Substance Abuse Counselor Licensure By State Guide
Substance abuse counselors are included under the wider umbrella of addiction counselors, who typically must be licensed to practice. Licensure ensures that counselors have the skills, knowledge, and experience to provide quality treatments for addictions in clinical settings. Substance abuse counselor requirements tend to vary more by state than other professional counseling roles. This guide provides the typical steps to licensure and clarifies state requirements for substance abuse counselor licensure and certification with a detailed table.
Table of Contents
- Difference Between Licensure and Certification
- Certification Requirements by State
- Steps to Certification
- National Certifications
- License Reciprocity
- Related Articles
- Frequently Asked Questions
- A substance abuse counselor license is a state-issued credential that allows a counselor to work within a defined practice area. A license is a legal privilege to practice, as long as the person holding the license follows state rules.
- Substance abuse counselor certification can mean a state-issued credential or a certification from a national professional organization. Many people use “certification” in place of “licensure” when talking about credentials.
- Some states use “certification” in place of, or interchangeably with, “licensure” for certain categories of counselors. The term sometimes distinguishes counselors with less than a master’s degree from master’s-level counselors, who typically have expanded practice privileges.
- In contrast to state certification, national certification on its own is not a legal right to practice. However, in many states, national certification is a key part of the credentialing process.
- Earn the minimum required education for your state. Some states recognize a high school diploma or an associate or bachelor’s degree for the entry-level credential for substance abuse professionals if the applicant has completed acceptable counselor education, such as a certificate program or specific college coursework. In most states, you need at least a master’s degree for independent practice.
- Pass a background check. The timing of your background check may vary based on license and supervised experience requirements, but you’ll typically undergo a full state and national background check at least once during the certification process.
- Complete supervised experience. Most types of substance abuse counselor certification require at least some supervised counseling experience. As a general rule, the more advanced the license, the more supervision you must complete.
- Apply for a license. You’ll apply for your license through the appropriate state board. Most states use an online application.
- Pass your state’s required tests for addiction professionals. States may have their own exams or use nationally recognized tests, such as those from the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). The state board must give you permission to take the exam before you’ll be allowed to register.
- Keep your license current. After it’s issued, you’ll need to renew your license periodically. Expect to complete continuing education as part of the renewal process.
- IC&RC: Offers credentials including Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC), Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC), Prevention Specialist (PS), Certified Criminal Justice Addictions Professional (CCJP), Peer Recovery (PR), and Peer Recovery-Associate (PR-A)
- National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Offers the Master Addictions Counselor (MAC) certification
- National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP): Offers certifications including National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level I (NCAC I), National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II (NCAC II), Master Addiction Counselor (MAC)
- American Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders (American Academy): Offers the Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS) credential
- Counseling Schools and Programs Guide
- Guide to Counseling Licensure
- Substance Abuse Counseling Degree and Licensure Guide
- Substance Abuse Counselor Career Guide
What Is the Difference Between Licensure and Certification?
The differences between licensure and certification can be confusing, especially because the way the terms are used can vary by state. “Certification” is also used as a general term for the state credentialing process, even in states where the term “licensure” is preferred. The following definitions can help you understand the way these concepts work in practice.
Addiction Counselor Certification Requirements by State
The table below outlines the minimum educational requirements for a substance abuse counselor license or credential by state.
Table notes:
— No license associated with this degree level.
* Typically supervised practice.
** No license is required to practice in this state, but you must hold an acceptable national certification from a recognized organization.
^ At least 60 credits toward a bachelor’s degree.
| State | HS Diploma/GED | Associate’s Degree | Bachelor’s Degree | Master’s Degree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | — | — | — | — |
| Alaska | Counselor Technician*; Chemical Dependency Counselor I (CDC I)*; Chemical Dependency Counselor II (CDC II) | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | Licensed Substance Abuse Technician (LSAT)* | Licensed Associate Substance Abuse Counselor (LASAC)* | Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor (LISAC) |
| Arkansas | — | — | Licensed Associate Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor (LAADAC)* | Licensed Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC) |
| California | ** | — | — | — |
| Colorado | Certified Addiction Technician (CAT)* | — | Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS)* | Licensed Addiction Counselor (ACD) |
| Connecticut | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | — | — | Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) |
| Delaware | — | — | — | Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional (LCDP) |
| Florida | Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC)* | — | Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) | Master’s Level Certified Addiction Professional (MCAP) |
| Georgia | ** | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | Certified Substance Abuse Counselors (CSAC) | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | Advanced Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ACADC) |
| Illinois | Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor (CADC) | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | Licensed Addiction Counselor Associate (LACA)*; Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) | Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor Associate (LCACA)*; Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor (LCAC) |
| Iowa | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)*; International Alcohol and Drug Counselor (IADC)* | — | — | International Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (IAADC) |
| Kansas | — | — | Licensed Addiction Counselors (LAC)* | Licensed Masters Addiction Counselor (LMAC)*; Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor (LCAC) |
| Kentucky | — | — | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor Associate (LCADCA)*; Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) |
| Louisiana | Registered Addiction Counselor (RAC)* | — | Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC)* | Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) |
| Maine | Alcohol and Drug Counseling Aide (ADCA)*; Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) | — | — |
| Maryland | — | Alcohol and Drug Trainee (ADT)*; Certified Supervised Counselor-Alcohol and Drug (CSC-AD)* | Certified Associate Counselor-Alcohol and Drug (CAC-AD)* | Licensed Graduate Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LGADC)*; Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) |
| Massachusetts | Certified Alcoholism Counselor (CAC)*; Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)*; Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor Assistant (LADCA)*; Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (LADC II)* | — | — | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (CADC II); Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor I (LADC I) |
| Michigan | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | — | — | Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) |
| Minnesota | — | — | Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — | Certified Addiction Therapists(CAT) |
| Missouri | Missouri Associate Alcohol Drug Counselor I (MAADCI)*; Missouri Associate Alcohol Drug Counselor II (MAADCII)*; Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor (CADC)*; Certified Reciprocal Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CRADC)* | — | Registered Alcohol Drug Counselor-Provisional (RADC-P)* | Certified Reciprocal Advanced Alcohol Drug Counselor (CRAADC) |
| Montana | — | Licensed Addiction Counselor Candidate (ACLC); Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) | — | — |
| Nebraska | Provisional Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PLADC); Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor-Intern (CADC-I)*^ | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) | Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC); Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) |
| New Hampshire | Certified Recovery Support Worker (CRSW)* | Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC)* | — | Master Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (MLADC) |
| New Jersey | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | — | Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) | |
| New Mexico | — | Licensed Substance Abuse Associate (LSAA)*; Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC) | — | — |
| New York | Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Trainee (CASAC-T)*; Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)* | Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor 2 (CASAC 2)* | Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC Advanced)* | Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC Master) |
| North Carolina | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Intern (CADC Intern)*; Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | — | — | Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist Associate (LCAS Associate)*; Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS) |
| North Dakota | — | — | Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)*; Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor (LCAC) | Licensed Master Addiction Counselor (LMAC) |
| Ohio | Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant Preliminary (CDCA PRE)*; Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant (CDCA)* | Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor II (LCDC II)* | Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor III (LCDC III)* | Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC) |
| Oklahoma | — | — | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC); Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor/Mental Health Designation (LADC/MH) |
| Oregon | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor I (CADC I)* | — | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (CADC II)* | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor III (CADC III) |
| Pennsylvania | Associate Addiction Counselor (AAC)*; Certified Associate Addiction Counselor (CAAC)* | — | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) |
| Rhode Island | Provisional Alcohol and Drug Counselor (PADC)*; Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | — | — | Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) |
| South Carolina | — | — | — | Licensed Addictions Counselor Associate (LAC Associate)*; Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC) |
| South Dakota | Addiction Counselor Trainee (ACT)*; Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC)* | — | — | Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) |
| Tennessee | Level I Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (Level I LADAC)* | — | Level II Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (Level II LADAC) | — |
| Texas | Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor I (LCDC-I)* | Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) | — | — |
| Utah | — | Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselor Intern (CSUDCI)*; Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselor (CSUDC)*; Licensed Substance Use Disorder Counselor (LSUDC)* | Certified Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor Intern (CASUDCI)*; Certified Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor (CASUDC)*; Licensed Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor (LASUDC) | — |
| Vermont | — | Apprentice Addiction Professional (AAP)* | Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)* | Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADC) |
| Virginia | Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Assistant (CSAC-A)* | — | Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC)* | Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP) |
| Washington | — | Substance Use Disorder Professional Trainee (SUDPT)*; Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP) | — | — |
| Washington DC | — | Certified Addiction Counselor I (CAC I)* | Certified Addiction Counselor II (CAC II) | — |
| West Virginia | Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC)* | — | — | Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) |
| Wisconsin | Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC)* | Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | Certified Addictions Practitioner (CAP)* | Licensed Addictions Therapist (LAT) |
Notes:
— No license associated with this degree level.
* Typically supervised practice.
** No license is required to practice in this state, but you must hold an acceptable national certification from a recognized organization.
^ At least 60 credits toward a bachelor’s degree.
Steps to Substance Abuse Counselor Certification
The process to become a substance abuse counselor varies by state and by license level. In states that have a tiered licensing structure, which means that you can advance to higher levels with education and experience, you may even repeat some steps in this process. In general, the steps to earning a substance abuse counselor license are:
National Certifications for Substance Abuse Counselors
Beyond being a license requirement in some jurisdictions, earning professional certification in addiction counseling can help build your skills and better qualify you for open positions. There are numerous reputable national programs for certifying or credentialing substance abuse counselors. These include:
Substance Abuse Counselor License Reciprocity
If you’re licensed as a substance abuse counselor in one state, you aren’t automatically allowed to practice counseling in other states. However, you may be eligible to transfer your license to another state through a process called reciprocity. The IC&RC reciprocity process can help smooth this transition if you have IC&RC certification and are moving your license between two states that participate in the IC&RC.
If one or both states aren’t IC&RC member boards, you may still be eligible for reciprocity. Visit our counseling license reciprocity guide and your state licensing board for more information.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does a substance abuse counselor do?
A typical substance abuse counselor job description includes tasks such as meeting with clients in recovery to assess their needs, goals, and progress; developing treatment and recovery plans; conducting individual and group therapy sessions; organizing and supervising support groups; helping clients identify their unwanted behaviors and develop balanced response strategies; and collaborating with family members, other healthcare professionals, and organizations to coordinate and help clients access care.
Can you be a substance abuse counselor without a degree?
Degree requirements for substance abuse and addiction counselors vary by state. In some states, you can work as a substance abuse counselor without a degree. However, you must typically be supervised by and/or working for a licensed professional with a master’s degree. States also commonly require certification or credentialing by a professional association if you don’t have a degree.
Do you have to be licensed to work as a substance abuse counselor?
A license isn’t required in all states. However, in states that don’t require licensure, you generally must be certified or credentialed by a recognized agency or organization in order to work as a substance abuse counselor. The scope of practice will vary by state and your education and experience level.
What is the difference between a substance abuse counselor and an addiction counselor?
A substance abuse counselor, sometimes known as a substance use disorder counselor or drug and alcohol counselor, specifically focuses on helping people who struggle with addiction to substances. Substance abuse counselors are addiction counselors, but the term “addiction counselor” can also refer to someone trained to treat other addictions, such as gambling. Some states, including Florida and Nevada, have specific licenses for gambling addiction treatment professionals.
How is an Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor different from a substance abuse counselor?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) sponsors act as peer mentors to sponsees working on recovery by explaining the principles of AA and helping sponsees through the program’s 12 Steps. Peer mentors or sponsors generally don’t need to be certified or licensed because they aren’t providing professional help; their role is to support their sponsees, and they can’t accept payment. In contrast, substance abuse counselors provide professional help to many people, including people in AA and similar programs. Substance abuse counselors are paid for their work and usually have multiple clients.