North Carolina supervised hours requirements
What North Carolina requires for LMFT, LCMHC, LCSW and psychologist licensure: hours, supervision and time limits from the rule text, with the sections cited and the date checked.
The short answer
Licensing authority: North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors; North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board; North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board; North Carolina Psychology Board.
- LMFTA to LMFT: total supervised clinical experience 1,500 hours.
- LCMHCA to LCMHC: total supervised professional practice 3,000 hours; direct counseling experience 2,000 hours.
- LCSWA to LCSW: total post-MSW clinical social work experience 3,000 clock hours.
- Psychologist: total supervised practice 3,000 hours.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
Post-degree experience · Title while gaining experience: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate (LMFTA)
Supervised clinical experience toward the North Carolina LMFT. All 1,500 hours are direct client contact; the 200 hours of supervision run alongside them and are not part of the 1,500.
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total supervised clinical experience | 1,500 hours All of it direct client contact |
| Relational hours | 500 hours More than one client in the room, all part of the same treatment plan |
| After the degree | At least 1,000 hours |
| While a student in a master's program | Not more than 500 hours |
| Ongoing supervision | 200 hours Concurrent with the 1,500 hours |
Full LMFTA to LMFT requirements, supervision and time limits
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC)
Post-degree experience · Title while gaining experience: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA)
Supervised professional practice toward the North Carolina LCMHC. The 3,000 hours count counseling practice; supervision is documented during those hours and does not count toward them.
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total supervised professional practice | 3,000 hours |
| Direct counseling experience | 2,000 hours Live contact with individuals, groups or families |
| Weekly limit | No more than 40 hours a week |
| Clinical supervision | 100 hours Documented during the 3,000 hours |
| Individual supervision | At least 75 hours No less than three quarters of supervision |
Full LCMHCA to LCMHC requirements, supervision and time limits
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Post-degree experience · Title while gaining experience: Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA)
Paid clinical social work experience after the MSW, toward the North Carolina LCSW. North Carolina states no minimum for direct client contact, and practicum or internship hours from a degree program do not count.
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total post-MSW clinical social work experience | 3,000 clock hours Work or employment for a fee or salary |
| Supervision | 100 hours |
| Supervision rate | At least 1 hour during every 30 hours of experience And no less than once every two weeks |
| Group supervision | Up to 25 hours Of the 100 |
| Supervision through technology | Up to 50 hours Unless the board preapproves more |
Full LCSWA to LCSW requirements, supervision and time limits
Licensed Psychologist
Post-degree experience · Title while gaining experience: Provisional license at the psychologist level
The postdoctoral share of the supervised practice North Carolina requires for a permanent license at the psychologist level. One of the two years may be predoctoral; that year is counted on the internship ledger.
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total supervised practice | 3,000 hours A minimum of 2 years |
| Postdoctoral share | At least 1,500 hours A minimum of 1 calendar year; counted by this ledger |
| Individual supervision | 1 hour a week Face-to-face |
Common questions
- What does North Carolina require for therapist licensure hours?
- LMFTA to LMFT: total supervised clinical experience 1,500 hours. LCMHCA to LCMHC: total supervised professional practice 3,000 hours; direct counseling experience 2,000 hours. LCSWA to LCSW: total post-MSW clinical social work experience 3,000 clock hours. Psychologist: total supervised practice 3,000 hours. Each license page lists the supervision rules and time limits.
- Who sets these requirements in North Carolina?
- North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors; North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board; North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board; North Carolina Psychology Board. Each figure on these pages cites the rule section it comes from.
- Do these figures mean I am eligible for a license?
- No. Your licensing board reviews your application and your supervisors' verifications and decides. These pages summarize the published rules as Accrue models them, including what Accrue does not check.
Sources
Sources checked
- N.C.G.S. § 90-270.54
- N.C.G.S. § 90-270.54A
- 21 NCAC 31 .0502
- 21 NCAC 31 .0506
- N.C.G.S. § 90-336
- 21 NCAC 53 .0205
- 21 NCAC 53 .0208
- 21 NCAC 53 .0210
- 21 NCAC 53 .0211
- 21 NCAC 53 .0212
- 21 NCAC 63 .0211
- N.C.G.S. § 90B-7
- N.C.G.S. § 90B-3
- 21 NCAC 54 .2009
- 21 NCAC 54 .2005
- N.C.G.S. § 90-270.139
Accrue is a record-keeping aid and is not affiliated with any licensing board, accreditor or school. Rules change; confirm the requirements that apply to you with the authority that sets them before you rely on a figure.