Over 55,000 counselors work in New York, with the largest share in substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counseling, and the next largest in educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors (23,380).1-5 If you are considering counseling as a career, it is important to note that licensure is mandatory, and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) oversees many of these licensure processes, including Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Continue reading to learn more about how to earn counseling licensure in New York.

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How to Become a Counselor in New York

To become a licensed counselor in New York, you will likely need a graduate degree in counseling and extensive clinical training from an accredited institution. There are many counseling schools in New York offering master’s and doctoral degrees that meet the state’s specific licensure requirements. Many common counseling career paths, such as Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), require licensure that is issued by state bodies. To learn more about the various licensure processes for New York counselors, continue reading the guide below.

1. Choose your preferred area of counseling.

Counselors can work with many different populations and develop expertise in specific areas, such as family therapy, psychotherapy, and behavior modification. Take time to learn about the many opportunities available in each counseling field and choose an area that interests you most, as licensure requirements can vary significantly.

2. Earn the degree(s) required for your counseling practice area.

Most New York counselor licenses require a college or university degree from an accredited institution before beginning the licensure process. The requirements vary. LMHCs and LMFTs must have a graduate degree at either the master’s or doctoral level. For their Initial Certificate, school counselors need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA and 48 hours of graduate coursework, but for their Professional Certificate, they must have a master’s degree. Those wishing to become Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors (CASACs) can start this process with a high school diploma or equivalent and may choose to complete a degree while working toward full licensure.

3. Get licensed to practice counseling in New York.

After completing the necessary education, you can apply to the appropriate licensing body to begin the licensure process. For LMHCs and LMFTs, licensure is issued by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of the Professions (OP). School counselors follow a different path to certification via the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of Teaching Initiatives. Professional counselors working in the area of substance abuse are certified by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) as Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors (CASACs). Other types of counseling professionals may be licensed through other state organizations.

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Licensing Process

In New York, Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) can assess and provide treatment to individuals or groups suffering from psychological, behavioral, developmental, or emotional issues. This includes providing psychotherapy along with other interventions and services. You can read more about what professional counselors do on our mental health counselor career guide. The best and most affordable programs in the state that prepare graduates to become LMHCs are featured on our mental health counseling programs in New York page.

In New York, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of the Professions (OP) issues licenses for LMHCs. To become an LMHC, you must be at least 21 years old and have an approved 60-semester-hour licensure-qualifying master’s degree or higher in mental health counseling or a degree from a program that satisfies the education requirements equivalent to an approved program. A minimum one-year (at least 600 clock hours) supervised internship or practicum in mental health counseling must be completed as part of your degree program, and you must also complete mandated training related to child abuse. The OP also offers a checklist to help applicants understand licensure requirements.

In addition to obtaining the appropriate educational background, applicants must:

1. Apply for an LMHC Limited Permit.

During your final semester or after completing the degree requirements, the next step in achieving full licensure is to submit your application for an LMHC Limited Permit. It is necessary to apply for a Limited Permit so you can complete the remaining required clinical training. Current fees are listed on the Office of the Professions fee schedule. The Limited Permit is good for 24 months and can be extended for a maximum of two additional 12-month periods at the NYSED’s discretion. The application and Certification of Supervisor for Limited Permit forms are available online.

2. Accrue supervised experience.

Once you have completed your master’s degree, you must accrue 3,000 hours of supervised counseling experience in an approved setting with an average of one hour of supervision per week. At least 1,500 of these hours must be in direct contact with clients providing clinical services. Supervision must be provided by an individual licensed in New York in mental health counseling, psychology, or clinical social work, or a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, or physician’s assistant with demonstrated competence in mental health counseling. The hours can be gained in many different types of settings, such as a hospital or clinic, but the setting must be approved by the OP.

3. Apply for LMHC licensure and permission to test.

When you are ready to sit the licensing exam, you can submit your application for LMHC licensure along with the Form 2, Certification of Professional Education, Form 4, Applicant Experience Record, and Form 4B, Certification of Supervised Experience to the OP online in order to receive approval. This application can be submitted at the same time as the Limited Permit application if desired. Current fees are listed on the Office of the Professions fee schedule.

4. Pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE).

All LMHC applicants are required to pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE) offered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). The NCMHCE tests your professional knowledge of mental health counseling through 11 case studies. A handbook is provided by the NBCC and online study guides are available for purchase to help you prepare. If you need testing accommodations, you must request them from NYSED and wait for approval before scheduling the exam; if you schedule before your request is processed, you may lose your examination fee.

5. Receive your LMHC license.

Once you receive your LMHC license, you can use the title of “Licensed Mental Health Counselor” and provide independent services.

LMHC Licensure by Endorsement in New York

Any licensure applicant who is or was licensed in another state must have each licensing authority submit a Verification of Other Professional Licensure/Certification (Form 3) to NYSED; however, New York does not offer licensure by reciprocity to counseling professionals working in other states. If you have five years of professional experience as a licensed counselor in the last 10 years, you may be able to submit an application for licensure by endorsement. You will need to submit an Endorsement Applicant Experience Record form (Form 4E) along with your application, and a licensed colleague must complete Form 4F, Certification of Licensed Experience. Licensure by endorsement applicants must be at least 21 years old, have at least a master’s degree in counseling or a closely related field, have completed supervised experience that qualified you for licensure in your original state, and have passed the NCMHCE. No other examination is accepted. If you are licensed in another state but do not meet these requirements, you must apply as a general applicant.

Counselor License Renewal and Continuing Education Information

Renewal information will be given to you when you receive your license. LMHC licenses must be renewed every three years during your month of birth and can be completed online or by mail. With the exception of the first three-year cycle, LMHCs must complete 36 hours of approved continuing education during each renewal cycle, including at least 3 hours in appropriate professional boundaries. No more than 12 of the 36 hours may be completed through self-study courses. NYSED provides a list of approved continuing education providers online.

The Counseling Compact in New York

The Counseling Compact allows counselors licensed in one member state to practice in other member states without applying for a separate license in each. It began issuing privileges to practice in late 2025. Most US states have now enacted it, though not all are issuing privileges yet.6

New York is not a member. Legislation to join has been introduced but has not passed. For counselors licensed elsewhere, this means a Compact privilege does not authorize practice in New York, and for New York licensees it means a New York license does not carry Compact privileges into member states. Counselors licensed in another state who want to practice in New York should apply for licensure through the Office of the Professions instead, by endorsement if they have five years of licensed experience in the last 10 years. Check the Counseling Compact website for current membership before relying on a privilege.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Licensing Process

In New York, LMFTs must be at least 21 years old and complete various education and training requirements. An approved master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or an allied health field with significant training in marriage and family therapy is required. Licenses are issued by the NYSED Office of the Professions (OP), and current fees are listed on the Office of the Professions fee schedule. LMFTs provide assessment and treatment services to individuals, partners, and families experiencing dysfunctional relationships or mental health issues.

The LMFT licensure process requires candidates to:

  1. Apply online for an LMFT Limited Permit to begin accruing supervised experience.
  2. Accrue 1,500 hours of supervised direct clinical experience, with an average of one hour per week or two hours every other week of face-to-face individual or group supervision, documented on the Certification of Supervised Experience.
  3. Submit an LMFT application online and request permission to test.
  4. Take and pass the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) Marital and Family Therapy (MFT) Examination.
  5. Receive your LMFT license.

More information about careers in marriage and family therapy can be found in our LMFT career guide.

School Counselor Licensing Process

School counselors in New York are certified, rather than licensed, by the NYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives under the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) title. In 2023, New York replaced the former Provisional and Permanent school counselor certificates with two tiers: the Initial School Counselor certificate, which is valid for five years, and the Professional School Counselor certificate, which is continuously valid. School counselors can work with students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 on personal, educational, behavioral, and career goals.

Most candidates qualify for the Initial certificate through one of two pathways:

  • Approved program: Complete a New York State registered school counselor program, listed on NYSED’s Inventory of Registered Programs. Your institution then recommends you for certification online.
  • Individual evaluation: Hold a bachelor’s degree and complete 48 semester hours of graduate coursework in school counseling across eight required content areas, including a 100-clock-hour college-supervised practicum and a 600-clock-hour college-supervised internship in a K-12 school. Candidates on this pathway need a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in the program behind any degree used to meet the requirements.

To earn the Initial certificate:

  1. Complete an approved program or the individual evaluation coursework and field experience described above.
  2. Pass the School Counselor Content Specialty Test (CST), which has been required since February 26, 2024.
  3. Complete workshops in Child Abuse Identification, School Violence Intervention and Prevention, and the Dignity For All Students Act (DASA).
  4. Complete fingerprint clearance.
  5. Apply for your Initial School Counselor certificate online.

To advance to the Professional certificate:

  1. Earn a master’s degree or higher, with a total of 60 semester hours of graduate school counseling coursework (the 48 hours for the Initial certificate plus at least 12 more).
  2. Complete three years of school counseling experience in New York public or nonpublic schools, or the equivalent, and submit a Verification of Experience form.
  3. If any of that experience is in a New York public school, complete a mentored program during your first year of employment.
  4. Apply online. Candidates progressing from the Initial certificate do not need to retake the CST, and the Professional certificate is not subject to CTLE requirements.

Learn more about what school counselors do by reading our school counseling career guide.

Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) Licensing Process

In New York, individuals who provide assessment, treatment, and intervention services for people with substance use disorders must be credentialed as Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors (CASACs) by the New York Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). OASAS issues the CASAC alongside two entry routes: the CASAC-Trainee (CASAC-T) and the CASAC-Provisional (CASAC-P). A high school diploma is the minimum education requirement for the CASAC itself, and a bachelor’s or master’s degree in an approved human services field opens the CASAC-P route. As a CASAC-Trainee, you can look for employment as a junior counselor or similar role and continue to accumulate the remaining clinical work experience needed for the full credential. Note that the CASAC is a credential rather than a license, so it is not issued by the Office of the Professions.

In general, you can apply for the CASAC credential by following these steps:

  1. If desired, apply for the CASAC-Trainee (CASAC-T) credential once you have completed the 350 clock hours of required education and training, or 4,000 hours of approved work experience together with 85 clock hours of substance use disorder education and 15 hours of addiction-specific ethics training.
  2. Complete 6,000 hours of work experience. (An associate’s degree may substitute for up to 1,000 hours of work experience; a bachelor’s degree may substitute for up to 2,000 hours of work experience; and a master’s degree or higher may substitute for up to 4,000 hours of work experience.)
  3. Complete the mandatory one-time training requirements, which include Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT), NYS mandated reporter training, and 15 hours of ethics for addiction professionals.
  4. Submit your application packet to OASAS.
  5. Take the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium’s (IC&RC) Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam.
  6. Receive your CASAC credential in the mail.

Optional Substance Abuse Counseling Credentials Offered in New York

In addition to the credentials listed above, the OASAS also offers several other credentials for prospective substance abuse professionals in New York. These credentials do not qualify you to work as a CASAC, but may interest those working in prevention or problem gambling services.

  • Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP)
  • Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPS)
  • Credentialed Problem Gambling Counselor (CPGC)

For more information about what it’s like to be a substance abuse counselor, take a look at our substance abuse counseling career guide.

Other Professional Counseling Careers

The roles below follow more varied pathways. Some are not licensed as counselors in every state, and credentials can differ by employer, setting, or specialty, so we don’t present a single set of steps here. Examples of other counseling career pathways include:

  • Rehabilitation Counselor
  • Gambling Counselor
  • Genetic Counselor
  • Youth Counselor
  • Guidance Counselor
  • Pastoral Counselor
  • Recreational Therapist

New York Counseling Career and Salary Information

There are 55,200 counselors working in New York across a range of counseling positions according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).1-5 New York ranks third in the country for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors (23,380) and fourth for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (26,770).1,3 The average annual salary for counselors in New York ranges from $52,370 for rehabilitation counselors to $77,210 for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors.3,4

Many counselors work in the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area, which employs more educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors (19,890) than any other metropolitan area in the country, and ranks second for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (26,200), third for marriage and family therapists (2,800), and fifth for both rehabilitation counselors (2,800) and counselors, all other (820).1-5

Every counseling occupation with published projections is expected to grow faster in New York than nationally through 2034.7 Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors lead on both growth rate (18.6%) and total new jobs (4,920), with 2,710 average annual openings.7 Counselors in the “all other” category are projected to grow 15.3%, educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors 5.1% for 1,450 new positions, and rehabilitation counselors 3.8%.7 Projections Central does not publish a New York projection for marriage and family therapists.7

OccupationNumber Employed1-5Average Annual Salary1-5US Average Annual Salary1-5
Counselors, All Other470$60,200$58,210
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors23,380$77,210$71,430
Marriage and Family Therapists770$67,260$76,960
Rehabilitation Counselors3,810$52,370$51,820
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors26,770$64,040$64,440

See Table Notes at bottom of page.

Counseling Associations in New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best degree program to become an LMHC in New York?

To become an LMHC in New York, you need to complete an approved graduate degree program, such as a master’s or doctoral degree in counseling. A list of approved programs can be found online through NYSED’s Inventory of Registered Programs. NYSED also provides specific instructions for using this online database to find the right programs for the LMHC license.

Can I complete an online degree to become a licensed counselor in New York?

Yes, you can complete an online or distance education degree as long as the degree meets the same education requirements applied to on-campus programs. For LMHC and LMFT licensure, if the degree is based in New York, it must be approved by NYSED. If the degree is based in another state, it will be evaluated by NYSED in the same manner as an on-campus out-of-state degree according to the requirements for the type of licensure sought.

Can I work in private practice while I have an LMHC or LMFT Limited Permit?

While you have a Limited Permit, you cannot provide any services in a private practice you own or operate, even with approved supervision. If you would like to complete clinical hours in a private practice owned by your supervisor, the facility must receive prior approval by NYSED as a Department-approved clinical location before you can begin providing services or accruing hours.

Do I need a university degree to work as a licensed counselor in New York?

All of the counseling career paths mentioned above require at least a master’s degree to become licensed (under one pathway, school counselors can get their initial certificate with a bachelor’s degree plus 48 semester hours of graduate coursework, but the professional certificate requires a master’s degree). The only exception is for Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors (CASACs) who can begin working with only a high school diploma or the equivalent. In order to become fully licensed, these types of counselors are still required to take coursework in a number of related subjects and complete extensive clinical training. CASACs must complete 6,000 hours (or three years) of clinical training, but completing any level of degree in a related field can reduce the number of hours required to be eligible for licensure. For example, CASACs with an approved associate’s degree in human services are only required to complete 5,000 hours of clinical training, 4,000 with a bachelor’s degree, and 2,000 with a master’s degree.

What type of job can I get with a degree in counseling?

Seeking New York counseling licensure is one of the career paths open to graduates with a master’s or doctoral degree in counseling. If you plan to become licensed, make sure your degree program is approved by NYSED beforehand using the Inventory of Registered Programs to avoid disappointment during the licensure process. If you have completed an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in counseling, you will need to continue your education with a graduate degree before seeking licensure.

Table Notes:
Employment and wage figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates for May 2025. Projections are Projections Central long-term projections for 2024-2034. Base-year employment in the projections series is produced by a different program than the BLS wage survey and is not directly comparable to the employment column above.

References:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcst.htm
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Marriage and Family Therapists: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcst.htm
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcst.htm
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Rehabilitation Counselors: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcst.htm
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Counselors, All Other: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcst.htm
6. Counseling Compact, member states and privilege status: https://counselingcompact.gov/
7. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections, 2024-2034: https://projectionscentral.org/longterm