Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) - Initial Application

To obtain the Licensed Professional Counselor credential, applicants must meet the education requirements, supervision requirements, and pass the National exam.

Below are some general instructions for applying for a credential on LicensE. 

1. Create or log into your LicensE account. Please visit LicensE account Information page for detailed guidance on selecting your account type.

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select your Category.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method, then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application. Information may include Examination, Education, or License History, depending on your profession.

8. If applicable, request a Veterans Fee Waiver or Initial Credential Fee Reduction.

9. Submit the requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

   Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

10. Respond to the Attestation questions.

11. Provide Payment Information. Fees may be found Credential Fees.

12. Submit your application.  

Profession specific application requirements can be found in the "Application Information" section.

Create or log into your LicensE account

Select Apply for a License

Category: Health

License Type: Licensed Professional Counselor

Application Method: Initial Application

To add a supervisor, type in their license number slowly including a space before and after the ‘-‘ and select the license number from the drop down. Then select Add Supervisor. Repeat the process for each of your supervisors. If you cannot find their license number in the drop down, you can check the box and manually enter their name and email address, then select add supervisor. Once you are done adding supervisors, click Next to continue.

Important: If you manually enter the supervisor’s name and email address, they will get an automated email indicating they are not approved to supervise with instructions on how to request approval to supervise.

Required Documents:

• Form 2464 Supervisor's Affidavit of Applicant's Competencies- Documentation of Clinical Experience Gained Under Training License (third party)

• Form 1960 Professional Counselor Certificate of Professional Education (third party)

• Official Transcript (third party)

• Form 2239 Professional Counselor Curriculum Requirements

• Course syllabi (only required if completing form 2239)

• Course descriptions (only required if completing form 2239)

• National Exam - NCE, NCMHCE or CRC (third party)

The education requirement changed in 2018 for a Professional Counselor to a master’s or doctorate degree in professional counseling or its equivalent from a program approved by the professional counselor section. The master’s degree must total at least 60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) of academic credit with up to 18 semester credits completed outside the degree.

Please note that all applicants applying for a Licensed Professional Counselor credential are required to meet the current education requirement. Applicants who completed education in 2018 or earlier may require additional education review.

Applicants can meet the education requirement in one of the following ways:

• A degree from a CACREP accredited program in one of the following majors/specialties (form 1960 required from school):

  • Addiction Counseling

  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling

  • Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling

  • Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling

  • Doctoral Program in Counselor Education and Supervision

• A master’s degree specifically in “Professional Counseling” (official transcript required)

• A department approved master’s degree listed in the ‘Pre-approved Education Programs’ section below (official transcript required)

• If your degree does not fit into any of the categories above, then you must submit form 2239 with syllabi and course descriptions as indicated in the instructions on the form. Your degree will require Section approval (official transcript and form 2239 required).

As seen in MPSW 14.01(3), "an applicant may, at an institution which was accredited by its regional accrediting association at the time the course was completed, complete up to 18 credit hours outside the program of studies leading to a master's degree in order to meet the requirements".

This means an applicant cannot use more than 18 semester credits outside of their main master's degree to meet the 60 semester credit education requirement. An applicant may need a new degree if their original degree is determined to not meet requirements and more than 18 credits outside of their degree are needed to meet the 60 credit minimum.

Applicants can meet the education requirement by completing a doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision from a CACREP accredited school or by meeting the requirements below for a doctorate equivalency:

• Coursework was completed at an accredited institution at the time the applicant graduated from the program, and was part of a program of studies leading to a doctoral degree in a field closely related to professional counseling.

• Doctoral program of a minimum of 4 academic years (8 semesters or 12 quarters) with a minimum of 96 semester credits or 144 quarter credits of graduate-level credits.

• Doctoral students are required to participate in a supervised doctoral-level practicum of a minimum of 100 hours in counseling, of which 40 hours must be in direct service with clients.

  • The nature of the doctoral-level practicum experience is to be determined in consultation with program faculty or a doctoral committee, or both. During the doctoral student’s practicum, supervision by student supervisors is not permissible.

• Doctoral students are required to complete doctoral-level counseling internships that total a minimum of 600 hours. The 600 hours may include supervised experiences in clinical practice, research, and teaching.

  • The internship includes most of the activities of a regularly employed professional in the setting. The 600 hours may be allocated at the discretion of the doctoral advisor and the student on the basis of experience and training.

• During the practicum and internship, the student receives weekly individual or triadic supervision, performed by a supervisor with a doctorate in professional counseling or a related profession. Group supervision is provided on a regular schedule with other students throughout the internship and is usually performed by a program faculty member.

If your degree is approved as equivalent to a doctorate in professional counseling, only 1,000 hours of supervised practice are required.

Each supervisor must submit form 2464 to verify the hours of professional counseling practice they supervised the applicant while holding a valid Professional Counselor Training License. Applicants can meet the supervision requirement in one of the following ways:

• Complete at least 3,000 hours of professional counseling practice including at least 1,000 hours of face-to-face client contact while holding an active professional counselor training license.

• Complete at least 1,000 hours of full-time professional counseling practice either during or after a doctorate degree program in professional counseling or its equivalent (see the Doctorate Equivalency section above for more information).

Supervision of the supervised practice of professional counseling may be exercised by any of the following:

• A licensed professional counselor who has engaged in the equivalent of 5 years of full-time professional counseling.

• A licensed professional counselor who has received a doctorate degree in professional counseling.

• A licensed psychiatrist.

• A licensed psychologist.

• A person employed by the division of vocational rehabilitation as a vocational rehabilitation supervisor, who is licensed as a professional counselor or who has engaged in the equivalent of 5 years of full-time professional counseling.

• Another licensed individual who is approved in advance by the professional counselor section based upon evidence of 5 years of experience in counseling practice.

Supervised practice completed outside of Wisconsin is considered on a case-by-case basis and requires Section approval. 

For supervision completed in another state, we require your supervisor(s) to submit form 2464 along with the following:

• A copy of their resume

• A copy of their license or license lookup

Supervisor approval requests can now be submitted through your LicensE account. Please note applicants cannot submit this amendment on behalf of their supervisor. Additionally, approval is per profession and not applicant specific unless otherwise indicated.

• After logging in, click on the Supervisors tab in the top blue bar, then select ‘Request Approval to Supervise’. 

• Enter the required information. You will need to select at least one profession you would like permission to supervise and may select multiple. Please note it is recommended to submit separate amendments for each profession request as the supervisor requirements vary by profession.

• Once the information has been entered, select Save & Next.

• Upload a narrative statement explaining how you are knowledgeable in the field you are requesting to Supervise and a copy of your resume and/or other evidence showing your qualifications.

• Once the documents have been uploaded, select Save & Next.

• Finally, enter your name attesting to the statement listed and select Submit.

Amendments are typically reviewed by credentialing staff within 10 days. Your information will be sent to the Board Liaison or Legal for review (if applicable). Processing times for Board Liaison and Legal reviews vary. You will be notified once a decision has been made.

After you fully submit the supervisor approval request, you will be able to view its status by clicking ‘My Supervision Requests’ under the Supervisors tab. If additional information is requested, you will also be able to upload documentation there.

Supervised hours can be submitted through the supervisor’s LicensE account or by uploading the applicable form via the Third Party Upload at license.wi.gov. Instructions for each method are included below.

Important: If you are not already an approved supervisor, you will not be able to submit supervised hours through your account. You will first need to submit a Request Approval to Supervise amendment and become approved to supervise (see the Request Approval to Supervise Amendment section above). Additionally, you will not be able to submit supervised hours until the applicant submits their application for licensure.

To submit supervised hours through your LicensE account:

• After logging in, click on the Supervisors tab in the top blue bar, then select ‘Verify Supervised Hours’. 

• Next, select New and enter the applicant’s application number. Type in their application PAR- number slowly with no spaces and including every number, then select the application number from the drop down. The applicant’s name and license type will auto-populate.

• Answer the required questions including entering your Wisconsin license number if you are in In-State supervisor. Please note when entering your credential number, type in your license number slowly and include a space before and after the ‘-‘. Select your license number from the drop down.

• Click Proceed. Please note if you are not an approved supervisor, an error box will appear and you will not be able to continue.

• Verify the applicant’s information (this should have auto-populated from your initial responses).

• Enter the requested supervision information.

• Finally, attest to the supervision and submit the supervised hours.

• After you start a supervision form, it will appear on the ‘Verify Supervised Hours’ page with the applicant’s name, application number and status. You will be able to view the submitted form or if the verification form was not fully completed, you will be able to continue with your verification.

To submit supervised hours via the Third Party Document Upload:

• Go to license.wi.gov and click on the Third Party Document Upload tab in the top blue bar.

• Important: Do not login to your account. The Third Party Document Upload option will not appear if you are logged into your account.

• Enter the applicant’s application number. Type in their full application PAR- number with no spaces. Click on Search, then Select the applicant’s application.

• Click on the upload arrow under the Action column for the applicable document you are uploading and select Upload Files. Then find the document on your computer and select it to upload. Once the document is uploaded, click Submit. Make sure to click the Submit button as failure to click Submit may lead to delays in processing times.

Applicants are required to successfully complete either the National Counselor Examination (NCE), National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) or Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Examination (CRCE). Please note that our department does not authorize applicants to take the national exams. For assistance scheduling, special exam accommodations or questions about the exam, please contact the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) or the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC).

Note: Candidates requesting​ special accommodations must directly contact the NBCC.

To do so, please submit a written special accommodation request along with your registration application.

After you upload all required documents, submit your application, and pay the required fee(s):

1. Preliminary Application Reference Number (PAR)

   1. Your application will be assigned a Preliminary Application Reference number or PAR number. This number allows you and trusted parties to look up the status of your application without logging in. You can also reference this number in any support tickets you submit in regard to your application.

      • A trusted 3^rd party can look up your credential status by visiting LicensE, clicking “Application Status Lookup” and entering the PAR number you have provided to them.

2. Review Timeline

   1. Your materials will be reviewed within approximately 10 days by a member of the credentialing team.

      • Note: Some licenses do take longer to process due to complexity. You can see the performance data on our LicensE Dashboard to see what date we are reviewing for certain application types under "Application Review Times by Profession."

3. Pending Applicant Input Status

   1. After this review, if anything is missing or the credentialing team has any questions on your application, your application will go back into a status called “Pending Applicant Input.”  You will receive an email letting you know your application was moved into this status. You should then log into LicensE and check your application “Due Diligence.”

4. To check your "Due Diligence" 

   1. Your Due Diligence is a checklist of items required for your credential.

   2. The Due Diligence section is how DSPS staff will communicate with you regarding your credential requirements.

   3. Log in to your LicensE account

   4. Click on "Check Application Status" 

   5. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under “Action” select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

   6. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select “View Due Diligences.”

   7. The Due Diligence column lets you know what the requirement is.

   8. The “STATUS” column will you know if the item is “Met”, “Not Met”, or “Not Applicable.”

      • Items listed as “Not Met” are items that are needed by the Department.  

   9. The “NOTES” column of your Due Diligence will provide further written details or instructions about what is still needed.

5. To upload documents

   1. Some applications require additional document uploads.

   2. Log into your LicensE account

   3. Click on "Check Application Status"

   4. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under "Action" select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop. 

   5. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select "Upload Document."

   6. The document must be an allowable document type. 

   7. After uploading the document, click "submit." If you do not, it will not be sent to a reviewer. 

6. If you have any questions, you can submit a support ticket on LicensE by logging in and clicking "request support" at the top of the page.

LicensE statuses that require action from applicant:

LicensE statuses that indicate the application is with Department staff:

Support Ticket
Submit a support ticket on LicensE and click "request support." Please provide as much detail as possible regarding your concern so we can work to answer your question with a one touch resolution. 

Call
608-266-2112

Email
dsps@wisconsin.gov

Office Hours
7:45am-4:30pm
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI, 53705

Note: The in-person office does not process same day.