Resources · Path to Licensure

Step-by-step licensure pathways in Tennessee.

Tennessee licenses behavioral-health professionals through several boards housed within the Department of Health's Division of Health Related Boards in Nashville. Counseling and marriage & family therapy share one board (the Board for Professional Counselors, Marital & Family Therapists, and Clinical Pastoral Therapists), and Tennessee draws a sharp line between the LPC (general scope, NCE) and the LPC with the Mental Health Service Provider designation (LPC/MHSP), which is the independent clinical credential requiring the NCMHCE. Tennessee is unusual nationally in licensing master's-level psychology practitioners as Psychological Examiners and Senior Psychological Examiners alongside doctoral Licensed Psychologists, and every psychology tier must pass the EPPP plus a Tennessee jurisprudence/ethics exam. The state issues full alcohol & drug abuse counselor licenses (LADAC I and LADAC II) as state credentials, and it licenses behavior analysts (LBA/LABA) through the Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee. Hours and statute citations below are drawn from official tn.gov board pages and Tennessee Secretary of State rules; items that could not be confirmed against a primary source are flagged as unverified.

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Professional CounselingAddiction & Substance Use CounselingSocial WorkMarriage & Family TherapyPsychologyBehavior Analysis

Professional Counseling

Prep for the NCMHCE / NCE →
Temp License

Temporary License (LPC / LPC-MHSP applicant)

Required exam: NCE passed before temp license is granted (for the MHSP track the NCMHCE is required for full licensure)

Scope: Allows a degreed applicant to practice counseling under board-approved supervision while completing the post-degree supervised experience; valid up to three years and not renewable beyond one issuance.
  1. EducationEarn a qualifying master's or doctoral degree in counseling (minimum 60 graduate semester hours) from a regionally accredited program; for the MHSP track include the 9 semester hours covering diagnosis, appraisal/assessment of mental disorders, treatment planning, and use of the DSM (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 0450-01).
  2. Supervision / experienceSecure a board-approved supervisor who holds a Certificate of Qualified Clinical Supervision; the temporary license authorizes supervised practice while accruing the required post-degree hours.
  3. ExamPass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) before the temporary license is issued.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board for Professional Counselors, MFTs and Clinical Pastoral Therapists for the temporary license, submitting transcripts, the supervisor agreement, and fees (T.C.A. 63-22).
LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Required exam: National Counselor Examination (NCE) + Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam

Scope: General professional counseling practice; the LPC without the MHSP designation does not carry the independent mental-health-service-provider (diagnosis/treatment of mental disorders) authority that the MHSP designation confers.
  1. EducationMaster's or doctoral degree in counseling with at least 60 graduate semester hours from a regionally accredited institution (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 0450-01).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete a minimum of two years of post-degree supervised counseling experience — approximately 1,000 hours with 100 hours of supervision — under a supervisor holding a Certificate of Qualified Clinical Supervision (hours per board rules; verify current totals).
  3. ExamPass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the LPC application, transcripts, supervised-experience documentation, exam scores, background check, and fees to the Board (T.C.A. 63-22).
LPC-MHSP

Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider designation

Required exam: National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) + Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam

Scope: Independent clinical practice including diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders; the MHSP designation is Tennessee's clinical/independent counseling credential and qualifies the holder as a mental-health-service provider.
  1. EducationQualifying master's or doctoral counseling degree (minimum 60 graduate semester hours) that includes at least 9 semester hours in diagnosis, appraisal/assessment of mental disorders, treatment and treatment planning, psychopathology, and use of the DSM (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 0450-01).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete the MHSP supervised experience — approximately 3,000 post-degree hours (with about 1,500 hours of direct client contact) and roughly 150 hours of supervision under a Certificate of Qualified Clinical Supervision holder (verify current totals against board rules).
  3. ExamPass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) and the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the LPC/MHSP application, transcripts, the 9-hour coursework verification, supervision documentation, exam scores, background check, and fees to the Board (T.C.A. 63-22).

Official Professional Counseling resources

Addiction & Substance Use Counseling

Prep for the MAC / NCAC exam →
LADAC I

Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, Level I

Required exam: NAADAC NCAC Level I (National Certified Addiction Counselor) written exam + Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam

Scope: State-licensed alcohol & drug abuse counseling within a facility or institution under supervision; a Level I LADAC may NOT hold a private practice and must practice under supervision.
  1. EducationHigh school diploma plus 270 hours of formal classroom training covering the eight performance domains listed in T.C.A. 68-24-606 (community college, workshops, or board-approved A&D training).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete 6,000 hours of clinically-supervised counseling experience under a supervisor holding a Certificate of Qualified Supervision (CQS) issued by the Board.
  3. ExamPass the NAADAC NCAC Level I written examination and the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the A&D Counselor application (paper form PH-3554), transcripts/training verification, supervisor evaluation, references, background check, and fees to the Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (T.C.A. 68-24-601 et seq.).
LADAC II

Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, Level II

Required exam: NAADAC Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) exam + Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam + a board oral examination

Scope: Advanced state-licensed A&D counseling; a Level II LADAC may practice independently and may supervise other counselors.
  1. EducationBachelor's degree in a behavioral-health-related field (or a higher non-behavioral-health degree); plus 270 hours of training in the eight domains (T.C.A. 68-24-606).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete 4,000 hours (two years full-time) of supervised A&D counseling with a non-behavioral-health degree, OR 2,000 hours (one year full-time) with a master's or higher behavioral-health degree, under a Qualified Clinical Supervisor.
  3. ExamPass the NAADAC Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) examination, the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam, and the board-administered oral examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the Level II A&D Counselor application, official transcript, supervisor evaluation, references, background check, and fees to the Board (T.C.A. 68-24-601 et seq.).

Official Addiction & Substance Use Counseling resources

Social Work

Prep for the ASWB exam →
LBSW

Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Bachelors examination

Scope: Generalist (non-clinical) social work practice at the baccalaureate level.
  1. EducationBachelor of Social Work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceTennessee does not require post-degree supervised practice hours for the LBSW.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Bachelors examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the social work application (PH-2066), transcripts, exam score, background check, and fees to the Board of Social Worker Licensure (T.C.A. 63-23).
LMSW

Licensed Master Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Masters examination

Scope: Master's-level (non-clinical) social work practice; required precursor to the clinical (LCSW) and advanced-practice (LAPSW) tiers.
  1. EducationMaster of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceTennessee does not require post-degree supervised practice hours for the LMSW.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Masters examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the social work application (PH-2066), transcripts, exam score, background check, and fees to the Board of Social Worker Licensure (T.C.A. 63-23).
LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Clinical examination

Scope: Independent clinical social work practice including diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders.
  1. EducationMSW from a CSWE-accredited program.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience over at least two years, including 100 hours of face-to-face supervisor contact distributed across the experience period.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Clinical examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the LCSW application, transcripts, supervision documentation, exam score, background check, and fees to the Board of Social Worker Licensure (T.C.A. 63-23).
LAPSW

Licensed Advanced Practice Social Worker

Required exam: ASWB Advanced Generalist examination

Scope: Advanced (macro/administrative/non-clinical) social work practice beyond the LMSW; the advanced-generalist counterpart to the clinical LCSW.
  1. EducationMSW from a CSWE-accredited program; hold the LMSW first.
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete at least two years (3,000 hours) of qualifying non-clinical supervised experience as an LMSW, finished within 2 to 6 years of LMSW licensure, with 100 hours of face-to-face supervision (at least 60 individual, no more than 40 group) under an LAPSW or LCSW.
  3. ExamPass the ASWB Advanced Generalist examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the LAPSW application, transcripts, supervision documentation, exam score, background check, and fees to the Board of Social Worker Licensure (T.C.A. 63-23).

Official Social Work resources

Marriage & Family Therapy

Prep for the National MFT Exam →
Temp License

Temporary License (LMFT applicant)

Required exam: National MFT Examination (AMFTRB) required for full licensure; oral exam at full-license stage

Scope: Allows an applicant who has completed the degree and practicum to practice marriage & family therapy under board-approved supervision while completing the post-master's supervised experience; only one temporary license may be issued and it is valid no more than three years.
  1. EducationMaster's or doctoral degree in marriage & family therapy or a related field with equivalent coursework from a regionally accredited program, including a supervised practicum/internship of at least 300 hours (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 0450-02).
  2. Supervision / experienceEnter into an agreement with a board-approved supervisor; the temporary license authorizes supervised practice while accruing the required post-master's clinical hours.
  3. ExamBegin the examination sequence toward the National MFT Examination; the AMFTRB exam and oral exam are required to convert to full LMFT.
  4. ApplicationApply to the Board for the temporary license with transcripts, practicum verification, the supervisor agreement, and fees (T.C.A. 63-22-104).
LMFT

Licensed Marital and Family Therapist

Required exam: National Marital & Family Therapy Examination (AMFTRB) + a board oral examination

Scope: Independent practice of marriage & family therapy, including assessment and treatment of mental, emotional, and relational disorders within the family-systems context.
  1. EducationMaster's or doctoral degree in marriage & family therapy (or related field with equivalent coursework) from a regionally accredited program, including a supervised practicum of at least 300 hours (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 0450-02).
  2. Supervision / experienceAccrue at least 1,000 hours of post-degree clinical experience under approved supervision, including at least 200 hours of supervision by an LMFT or other qualified mental-health professional (verify current totals against board rules).
  3. ExamPass the AMFTRB National MFT Examination and the board's oral examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the LMFT application, transcripts, supervision documentation, exam scores, background check, and fees to the Board (T.C.A. 63-22).

Official Marriage & Family Therapy resources

Psychology

Prep for the EPPP →
Psych Examiner

Psychological Examiner (master's level)

Required exam: EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) + Tennessee Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam

Scope: Master's-level psychological practice provided ONLY under the qualified supervision of a Licensed Psychologist designated as a Health Service Provider (HSP); may include personality appraisal/classification, diagnosis of psychopathology, and personality counseling and psychotherapy under that supervision (T.C.A. 63-11-202).
  1. EducationTwo academic years of graduate training in psychology including a master's degree from a board-recognized accredited institution (T.C.A. 63-11-207).
  2. Supervision / experienceSupervised experience as prescribed by board rule (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 1180-03); the Psychological Examiner practices under HSP-psychologist supervision rather than independently (verify exact hour totals against board rules).
  3. ExamPass the EPPP and the Tennessee Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam (open-book; 90% passing score; administered monthly at the Nashville board office).
  4. ApplicationSubmit the Application for Licensure as a Psychologist (PH-1034) selecting the Psychological Examiner tier, transcripts, supervision documentation, exam scores, background check, and fees (T.C.A. 63-11).
Sr Psych Examiner

Senior Psychological Examiner (master's level, independent)

Required exam: EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) + Tennessee Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam

Scope: Master's-level psychologist-equivalent who is recognized as a Health Service Provider and may practice independently (without supervision) within the defined scope — interviewing, administering/interpreting tests of mental ability, aptitude, interest and personality, and related health-related psychological services (T.C.A. 63-11-202).
  1. EducationMaster's-level graduate training in psychology meeting the board's standards; the Senior tier is the independent, HSP-designated master's credential (T.C.A. 63-11-207; ch. 1180-03).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete the supervised experience required to qualify as a Health Service Provider at the Senior level; a current Psychological Examiner may upgrade to Senior by meeting the board's experience and application requirements (form PH-3744) (verify exact hour totals).
  3. ExamPass the EPPP and the Tennessee Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam (open-book; 90% passing score).
  4. ApplicationSubmit the Psychologist application (PH-1034) or the Senior Psychological Examiner Upgrade application (PH-3744), transcripts, supervision documentation, exam scores, background check, and fees (T.C.A. 63-11).
Licensed Psychologist

Licensed Psychologist (doctoral)

Required exam: EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) + Tennessee Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam

Scope: Independent doctoral-level practice of psychology across assessment, diagnosis, and treatment; the full psychologist license with Health Service Provider designation available for clinical practice.
  1. EducationDoctoral degree in psychology from an APA-accredited or board-recognized program (T.C.A. 63-11-203).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete the required pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral supervised experience documented to the board (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 1180-02); applicants may first hold Psychological Resident status while accruing hours.
  3. ExamPass the EPPP (225-item national exam) and the Tennessee Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam (open-book; 90% passing; administered monthly in Nashville).
  4. ApplicationSubmit the Application for Licensure as a Psychologist (PH-1034), transcripts, internship/supervision verification, exam scores, background check, and fees (T.C.A. 63-11).

Official Psychology resources

Behavior Analysis

Prep for the BCBA exam →
LABA

Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst

Required exam: BACB Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) examination (national, through the BACB)

Scope: Applied behavior analysis services delivered under the supervision of a Licensed Behavior Analyst; the state license layered on the BCaBA credential.
  1. EducationMeet BACB BCaBA educational requirements (qualifying coursework / degree as set by the BACB).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete BACB-required supervised fieldwork; in Tennessee practice is under the supervision of a Licensed Behavior Analyst (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 1180-05).
  3. ExamHold current BCaBA certification by passing the BACB BCaBA examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the LABA application to the Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee with proof of BACB certification, references, background check, and fees (T.C.A. 63-11-3).
LBA

Licensed Behavior Analyst

Required exam: BACB Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) examination (national, through the BACB)

Scope: Independent practice of applied behavior analysis with full practice authority; the state license built on the BCBA credential.
  1. EducationMeet BACB BCBA educational requirements (qualifying graduate degree and verified course sequence).
  2. Supervision / experienceComplete BACB-required supervised fieldwork to attain and maintain BCBA certification (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 1180-05).
  3. ExamHold current BCBA certification by passing the BACB BCBA examination.
  4. ApplicationSubmit the LBA application to the Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee with proof of BACB certification, character references, background check, and fees (T.C.A. 63-11-3); includes a cultural-diversity CE requirement at renewal.

Official Behavior Analysis resources

All licenses

Tennessee licensing portals & background checks.

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