Resources · Path to Licensure

Step-by-step licensure pathways in Maine.

Maine licenses behavioral-health professions through the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR). Two features are distinctive: one board — the Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure — regulates both professional counselors and marriage & family therapists (and pastoral counselors), and Maine statute declares LCPC, LMFT, and Licensed Pastoral Counselor to be of equivalent clinical status with diagnose-and-treat authority; and Maine still licenses master’s-level “Psychological Examiners” alongside doctoral psychologists, though Examiners are supervised-only and may not provide psychotherapy. Nearly every clinical ladder runs through a formal conditional license during the supervised-experience phase. Maine does NOT license behavior analysts at the state level (national BACB certification only), so that profession is omitted here.

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

Professional Counseling

Prep for the NCMHCE / NCE →
LPC-C

Conditional Licensed Professional Counselor

Required exam: National Counselor Examination (NCE).

Scope: Pre-licensure credential allowing counseling practice only under board-approved supervision while accruing post-master’s experience toward the LPC (non-clinical track).
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree in counseling or an allied mental-health field from an accredited / board-approved program meeting the board’s core curriculum.
  2. Supervision / experienceHold the conditional license while completing two years of post-degree experience including a minimum of 2,000 supervised hours toward the LPC.
  3. ExamPass the NCE.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure with transcripts, supervision plan, fee, and background check.
LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Required exam: National Counselor Examination (NCE).

Scope: Independent counseling practice; non-clinical (does not carry the statutory diagnose-and-treat clinical status reserved to the LCPC).
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree in counseling or an allied mental-health field with the board-approved curriculum (32 M.R.S. §13858).
  2. Supervision / experienceTwo years of post-degree experience with a minimum of 2,000 supervised hours.
  3. ExamPass the NCE.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the application and fee; demonstrate ethics adherence and competence to the Board.
LCPC-C

Conditional Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor

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

Scope: Clinical-track conditional license; practice only under board-approved supervision while accruing the 3,000 hours toward the LCPC.
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree in counseling / allied field with the board-approved core curriculum, plus 12 hours of coursework in family/intimate-partner violence (since 1/1/2020).
  2. Supervision / experienceHold the conditional license while completing two years of post-degree experience including at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience with at least 100 hours of clinical supervision.
  3. ExamPass the NCMHCE.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board with the supervision plan and fee.
LCPC

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor

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

Scope: Independent clinical practice with statutory clinical status — authority to diagnose and treat mental-health disorders (equivalent to the LMFT).
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral counseling / allied mental-health degree with the board-approved curriculum plus the 12-hour IPV coursework (32 M.R.S. §13858(2)).
  2. Supervision / experienceTwo years of post-degree experience with at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience and at least 100 hours of personal supervision, completed under the LCPC-C.
  3. ExamPass the NCMHCE.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the application and fee to the Board.

Official Professional Counseling resources

Addiction & Substance Use Counseling

Prep for the MAC / NCAC exam →
ADCA

Alcohol and Drug Counseling Aide (state license)

Required exam: None required.

Scope: Entry credential; provides alcohol/drug counseling functions as an aide while employed at an agency under a certified clinical supervisor; used to accrue hours toward the CADC.
  1. EducationHigh-school diploma or equivalent.
  2. Supervision / experienceBe employed at an agency and name a Certified Clinical Supervisor; aide hours count toward the CADC (up to 4,000 hours).
  3. ExamNo exam.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board of Alcohol & Drug Counselors (age 18+), pay fee, and complete a background check (32 M.R.S. §6213-B).
CADC

Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (state certification)

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

Scope: Provides alcohol and drug counseling under clinical supervision (not independent/private practice); the stepping-stone to the LADC. Issued as a certification under 32 M.R.S. §6214-C.
  1. EducationEither high-school diploma plus 4,000 hours of clinically supervised work as an ADCA, or board-defined coursework / an associate degree (or higher) in behavioral sciences / addiction counseling.
  2. Supervision / experience4,000 supervised hours on the aide path; the degree path substitutes education for the aide-hour requirement.
  3. ExamPass the IC&RC ADC examination.
  4. ApplicationApply for certification with the Board (age 18+) and pay fee.
LADC

Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (state license)

Required exam: IC&RC ADC examination plus the IC&RC Advanced ADC (AADC) examination.

Scope: Provides individual or group alcohol & drug counseling independently within an agency or in private practice.
  1. EducationOne of several paths (32 M.R.S. §6214-D): a CADC plus 2,000 supervised hours; or an associate/bachelor’s in the field plus coursework and supervised hours; or a master’s in the field plus coursework and supervised hours.
  2. Supervision / experienceBetween 1,500 and 4,000 supervised hours depending on degree and addiction-coursework credits, under a Certified Clinical Supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the IC&RC ADC and Advanced ADC (AADC) examinations.
  4. ApplicationApply for licensure with the Board (age 18+) and pay fee.

Official Addiction & Substance Use Counseling resources

Social Work

Prep for the ASWB exam →
CLSW

Conditional Licensed Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Bachelors examination (to convert to LSW).

Scope: Allows generalist social-work practice under a consultation agreement for applicants with a related (non-SW) bachelor’s degree while accruing hours toward the LSW.
  1. EducationBachelor’s degree or higher in a field sufficiently related to social work (board-determined).
  2. Supervision / experience96 hours of consultation concurrent with the first 3,200 hours of employment, plus required contact hours in the first two years.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Bachelors examination.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board of Social Worker Licensure with the consultation agreement, fee, and background check.
LSW

Licensed Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Bachelors examination.

Scope: Entry-level generalist (non-clinical) social-work practice.
  1. EducationBachelor’s degree or higher in social work from a CSWE-accredited program (or completion of the CLSW pathway).
  2. Supervision / experienceNone required when entering directly with a BSW; the conditional path requires 96 hours of consultation over the first 3,200 employment hours.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Bachelors examination.
  4. ApplicationApply with transcript, fee, and background check.
LMSW

Licensed Master Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Masters examination.

Scope: Independent non-clinical master’s-level practice (consultation, research, administration, macro practice). Clinical practice requires the conditional clinical license.
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceNone for the non-clinical LMSW itself.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Masters examination.
  4. ApplicationApply with transcript, fee, and background check.
LMSW-CC

Licensed Master Social Worker, Conditional Clinical

Required exam: ASWB Masters examination (the ASWB Clinical exam is taken later for the LCSW).

Scope: Clinical social-work practice in an agency/clinical setting under a consultation agreement; the stepping-stone toward the LCSW. May not engage in private practice.
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree in social work (CSWE-accredited); submit a Clinical Concentration Worksheet.
  2. Supervision / experienceFour hours per month of clinical consultation by an LCSW — about 96 hours over 3,200 clinical employment hours (clinical-concentration MSW), or 192 hours over 6,400 hours (non-clinical-concentration MSW).
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Masters examination.
  4. ApplicationApply with transcript, Clinical Concentration Worksheet, and Consultation Agreement plus fee.
LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Clinical examination.

Scope: Highest tier; independent clinical practice including diagnosis and psychotherapy / private practice.
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited program plus 12 hours of family/IPV coursework (since 1/1/2020).
  2. Supervision / experienceTwo years (about 3,200 hours) of post-MSW experience with 96 hours of consultation in a clinical setting (clinical-concentration MSW), or four years (about 6,400 hours) with 192 hours of consultation (non-clinical concentration), completed under the LMSW-CC (32 M.R.S. §7053).
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Clinical examination.
  4. ApplicationApply with transcript, documented consultation/experience, fee, and background check.

Official Social Work resources

Marriage & Family Therapy

Prep for the National MFT Exam →
LMFT-C

Conditional Marriage and Family Therapist

Required exam: AMFTRB Examination in Marital and Family Therapy.

Scope: Clinical, graduate-level conditional license; may practice only under the supervision of a board-approved Maine licensee while accruing experience toward the LMFT.
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree (at least 60 graduate credit hours) — a CACREP-accredited master’s (or one satisfying the nine areas of study) or a COAMFTE-accredited doctoral MFT program — including a one-year graduate clinical practicum of at least 600 clock hours.
  2. Supervision / experienceHold the conditional license (at least two years) while completing the post-degree supervised experience required for the LMFT; supervisor changes require a new board-approved plan.
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB examination.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure with the supervision plan and fee.
LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Required exam: AMFTRB Examination in Marital and Family Therapy.

Scope: Independent clinical practice with statutory clinical status — diagnose and treat mental-health disorders (equivalent to the LCPC).
  1. EducationMaster’s or doctoral degree in MFT or its equivalent from an accredited / board-approved program, including a one-year clinical practicum (32 M.R.S. §13858(3)).
  2. Supervision / experienceTwo years of post-degree experience including at least 1,000 hours of direct clinical contact with couples and families and 200 hours of supervision (at least 100 individual), accrued under the conditional license.
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the application and fee; demonstrate ethics adherence to the Board.

Official Marriage & Family Therapy resources

Psychology

Prep for the EPPP →
Psychological Examiner

Psychological Examiner (Master’s level)

Required exam: EPPP (passing score 65%) plus the Maine Jurisprudence Examination.

Scope: Master’s-level psychological practice only under the supervision of a licensed psychologist; not eligible for independent practice and may not provide psychotherapy.
  1. EducationMaster’s degree reflecting comprehensive training in psychology from a board-recognized accredited institution.
  2. Supervision / experienceAt least one year of full-time supervised qualifying experience in psychology (about 1,500 hours).
  3. ExamPass the EPPP (65%) and the Maine Jurisprudence Examination.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board of Examiners of Psychologists with transcript, supervised-experience documentation, and fee.
Conditional Psychologist

Conditional / Temporary Psychologist (Doctoral, pre-license)

Required exam: EPPP plus the Maine Jurisprudence Examination (completed during/at the end of this period).

Scope: Doctoral-level credential allowing supervised practice while completing the post-doctoral experience and/or exam requirements toward full licensure.
  1. EducationDoctoral degree in psychology from a board-recognized accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceUsed to accrue the two years of qualifying supervised experience required for full licensure.
  3. ExamPass the EPPP (65%) and the Maine Jurisprudence Examination.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board for conditional/temporary status with doctoral transcript, supervision plan, and fee.
Psychologist

Psychologist (Doctoral, full license)

Required exam: EPPP (passing score 65%) plus the Maine Jurisprudence Examination.

Scope: Full independent practice of psychology including assessment, diagnosis, and psychotherapy.
  1. EducationDoctoral degree reflecting comprehensive training in psychology from a board-recognized accredited institution, plus three hours of family/IPV coursework (since 1/1/2020).
  2. Supervision / experienceAt least two years of qualifying supervised experience in psychology (typically including pre- and post-doctoral hours).
  3. ExamPass the EPPP (65%) and the Maine Jurisprudence Examination.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board of Examiners of Psychologists with doctoral transcript, experience documentation, and fee.

Official Psychology resources

All licenses

Maine licensing portals & background checks.

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