diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral conditions without supervision; the top clinical tier.
  1. EducationMSW or DSW from a CSWE-accredited program; hold an active LMSW to begin clinical supervision.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete 3,000 hours of supervised post-degree clinical experience over no fewer than 2 and no more than 5 years, including at least 100 hours of face-to-face supervision (at least half individual), with at least half provided by an LCSW.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Clinical examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through eDOPL with transcripts, supervised-clinical-experience verification, fee, and background check.

Official Social Work resources

Marriage & Family Therapy

Prep for the National MFT Exam →
AMFT

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

Required exam: AMFTRB national MFT examination.

Scope: Practice of marriage and family therapy under qualified supervision while accruing the supervised hours required for full licensure.
  1. EducationMaster’s or higher in marriage and family therapy (or a related field with board-approved equivalent coursework), including a supervised practicum with direct client contact.
  2. Supervision / experienceRegister as an associate to begin supervised practice; supervision is provided by a licensed MFT (and a supervisor with at least two years of MFT practice) toward the path to full LMFT.
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB examination (submit Intent to Sit before the AMFTRB deadline).
  4. ApplicationApply through eDOPL with transcripts and fee.
LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Required exam: AMFTRB national MFT examination.

Scope: Independent practice of marriage and family therapy — diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders within relational and family systems.
  1. EducationBoard-approved master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience including 2,000 hours of direct client contact (at least 1,000 with couples or families), with the board’s required supervision hours from a licensed MFT and an experienced supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through eDOPL with transcripts, passing AMFTRB score, and verification of supervised experience from all supervisors.

Official Marriage & Family Therapy resources

Psychology

Prep for the EPPP →
Service Extender

Psychology Service Extender (supervised role — not an independent license)

Required exam: None required of the service extender directly (governed by the supervising psychologist’s agreement).

Scope: A person holding a doctoral degree in psychology or a master’s degree in a mental-health field who provides psychological services only as defined in a written supervision agreement under a licensed psychologist. This is a supervised role, not independent practice.
  1. EducationDoctoral psychology degree or a master’s in a mental-health field.
  2. Supervision / experiencePractice only under a written supervision agreement with a licensed psychologist (retained at least three years).
  3. ExamNot applicable.
  4. ApplicationThe supervising psychologist registers the service extender with the Board.
Licensed Psychologist

Licensed Psychologist (Doctoral)

Required exam: EPPP (minimum scaled score 500) plus the Idaho Jurisprudence Examination.

Scope: Independent practice of psychology — psychological assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders; may supervise service extenders.
  1. EducationDoctoral degree in psychology from an approved/accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceTwo years of supervised professional experience; one year may be pre-doctoral, but the second year must be post-doctoral under appropriate supervision and verified by the supervisor (Idaho Code §54-2307).
  3. ExamPass the EPPP (at least 500) and the Idaho Jurisprudence Examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through eDOPL with doctoral transcripts, EPPP and jurisprudence results, supervised-experience verification, and fee.

Official Psychology resources

All licenses

Idaho licensing portals & background checks.

How to use this page. Each card shows the education, supervised experience, exam, and application steps for one Idaho 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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