Resources · Path to Licensure

Step-by-step licensure pathways in Minnesota.

Minnesota spreads its behavioral-health licensure across four boards, each with its own statute (counseling and addictions under Minn. Stat. ch. 148B and 148F; social work under ch. 148E; psychology and behavior analysis under ch. 148). Several features stand out. Counseling is a two-step ladder — the LPC (NCE or NCMHCE) is a general license, while the independent-practice, diagnose-and-treat LPCC requires 4,000 supervised hours and the NCMHCE. The social-work ladder is unusually deep, with four standard licenses keyed to four different ASWB exam levels (Bachelors, Masters, Advanced Generalist, Clinical), and Minnesota requires its supervised practice AFTER initial licensure rather than before. Minnesota runs two genuine state exams: the Board of Psychology’s open-book Professional Responsibility Exam (PRE) for psychologists, and the Board of MFT’s written State Licensure Examination, taken in person at the St. Paul board office, for LMFTs. Minnesota became the 38th state to license behavior analysts when the LBA took effect January 1, 2025 under the Board of Psychology.

Want the one-line summary instead? See the Minnesota licensure overview →
Open the profession + state finder →

Jump to a profession

Professional CounselingAddiction & Substance Use CounselingSocial WorkMarriage & Family TherapyPsychologyBehavior Analysis

Professional Counseling

Prep for the NCMHCE / NCE →
LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Required exam: National Counselor Examination (NCE) or National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), both administered by NBCC (or a Board-approved equivalent of the NCE). The passing score report must be sent directly to BBHT.

Scope: Minnesota’s master’s-level professional counseling license under Minn. Stat. § 148B.53. The LPC authorizes the practice of professional counseling; it does NOT by itself authorize the independent diagnosis and clinical treatment of mental illness — that scope belongs to the LPCC. A new LPC is issued in “LPC-Supervised” status if the 2,000 supervised hours are not yet complete, then converts to “LPC-Independent” once they are.
  1. EducationA master’s or doctoral degree in counseling or a related field from a CACREP-accredited program or a CHEA-accredited institution. The degree must include at least 48 semester (72 quarter) credits, at least 700 hours of supervised graduate field experience (practicum/internship), and specific coursework across ten core academic content areas (helping relationship/theory, human development, career development, group work, assessment, social/cultural foundations, psychopathology/treatment planning, family counseling, research/evaluation, and professional orientation/ethics).
  2. Supervision / experience2,000 hours of supervised, post-degree professional practice. Supervision must occur at a rate of 2 hours per 40 hours of practice (100 supervision hours total), at least 50% of which must be individual 1:1 supervision, under a Board-approved LPC/LPCC supervisor per Minn. Rules 2150.5010. These hours may be completed before licensure or after (under a Board-accepted supervision plan, with the license issued in LPC-Supervised status until they are done).
  3. ExamPass the NCE or NCMHCE (or a Board-approved NCE equivalent); arrange for the official passing score to be sent directly to the BBHT office.
  4. ApplicationApply online through the BBHT Online Services portal (bht.hlb.state.mn.us) or by mailed paper application with a check, paying the $150 application + $250 initial license fee ($400; $432 with the $32 criminal background check). Have your school send an official transcript directly to BBHT, arrange the exam score and any 700-hour field-experience verification, and complete the fingerprint-based Minnesota Criminal Background Check.
LPCC

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

Required exam: National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), administered by NBCC. The NCMHCE is specifically required for the LPCC (the NCE alone is not sufficient).

Scope: Minnesota’s master’s-level INDEPENDENT clinical counseling license under Minn. Stat. §§ 148B.5301 and 148B.56. The LPCC is the top counseling tier and authorizes independent diagnosis and clinical treatment of mental and emotional disorders. An LPC who completes the additional clinical requirements may convert to LPCC.
  1. EducationA master’s or doctoral degree in counseling or a related field from a CACREP- or CHEA-accredited program. The degree must include at least 48 semester (72 quarter) credits, at least 700 hours of supervised field experience, the same ten core content areas as the LPC, AND at least 24 semester credits in clinical coursework areas (including diagnostic assessment, evidence-based clinical intervention, clinical treatment planning, evaluation of interventions, clinical ethics, and cultural diversity).
  2. Supervision / experience4,000 hours of supervised, post-master’s clinical practice. Supervision must occur at 2 hours per 40 hours of practice (200 supervision hours total), at least 100 of which (50%) must be individual 1:1, and the practice must include 1,800 direct client-contact hours. (Conversion path: an LPC-Independent who already documented 2,000 hours/100 supervision needs only an additional 2,000 hours/100 supervision/900 direct-contact, totaling the 4,000/200/1,800.)
  3. ExamPass the NCMHCE; the official passing score report must be sent directly to the BBHT office by NBCC.
  4. ApplicationApply online through BBHT Online Services or by mailed paper application (General Method or Conversion Method), paying the $400 LPCC application fee ($432 with the $32 background check). The supervisor submits a Verification of Completed Supervised Professional Clinical Practice form directly to BBHT; the school sends the official transcript; and the applicant completes the Minnesota Criminal Background Check.

Official Professional Counseling resources

Addiction & Substance Use Counseling

Prep for the MAC / NCAC exam →
ADC-T

Alcohol and Drug Counselor — Temporary Permit

Required exam: No exam is required to obtain the temporary permit; the LADC written exam (IC&RC ADC/AADC or NAADAC NCAC II) is taken on the path to the full LADC.

Scope: A temporary permit issued by BBHT that authorizes supervised practice as an alcohol and drug counselor while the holder completes requirements for full LADC licensure. It is the pre-license vehicle for working in a SUD treatment setting under supervision; it is time-limited and not a permanent credential.
  1. EducationApplicants generally must be progressing toward the LADC educational requirements — a bachelor’s degree and the 18 semester credits (270 clock hours) of alcohol-and-drug-counseling coursework plus the 880-hour practicum — with the temporary permit bridging the gap until full licensure. [Exact ADC-T eligibility thresholds are set by BBHT and were not re-verified line-by-line here; confirm on the BBHT Apply for a Temporary Permit page.]
  2. Supervision / experiencePractice under the temporary permit must be supervised by a Board-approved LADC supervisor; the permit is the mechanism for accruing supervised alcohol-and-drug-counseling experience in an approved setting.
  3. ExamNone required to obtain the temporary permit.
  4. ApplicationApply through the BBHT Online Services portal for the temporary permit and complete the Minnesota Criminal Background Check; the permit is renewable for a limited term while the applicant completes the LADC requirements.
LADC

Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor

Required exam: A written comprehensive examination accepted by BBHT — the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam, the IC&RC Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) exam, or the NAADAC NCAC II exam. The IC&RC exams are administered in Minnesota through the Minnesota Certification Board (MCB).

Scope: Minnesota’s full STATE license to practice alcohol and drug (substance-use-disorder) counseling, issued by BBHT under Minn. Stat. ch. 148F. The LADC is a true state license (not merely a private certification), authorizing practice across the twelve statutory core functions of alcohol and drug counseling.
  1. EducationA bachelor’s degree, PLUS 18 semester credits (270 clock hours) of specific alcohol-and-drug-counseling coursework covering the transdisciplinary foundations of the field, pharmacology of substance-use disorders/addiction (including medication-assisted therapy), professional and ethical responsibilities, multicultural aspects of chemical dependency, co-occurring disorders, and the twelve statutory core functions; PLUS an 880-hour alcohol-and-drug-counseling practicum. All education must be from an accredited school.
  2. Supervision / experienceUnder the Standard Method (Method D), no separate post-degree supervised hours are required beyond the 880-hour practicum — the applicant passes a written comprehensive exam (or written + oral exam). Under the rarely-used Supervision Alternative (Method I), an applicant who passes only a non-comprehensive written exam must additionally complete 2,000 hours of Board-approved supervised professional practice in lieu of the oral exam, under a Board-approved LADC supervisor.
  3. ExamPass a Board-accepted written comprehensive exam — the IC&RC ADC, IC&RC AADC, or NAADAC NCAC II. The exam entity (MCB for IC&RC) sends results to BBHT; out-of-state exam results must be requested to the Board office.
  4. ApplicationApply through the BBHT Online Services portal or by mailed paper application, paying the $295 LADC application fee ($327 with the $32 criminal background check). Submit an official transcript verifying the degree, coursework, and practicum directly from the school, and complete the Minnesota Criminal Background Check.

Official Addiction & Substance Use Counseling resources

Social Work

Prep for the ASWB exam →
LSW

Licensed Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Bachelors examination (the bachelor’s-level national exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards). A provisional-license pathway exists that does not require the exam.

Scope: Minnesota’s entry-tier, bachelor’s-level social work license under Minn. Stat. § 148E.055, issued by the Board of Social Work. It authorizes general (non-clinical) social work practice. Distinctively, Minnesota requires the supervised-practice hours AFTER the LSW is issued (during the first 4,000 hours of practice), not as a precondition to the license.
  1. EducationA baccalaureate (bachelor’s) degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work (or a Board-designated equivalent).
  2. Supervision / experienceNo supervised practice is required BEFORE the LSW is granted. After licensure, the LSW must complete at least 100 hours of supervision during the first 4,000 hours of post-baccalaureate practice (at least 4 hours of supervision per every 160 hours of practice).
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Bachelors examination. The Board grants exam approval after reviewing the application; ASWB forwards the official score to the Board roughly two weeks after the exam.
  4. ApplicationApply online (or by mailed paper Application for Licensure) through the Board of Social Work Online Services, paying the $75 application fee + $32 CBC ($107 total). Have the school send an official transcript directly to the Board and complete the fingerprint-based criminal background check; pay the prorated initial license fee once approved.
LGSW

Licensed Graduate Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Masters examination (the master’s-level national exam).

Scope: Master’s-level social work license under Minn. Stat. § 148E.055. The LGSW is the standard graduate-level license and the typical entry point for MSW graduates; supervised practice toward clinical (LICSW) or independent (LISW) status is generally accrued while holding the LGSW.
  1. EducationA master’s degree in social work from a CSWE- or Canadian-accredited program (or a doctorate in social work from an accredited university).
  2. Supervision / experienceNo supervised practice is required before the LGSW is granted (the license is issued on degree plus exam). Post-license supervision attaches to the higher tiers (LISW/LICSW). The Board recommends current MSW students apply about six months before graduation.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Masters examination; the Board grants exam approval after document review and ASWB forwards the official score.
  4. ApplicationApply online (or by mailed Application for Licensure) through Board of Social Work Online Services, $75 application + $32 CBC ($107). Submit an official transcript directly from the school, complete the criminal background check, and pay the prorated initial license fee upon approval.
LISW

Licensed Independent Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Advanced Generalist examination (the advanced-level national exam).

Scope: Master’s-level INDEPENDENT (non-clinical) social work license under Minn. Stat. § 148E.055. The LISW authorizes independent advanced-generalist (non-clinical) social work practice and is built on documented post-graduate non-clinical supervised practice.
  1. EducationA master’s degree in social work from a CSWE- or Canadian-accredited program (or an accredited doctorate in social work).
  2. Supervision / experienceDocumentation of 4,000 hours of NON-clinical supervised practice, including at least 100 hours of supervision over those 4,000 hours (typically accrued while licensed as an LGSW), per the Board’s Standard License Nonclinical Supervision requirements; documented on the Nonclinical Supervision Verification form.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Advanced Generalist examination after Board exam approval; ASWB forwards the official score.
  4. ApplicationApply online (or by mailed Application for Licensure) through Board of Social Work Online Services, $75 application + $32 CBC ($107). Submit the official transcript (if not already on file), the Nonclinical Supervision Verification form(s), complete the criminal background check, and pay the prorated initial license fee.
LICSW

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Clinical examination (the clinical-level national exam).

Scope: Minnesota’s top CLINICAL social work license under Minn. Stat. § 148E.055. The LICSW authorizes independent clinical social work practice, including diagnosis and treatment, and is the clinical mental-health credential of the four-tier ladder.
  1. EducationA master’s degree in social work from a CSWE- or Canadian-accredited program (or an accredited doctorate in social work). Applicants by examination must also document 360 clinical clock hours across six clinical knowledge areas (108 hrs differential diagnosis/biopsychosocial assessment; 36 hrs clinical treatment planning; 108 hrs clinical intervention methods; 18 hrs evaluation methodologies; 72 hrs social work values/ethics including cultural context and social policy; 18 hrs culturally specific assessment and intervention) — satisfiable through graduate coursework and up to 120 CE hours.
  2. Supervision / experienceDocumentation of 4,000 hours (and up to 8,000) of CLINICAL supervised practice, including 200 hours of supervision and at least 1,800 direct clinical client-contact hours, under a qualifying clinical supervisor; documented on the Clinical Supervision Verification form(s).
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Clinical examination after Board exam approval; ASWB forwards the official score to the Board.
  4. ApplicationApply online (or by mailed Application for Licensure) through Board of Social Work Online Services, $75 application + $32 CBC ($107). Submit the official transcript, the 360 Clinical Clock Hours Forms 1–3, the Clinical Supervision Verification form(s), complete the criminal background check, and pay the prorated initial license fee upon approval.

Official Social Work resources

Marriage & Family Therapy

Prep for the National MFT Exam →
LAMFT

Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

Required exam: AMFTRB National Examination in Marriage and Family Therapy (required and passed before LAMFT licensure is granted). The Minnesota state written exam is taken later, for the full LMFT.

Scope: Minnesota’s associate/pre-independent MFT license issued by the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy. After passing the AMFTRB national exam, a candidate who has not yet completed all post-graduate requirements applies for LAMFT licensure and maintains it while accruing the supervised experience needed for the independent LMFT.
  1. EducationA master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a COAMFTE-accredited program (or a Board-determined equivalent in a related field meeting Minn. Rule 5300.0140), per Minn. Stat. § 148B.33, subd. 1, including the required graduate practicum.
  2. Supervision / experienceNo completed post-graduate hours are required to obtain the LAMFT; it is the license held WHILE accruing the 4,000 post-graduate supervised hours. The initial national-exam application must be filed within six months of beginning to log post-graduate supervised clinical services (Minn. Rule 5300.0155, subp. 2).
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB National Examination in MFT (the Board approves the applicant to register; the exam should be taken within two years of approval).
  4. ApplicationFirst file the Application for National Examination in MFT (with practicum affidavit and coursework grid) and complete the fingerprint-based criminal background check; after passing the national exam, file the Application for LAMFT Licensure with the Board (licensure is not automatic).
LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Required exam: Two exams: the AMFTRB National Examination in MFT (passed at the LAMFT/national-exam stage) AND the Minnesota State Licensure Examination — a written state exam administered in person at the Board’s St. Paul office after the post-graduate hours are complete.

Scope: Minnesota’s full, independent marriage and family therapy license under Minn. Stat. ch. 148B (§ 148B.33), issued by the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy. Authorizes the independent practice of marriage and family therapy.
  1. EducationSame master’s or doctoral degree in MFT from a COAMFTE-accredited program (or Board-approved equivalent) as the LAMFT, satisfying Minn. Stat. § 148B.33, subd. 1 and Minn. Rule 5300.0140.
  2. Supervision / experienceA minimum of 4,000 hours of post-graduate supervised experience in the practice of MFT under a Board-approved LMFT supervisor, including at least 1,000 direct client-contact hours (of which at least 500 must be with couples, families, or similar relational groups) and 200 hours of direct supervision (one hour of supervision per five hours of practice, at least 100 of which must be individual). Supervision may be obtained entirely via real-time two-way audio-visual technology (effective May 24, 2022).
  3. ExamHaving already passed the AMFTRB National Examination, pass the Minnesota State Licensure Examination (a written exam administered at the Board’s St. Paul office), scheduled by the Board after the LMFT application is approved.
  4. ApplicationAfter passing the national exam and completing the 4,000 hours, file the Application for Marriage and Family Therapist Licensure (LMFT) by State Examination with the Board; upon approval, the applicant is scheduled for the in-person written state licensure exam. (A criminal background check is completed at the national-exam application stage.)

Official Marriage & Family Therapy resources

Psychology

Prep for the EPPP →
LP

Licensed Psychologist

Required exam: Two exams: the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), administered through Pearson VUE, AND the Minnesota Professional Responsibility Exam (PRE) — the Board’s own at-home, open-book jurisprudence/ethics exam (open-book since January 2, 2020) covering the Psychology Practice Act Rules of Conduct.

Scope: Minnesota’s psychology license, issued by the Board of Psychology under Minn. Stat. ch. 148 (§§ 148.88–148.98). Minnesota uses a single “Licensed Psychologist” title. Current law requires doctoral-level education; some longtime licensees were grandfathered on the basis of master’s-level education and may convert to doctoral-level licensing after earning a qualifying doctorate. The LP authorizes the full, independent practice of psychology.
  1. EducationA doctoral degree in psychology meeting the Board’s standards (under current law; master’s-grandfathered licensees are legacy). The Board’s Application Review Committee evaluates the degree and core coursework using the Core Course Description grid. [The historic master’s pathway is closed to new applicants; confirm any conversion specifics with the Board.]
  2. Supervision / experienceSupervised psychological work experience as required by the Board (pre-doctoral and post-doctoral supervised practice documented via the Board’s Supervision Agreement and Supervision Log), under a licensed psychologist. [Exact hour totals are set by Board rule and were not re-verified line-by-line here.]
  3. ExamPass the EPPP (through Pearson VUE) and the Minnesota PRE (the Board’s at-home, open-book exam on the Rules of Conduct), both registered for through the Board’s online services as part of the application.
  4. ApplicationApply through the Board of Psychology e-licensing system (mnitservices.my.site.com/license), submit doctoral transcripts and the Core Course Description, supervision documentation, register for the EPPP and PRE, and complete the required background study. Master’s-grandfathered licensees converting to doctoral-level pay a $150 conversion fee.

Official Psychology resources

Behavior Analysis

Prep for the BCBA exam →
LBA

Licensed Behavior Analyst

Required exam: BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) Certification Examination of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), or an equivalent psychometrically valid exam administered by a nationally accredited credentialing organization. There is no separate Minnesota state examination.

Scope: Minnesota’s STATE license to practice applied behavior analysis, issued by the Board of Psychology under Minn. Stat. §§ 148.9981–148.9995. Effective January 1, 2025, an individual must not practice applied behavior analysis unless licensed as a behavior analyst (or exempt under § 148.9987); a Minnesota-licensed psychologist who practices behavior analysis is exempt from needing the LBA. The license is valid for two years.
  1. EducationHold a current and active national certification as a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) issued by the certifying entity (the BACB), OR have completed the equivalent requirements for that certification. [The Board’s equivalency determination for the non-BCBA path was still under review as of the 2025 launch — confirm current equivalency criteria with the Board.]
  2. Supervision / experienceSupervised fieldwork is satisfied through the underlying BACB BCBA certification requirements; Minnesota recognizes the active national certification (or its documented equivalent) as the basis for state licensure rather than imposing separate state supervised hours.
  3. ExamPass the BACB BCBA Certification Examination (i.e., hold current, active BCBA certification), or satisfy the Board-determined equivalent including a psychometrically valid exam from a nationally accredited credentialing organization.
  4. ApplicationApply through the Board of Psychology e-licensing system (mnitservices.my.site.com/license), demonstrate the requirements on the Initial BA Application for Licensure Checklist, pay the $225 LBA fee plus the FBI ($17) and BCA ($15) background-study fees, and complete the criminal background check.

Official Behavior Analysis resources

All licenses

Minnesota licensing portals & background checks.

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

Pass the exam on your path.

Triad’s AATBS brand prepares candidates for the EPPP, ASWB, NCE/NCMHCE, MFT, BCBA, and addictions exams — backed by a pass guarantee.

Find your exam prep →