Resources · Path to Licensure

Step-by-step licensure pathways in Mississippi.

Mississippi splits behavioral-health regulation across four boards, with social work and marriage & family therapy sharing one combined board (SWMFT). The state does NOT license addiction counselors — substance-use credentials are certifications issued through the MS Association of Addiction Professionals (IC&RC affiliate) and the MS Dept. of Mental Health, not state licenses. Distinctive exams include a mandatory Mississippi Jurisprudence exam for counselors and a required oral examination plus jurisprudence exam for psychologists. Mississippi DOES license behavior analysts through the MS Autism Board (LBA / LABA), and psychology is doctoral-only with no master’s-level psychological-examiner license.

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

Professional Counseling

Prep for the NCMHCE / NCE →
P-LPC

Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor

Required exam: Mississippi Jurisprudence Examination (no-fail) plus the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or NCMHCE

Scope: Pre-independent credential allowing counseling practice only under a Board-approved LPC-S while accumulating post-master’s supervised hours; renewable up to four years.
  1. EducationEarn a qualifying master’s degree in counseling — 60 semester / 90 quarter hours, CACREP or a ‘counseling’-titled program meeting CACREP-equivalent structure (degrees conferred after Jan. 1, 2017 must be the 60-hour version), including 3 semester hours in each of the 12 required content areas.
  2. Supervision / experienceIdentify a Board-approved LPC-S, file a Declaration of Practices and an online supervision contract; supervised post-master’s hours begin only after the P-LPC is issued.
  3. ExamPass the Mississippi no-fail Jurisprudence Examination (via CCE Academy) and register with NBCC to pass the NCE (or NCMHCE), with official scores sent to the Board.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the online application, official transcripts, fingerprint background check, supervision contract and Declaration of Practices; license issues once all items are approved.
LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Required exam: National Counselor Examination (NCE) OR National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), plus the Mississippi Jurisprudence Examination

Scope: Independent professional counselor / psychotherapist authorized to practice counseling without supervision in Mississippi; LPC-S is an add-on supervisor designation.
  1. EducationHold the qualifying 60-semester-hour master’s in counseling (or doctoral/Ed.S. in a counseling field) meeting Rule 4.2 content requirements, including 3 semester hours in each of the 12 required areas.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete the post-master’s supervised experience hours required under Rule 4.3 under a Mississippi LPC-S (or out-of-state equivalent), documented on Form B.
  3. ExamPass the NCE or NCMHCE through NBCC and complete the Mississippi no-fail Jurisprudence Examination (required at initial licensure and at every renewal).
  4. ApplicationApply online, order official transcripts (eScrip/Parchment), supply supervision verification forms, complete the fingerprint background check, and remit fees; comity and Counseling Compact pathways exist for out-of-state licensees.

Official Professional Counseling resources

Addiction & Substance Use Counseling

Prep for the MAC / NCAC exam →
CADC / CAADC

Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor / Certified Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (certification, NOT a state license)

Required exam: IC&RC Alcohol & Drug Counselor (ADC) examination (or IC&RC Advanced ADC for CAADC)

Scope: Tiered substance-use counseling certification issued by the MS Association of Addiction Professionals (MAAP), an IC&RC member board. Mississippi does NOT issue a state addiction-counselor license; levels range from CADC through CAADC based on education (high-school diploma to master’s).
  1. EducationComplete the required addiction-specific education (270+ training hours) appropriate to the credential level, ranging from a high-school diploma (CADC) to a master’s degree (CAADC).
  2. Supervision / experienceDocument supervised work experience in the addiction field — roughly 2,000 to 10,000 hours depending on education level — with supervised practical training hours across the IC&RC performance domains.
  3. ExamPass the applicable IC&RC examination administered through MAAP.
  4. ApplicationApply to MAAP with transcripts, supervision documentation, code-of-ethics agreement and fees; the separate DMH Certified Addictions Therapist (CAT/PCAT) credential is available for staff in the state mental-health system (master’s/doctoral).

Official Addiction & Substance Use Counseling resources

Social Work

Prep for the ASWB exam →
LSW

Licensed Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Bachelors examination

Scope: Entry-level, bachelor’s-based generalist social work license issued by the SWMFT Board; does not authorize independent clinical diagnosis/treatment.
  1. EducationEarn a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceNo post-degree supervised experience is required for the LSW (entry-level generalist license).
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Bachelors-level examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the SWMFT initial application packet with official transcripts, background check and fees.
LMSW

Licensed Master Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Masters examination

Scope: Master’s-level social work license for advanced and specialized non-independent-clinical practice and supervisory roles.
  1. EducationComplete a master’s (or doctoral) degree in social work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program (typically 30+ credits with a 900-hour field placement).
  2. Supervision / experienceNo additional post-degree supervised experience is required to obtain the LMSW.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Masters-level examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the SWMFT initial application packet with transcripts, background check and fees.
LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Clinical examination

Scope: Highest social work license — authorizes independent clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, including private practice.
  1. EducationHold a CSWE-accredited MSW (or doctoral social-work degree) with clinical coursework.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete a minimum of 24 months of Board-approved post-master’s clinical supervision, including 1,000 hours of face-to-face client contact and 100 hours of face-to-face supervision by a Board-approved LCSW (half one-on-one), with Board approval before sitting for the exam.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Clinical examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the SWMFT application with supervision verification, transcripts, background check and fees; LCSWs renew biennially with 40 CE hours.

Official Social Work resources

Marriage & Family Therapy

Prep for the National MFT Exam →
LMFTA

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate

Required exam: AMFTRB National Marital and Family Therapy Examination

Scope: Pre-independent associate license allowing MFT practice under a Board-approved supervision contract while accumulating post-graduate clinical hours.
  1. EducationComplete a qualifying MFT graduate degree from a COAMFTE-accredited (or candidacy) program, including a 12-month practicum with 500 client-contact hours (200+ relational) and 100 hours of supervision under an AAMFT Approved Supervisor.
  2. Supervision / experienceEstablish and obtain Board approval of a supervision plan/contract for associate practice; post-graduate experience hours begin under that contract.
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB National Examination in Marital and Family Therapy.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the SWMFT MFT application with transcripts, practicum verification, supervision contract, background check and fees.
LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Required exam: AMFTRB National Marital and Family Therapy Examination

Scope: Independent marriage and family therapist authorized to practice without supervision in Mississippi.
  1. EducationHold the qualifying COAMFTE-accredited master’s (or doctoral) MFT degree meeting Part 1903 coursework and practicum requirements.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete two years of post-graduate clinical experience with at least 1,000 documented face-to-face direct client-contact hours and 200 supervised hours (50 of them individual) under an approved supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB National Examination (typically completed at the associate stage).
  4. ApplicationSubmit the SWMFT application with supervision verification, transcripts, background check and fees; renew biennially with required CE.

Official Marriage & Family Therapy resources

Psychology

Prep for the EPPP →
LP

Licensed Psychologist

Required exam: EPPP (ASPPB passing scaled score of 500) plus the Mississippi oral examination and jurisprudence/law examination

Scope: Doctoral-level psychologist authorized for independent practice; Mississippi licenses psychologists only at the doctoral level (no separate master’s psychological-examiner license). A one-year Temporary Practice Certificate is available to applicants awaiting the oral exam or qualifying under the Universal Recognition Act.
  1. EducationEarn a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in psychology from an accredited program meeting Board standards.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete 4,000 hours of supervised professional experience — typically a 2,000-hour internship/pre-doctoral plus 2,000 post-doctoral hours.
  3. ExamPass the EPPP (scaled 500), then the Board oral examination (three-psychologist panel, one a Board member) and the Mississippi jurisprudence/law examination.
  4. ApplicationApply through ASPPB’s PLUS system with primary-source credential verification, demographic form, fees and background check; applications are processed via the MS Board of Psychology.

Official Psychology resources

Behavior Analysis

Prep for the BCBA exam →
LBA

Licensed Behavior Analyst

Required exam: No separate state exam — current BACB BCBA (or BCBA-D) certification is required and must remain active

Scope: State license to practice applied behavior analysis independently, issued by the Mississippi Autism Board; built on current BACB BCBA/BCBA-D certification rather than a separate state exam.
  1. EducationHold at minimum a master’s degree (or higher) from an accredited institution meeting BACB requirements.
  2. Supervision / experienceSatisfy the supervised fieldwork/experience required for BACB BCBA certification (no additional state-specific hours beyond maintaining certification).
  3. ExamHold and verify current, active BACB BCBA or BCBA-D certification (which itself requires passing the BACB examination); no additional Mississippi exam is required.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the MS Autism Board LBA application with proof of active BACB certification, background check and fee ($250); license is valid up to 3 years and cannot exceed BACB certification expiration, with 12 CE hours/year including 1 ethics hour.
LABA

Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst

Required exam: No separate state exam — current BACB BCaBA certification required

Scope: State license for assistant-level ABA practice under supervision of an LBA, issued by the MS Autism Board and built on BACB BCaBA certification.
  1. EducationHold at minimum a bachelor’s degree meeting BACB BCaBA requirements.
  2. Supervision / experienceMeet the supervised fieldwork required for BACB BCaBA certification and practice under the supervision of a Licensed Behavior Analyst.
  3. ExamHold and verify current, active BACB BCaBA certification; no additional Mississippi exam is required.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the MS Autism Board LABA application with proof of active BACB certification, background check and fee ($100); CE and 3-year renewal mirror the LBA, tied to BACB certification status.

Official Behavior Analysis resources

All licenses

Mississippi licensing portals & background checks.

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