The Ohio Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) application is the online form you submit through eLicense.Ohio.gov to ask the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board for permission to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders on your own. It is the step that moves you from a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), who must work under supervision, to a fully independent clinical counselor.
This form matters because one wrong answer or a missing document can freeze your file for weeks while you wait for clients, a paycheck, and a job offer that depends on the license. The Ohio CSWMFT Board licenses tens of thousands of counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists, and supervision or exam paperwork is one of the most common reasons an application stalls. The good news: once you know what each screen wants, the application is short, and you can fix most problems before they ever happen.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- ✅ Exactly what the LPCC application is, who must file it, and the law behind it
- 📋 Every document and number to gather before you log in to eLicense
- 🖊️ A field-by-field walkthrough of the online application with sample entries
- 👥 Three full examples that follow real filers from start to finish
- ⚠️ The mistakes that delay LPCC files and how to dodge each one
What the LPCC Application Is and Who Must File It
The LPCC application is a request for a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor license, the top counseling credential in Ohio. An LPCC may independently diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, while an LPC may only do so under the supervision of an LPCC with a supervision designation (LPCC-S). The license is what lets you open a private practice, bill insurance under your own name, and supervise others once you earn the LPCC-S add-on.
You must file this application if you already hold an Ohio LPC and want to upgrade, if you are finishing your supervised training and are ready to practice on your own, or if you hold a clinical counseling license in another state and want to practice in Ohio. The form is required by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4757 and the Board’s rules in the Ohio Administrative Code, which give the CSWMFT Board the power to set training, exam, and background-check standards. The plain-English version of that law is simple: no one may call themselves an LPCC or practice independently in Ohio without the Board’s sign-off.
The consequence of ignoring this rule is steep. Practicing clinical counseling, diagnosing a client, or billing as an independent counselor without the LPCC license can lead to a cease-and-desist order, fines, and a denial of a future license. A real-world example: a counselor who finishes 3,000 supervised hours but starts billing under her own name before the license is issued risks a complaint that follows her for years. A common misconception is that passing the exam makes you an LPCC. It does not. The license exists only after the Board reviews your application, supervision, exam, and background checks and issues the credential.
There are two application types inside eLicense for this license: Examination and Reciprocity. Most filers choose Examination. Reciprocity applies only when two states have a written agreement, and Ohio holds a reciprocity agreement only with Kentucky, so nearly everyone moving from another state still files under the standard route and proves their out-of-state license that way.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gather everything below before you open the application. The form does not save well if you stop to hunt for a document, and missing items are the top reason an LPCC file sits unfinished on the Board’s review checklist. Set aside about 30 minutes once your papers are in front of you.
- Your legal name as it appears on your ID and transcript. The Board cross-checks your name against your transcript and exam score, and a mismatch creates a hold while staff confirm you are the same person.
- Your Social Security number. eLicense uses it to find or build your account, and an error here can create a duplicate file under the wrong person.
- Your current Ohio LPC license number (if upgrading). This links your LPC record to the new LPCC file so the Board can confirm your training period.
- Your master’s degree details and official transcript. Your degree must come from a CACREP-accredited clinical mental health, clinical rehabilitation, or addiction counseling program, and the conferred-degree transcript proves it.
- Your supervised-experience records. You need at least 24 months, 3,000 hours, and 150 hours of training supervision under an LPCC-S, and your numbers must match what your supervisor enters.
- Your LPCC-S supervisor’s name and license number. Your final supervisor files the online supervision form, so confirm the person and that their LPCC-S is active.
- Your NCMHCE exam plan or score report. As of 2026, the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) is the exam, and you email your passing score to the Board after you test.
- A payment method for the $100 fee plus $3.50 processing fee. The application will not submit without payment, and an expired card stops the file at the last screen.
- Your fingerprinting/background-check plan. You need both BCI and FBI checks sent directly to the Board, and the law blocks issuance until both arrive.
- An out-of-state license verification (if you hold one elsewhere). This proves your standing in another state and supports the upgrade.
If any item is missing, the application can still be started, but it will not finish. The Board cannot issue the license until your transcript, supervision form, exam score, and both background checks all land on your file. Treat this list as a pre-flight check.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
There is no paper LPCC application. The form lives entirely inside eLicense.Ohio.gov, the state’s online licensing portal, and you complete and pay for it there. The official step-by-step is posted on the Board’s LPCC Application Instructions page, which you should keep open in a second tab while you work.
If you already hold an Ohio LPC, you have an eLicense account. Go to the portal, click LOGIN / CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT, then click I HAVE A LICENSE, and enter the security code the Board mailed you. If you never had your code, click OBTAIN SECURITY CODE and the system emails it to the address on file. If you cannot recall that email, use the Forgot Login Email? link to retrieve it.
If you have never held an Ohio license, click I DON’T HAVE A LICENSE instead, complete the form, finish the reCAPTCHA, and confirm your Social Security number when the system asks you to re-enter it. After registration, eLicense sends you to your dashboard, where you manage applications, licenses, and service requests. Technical help for login and navigation is available at (855) 405-5514, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, though those reps cannot answer licensing questions.
A common mistake here is creating a second account because you forgot you already had one from your LPC. That splits your records and delays the match between your LPC and LPCC files. Always recover your existing login before building a new account.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Ohio LPCC Application Line by Line
Work through the screens in the order eLicense presents them. Each field below gets its own walkthrough so you know what it asks, how to answer, and what goes wrong if you slip.
Step 1: Log In and Click “Apply for a New License”
This screen is your launch point. After you log in, your dashboard shows your current licenses and a button that reads APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE.
Click APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE to start a fresh application rather than renewing or updating an existing one. The button sits near the top of the dashboard once you are logged in.
For example, Maria Lopez, an Ohio LPC, logs in, sees her active LPC tile, and clicks APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE to begin her upgrade.
A nuance: if you are mid-way through an earlier draft, eLicense may show a saved application tile instead, and you should reopen that one rather than starting over. Starting a duplicate can split your fee payments across two files.
A common mistake is clicking Renew on your LPC tile by habit, which starts the wrong process and wastes time. The consequence is a renewed LPC and no LPCC application on record. A misconception is that the LPCC is an “add-on” to the LPC tile; it is a separate new-license application, not a renewal.
Step 2: Select the Board – Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board
eLicense hosts dozens of Ohio boards, so this field asks which board you want.
Choose Counselor Social Worker & MFT Board from the drop-down menu. Read the full name before selecting, because nearby options can look similar.
For example, Darnell Pierce opens the drop-down and selects Counselor Social Worker & MFT Board rather than a health or medical board option.
A nuance: if you also hold an unrelated Ohio license, more than one board may appear in your history; pick the counseling board for this form. The drop-down is alphabetical, so scroll carefully.
A common mistake is selecting a similar-sounding board, which routes your application and fee to the wrong agency and forces a refund request. A misconception is that any “counseling” board will do; only the CSWMFT Board licenses LPCCs in Ohio.
Step 3: Choose the License – Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
This field asks which credential you want from the counseling board’s list.
Select Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Do not pick Licensed Professional Counselor, Counselor Trainee, or a social work option.
For example, Aisha Bennett, finishing her supervised hours, selects Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor from the list of counselor licenses.
A nuance: the list also shows the LPCC-S supervision designation, which is a separate later credential, not your first LPCC. Pick the plain LPCC now.
A common mistake is choosing LPC again out of habit, which loops you back into a license you already hold. The consequence is a rejected duplicate and lost time. A misconception is that LPCC and LPCC-S are the same; the “-S” is an add-on you earn after you already hold the LPCC.
Step 4: Pick the Application Type – Examination or Reciprocity
This field asks how you qualify for the license.
Choose Examination if you are taking or have taken the NCMHCE, which covers nearly all filers, including out-of-state counselors. Choose Reciprocity only if you hold an active license in a state with a written reciprocity agreement with Ohio, which currently means only Kentucky.
For example, Janet Cole, a Kentucky-licensed clinical counselor moving to Cincinnati, selects Reciprocity, while Aisha Bennett selects Examination because she trained and tested in Ohio.
A nuance: holding a license in another state does not by itself mean Reciprocity. In eLicense, Reciprocity is reserved for states with that formal agreement, so most out-of-state filers still choose Examination and verify their outside license separately.
A common mistake is choosing Reciprocity because you are licensed in, say, Michigan, which has no agreement with Ohio. The consequence is an ineligibility message and a restart. A misconception is that any out-of-state license unlocks Reciprocity; only Kentucky qualifies today.
Step 5: Confirm Your Personal and Contact Information
This screen pulls your name, address, phone, and email from your account and asks you to confirm or update each.
Enter your full legal name as it appears on your Social Security card and transcript, in all the boxes provided, and update your mailing address, phone, and email so the Board can reach you. Use a current email you check daily, because your exam eligibility letter arrives there.
For example, Maria Lopez confirms her name as MARIA LOPEZ, updates her address to 482 Maple St., Columbus, OH 43215, and lists maria.lopez@email.com as her contact.
A nuance: if you use a P.O. Box, list it as your mailing address but be ready to give a physical address if the form requests one for the background check. A name change after marriage means your transcript may read differently, so upload proof of the name change if asked.
A common mistake is entering a nickname or maiden name that does not match your transcript, which triggers a hold while staff confirm identity. The consequence is days or weeks of delay. A misconception is that small spelling differences “won’t matter”; the Board cross-checks names against SSA and transcript records, so they do.
Step 6: Answer the Eligibility and Supervised-Experience Questions
This is the heart of the form. eLicense asks whether you have completed your supervised experience and meet the LPCC requirements.
Answer Yes to the questions about completing your supervised experience if you have finished, or plan to finish, your 24 months, 3,000 hours, and 150 hours of training supervision. You may apply before your supervisor submits the online supervision form, but you must answer Yes here or the system will tell you that you are not eligible and block the application.
For example, Aisha Bennett, who logged 26 months and 3,100 hours under her LPCC-S, answers Yes to each experience question.
A nuance: if you have a doctorate in counseling, you may claim up to one year of supervised practice from a clinical doctoral internship, and your supervisor documents those hours on the supervision form. Remember the cap of 1,500 work hours claimed in any 12-month period.
A common mistake is answering No because your supervisor has not yet submitted the form, which stops the application cold. The consequence is that you cannot proceed at all. A misconception is that Yes means the hours are already verified; it means you attest they are complete, and your supervisor’s form proves it later.
Step 7: Answer the Legal and Disciplinary Questions
This screen asks about criminal history, prior discipline, and license actions in any state.
Answer each legal question truthfully, and if you answer Yes to any, upload a short written explanation and any court or board documents. Honesty matters more than the underlying event for most applicants.
For example, Darnell Pierce, who had a misdemeanor a decade ago, answers Yes and uploads a one-page explanation with the court disposition.
A nuance: a past charge does not automatically deny your license, but failing to disclose it can. The Board weighs honesty, time passed, and relevance to practice.
A common mistake is hiding a minor offense, which the background check then reveals, turning a small issue into a credibility problem. The consequence can be denial for false statements. A misconception is that sealed or expunged matters never need disclosure; read each question carefully, because some require disclosure regardless.
Step 8: Upload or Confirm Your Transcript Status
This field handles proof of your qualifying counseling degree.
Confirm whether the Board already has your official transcript on file. If not, have your school email your conferred-degree transcript to counseling@cswb.ohio.gov, the preferred method, or mail it directly to the Board.
For example, Aisha Bennett sees that the Board lacks her transcript and asks her university registrar to email her official transcript to counseling@cswb.ohio.gov showing her counseling degree conferred.
A nuance: the transcript must show the degree was conferred, not just “in progress.” A transcript sent by you rather than the school may not count as official, so route it through the registrar.
A common mistake is uploading an unofficial student copy, which the Board rejects, leaving your file incomplete. The consequence is a stalled review until an official copy arrives. A misconception is that your old LPC transcript “carries over”; if it is not already on file, you must send it again.
Step 9: Review the NCMHCE Exam Request
Submitting the application generates a request to sit for the NCMHCE and triggers your exam eligibility email.
Plan to be ready to test soon after you apply, because your letter of eligibility is valid for twelve months. Register and pay for the exam only when you are prepared, since fees may be forfeited if you do not test before the letter expires. When you register, make sure you are on the State Licensure ProCounselor page to pay for the correct exam.
For example, Aisha Bennett submits her application, receives her eligibility email two weeks later, and schedules her NCMHCE for the following month.
A nuance: if you are currently licensed because you passed the older PCLE exam by 2006 for your LPC, you are not required to take the NCMHCE for the LPCC. Most filers today do take the NCMHCE.
A common mistake is paying for the exam right away, then losing the fee when life delays the test past the letter’s expiration. The consequence is wasted money and a new request. A misconception is that the eligibility letter never expires; it lapses in twelve months.
Step 10: Pay the $100 Application Fee Plus $3.50 Processing Fee
This screen collects payment and submits your application.
Pay the $100 application fee plus a $3.50 processing fee by credit or debit card to finalize the submission. The application is not filed until payment clears.
For example, Maria Lopez enters her debit card, pays $103.50, and sees a confirmation screen with her application number.
A nuance: keep the on-screen confirmation and the email receipt as your proof of filing. If a card is declined, the application waits unfinished until you pay.
A common mistake is closing the browser before the payment confirmation loads, which can leave the fee unrecorded. The consequence is an unsubmitted application that looks done but is not. A misconception is that the fee is refundable if you change your mind; treat it as non-refundable once paid.
Step 11: Complete the BCI and FBI Background Checks
After submitting, you must complete both the Ohio BCI and the FBI criminal records checks.
Get fingerprinted at a WebCheck location and have the results sent directly to the Board by BCI&I. You need both the BCI and the FBI check, and out-of-state filers follow the Board’s out-of-state fingerprint card instructions.
For example, Janet Cole, moving from Kentucky, uses the out-of-state fingerprint card process so both her BCI and FBI results reach the Ohio Board.
A nuance: the Board cannot finish your application until both checks arrive, so schedule fingerprinting right after you submit, not weeks later. Results sent to you instead of the Board do not count.
A common mistake is completing only the BCI check, which leaves the FBI piece missing and the file open. The consequence is an indefinite hold. A misconception is that a recent background check from a job will satisfy this; the Board requires checks routed directly to it.
Step 12: Have Your Supervisor Submit the Online Supervision Form
Your supervised hours are documented by your LPCC-S, not by you.
Tell your final training supervisor to log in to eLicense and complete the online LPCC Supervision Form documenting your 24 months, 3,000 hours, and 150 supervision hours. As of July 1, 2024, hours not already submitted must be entered by the last supervisor who provided training supervision.
For example, Aisha Bennett’s LPCC-S, Dr. Reyes, logs in and files the supervision form listing 3,100 hours over 26 months.
A nuance: if you had several supervisors over the years, your last supervisor submits the remaining unsubmitted hours. Your supervisor must hold an active LPCC-S and cannot be a family member.
A common mistake is assuming you enter your own hours; you cannot, and an unfiled supervisor form is a frequent reason files stall. The consequence is no license until the form posts. A misconception is that verbal confirmation from a supervisor counts; only the submitted eLicense form does.
Step 13: Email Your Passing Exam Score to the Board
Once you pass the NCMHCE, the Board needs your score in hand.
Email a copy of the score report you received at the testing center to counseling@cswb.ohio.gov, or fax it to (614) 728-7790. Do this as soon as you pass.
For example, Aisha Bennett scans her NCMHCE pass report and emails it to counseling@cswb.ohio.gov the same afternoon she tests.
A nuance: the testing-center report is what the Board wants; do not wait weeks for a different version. If you qualify under the old PCLE exemption, you skip this step.
A common mistake is assuming the testing company sends your score to Ohio automatically; you must send it yourself. The consequence is a complete file held up by a missing score. A misconception is that any score document works; send the official report from the testing center.
Step 14: Watch the Board’s Laws & Rules Video
A required step before issuance is watching the Board’s training video.
Watch the Laws & Rules Video on the Board’s website before your license is issued. You will not get a certificate, and the Board does not track completion, but you are responsible for the content.
For example, Darnell Pierce watches the full Laws & Rules Video the same week he applies so the step is out of the way.
A nuance: because there is no proof of completion, no document uploads here; it is on your honor. Watching it early helps you understand the rules you will practice under.
A common mistake is skipping the video because nothing tracks it, which means you miss rules that govern your daily work. The consequence is risk of a future violation. A misconception is that you must upload proof; there is no certificate to submit.
Step 15: Track Your Application Status
After everything is submitted, you monitor the file.
Click Review Status under Options on your application tile in eLicense. The review checklist shows whether the Board has your background checks, transcript, supervision hours, and exam score.
For example, Maria Lopez checks Review Status weekly and sees her supervision form still pending, so she nudges her supervisor.
A nuance: the checklist is your best early-warning system; a single “not received” item is what holds your license. Check it often in the weeks after filing.
A common mistake is assuming “submitted” means “done” and never checking the list. The consequence is a file that sits for months over one missing item. A misconception is that the Board will always email you about a missing item; the checklist is the reliable source.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Below are three of the most common LPCC filers, each followed through the application. Use the table that matches your situation.
Example 1: New Graduate Applying by Examination
Aisha Bennett finished a CACREP master’s, earned her LPC, and just completed her supervised hours. She files under Examination.
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| Apply for a new license | Clicks APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE on her dashboard |
| Board selection | Counselor Social Worker & MFT Board |
| License | Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor |
| Application type | Examination |
| Name and contact | AISHA BENNETT, current address, daily-use email |
| Supervised experience question | Yes — 26 months, 3,100 hours, 150+ supervision hours |
| Legal questions | No to all disciplinary questions |
| Transcript | Asks registrar to email conferred transcript to the Board |
| Payment | Pays $103.50 by debit card |
| After filing | Schedules NCMHCE, completes BCI and FBI checks |
Example 2: Existing Ohio LPC Upgrading to LPCC
Maria Lopez has held her Ohio LPC for three years and worked two years under an LPCC-S. She upgrades.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Login | Uses I HAVE A LICENSE with her existing account |
| Apply for a new license | Clicks APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE, not Renew |
| Board selection | Counselor Social Worker & MFT Board |
| License | Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor |
| Application type | Examination |
| Supervised experience question | Yes — 24 months, 3,000 hours under LPCC-S |
| Transcript | Already on file from her LPC application |
| Payment | Pays $103.50 |
| Supervision form | Her final LPCC-S submits the online supervision form |
| Exam | Emails NCMHCE pass report to counseling@cswb.ohio.gov |
Example 3: Out-of-State Counselor (Kentucky Reciprocity)
Janet Cole holds an active Kentucky clinical counseling license and moves to Cincinnati. She uses the only true reciprocity route Ohio offers.
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Login | Uses I DON’T HAVE A LICENSE to build a new account |
| Apply for a new license | Clicks APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE |
| Board selection | Counselor Social Worker & MFT Board |
| License | Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor |
| Application type | Reciprocity (Kentucky agreement) |
| Name and contact | JANET COLE, new Ohio address, daily-use email |
| Out-of-state license | Provides active Kentucky license details |
| Legal questions | Answers truthfully, uploads explanation if needed |
| Background checks | Uses out-of-state fingerprint card for BCI and FBI |
| Payment | Pays $103.50 |
How to File the Completed LPCC Application
The LPCC application is filed online only, through one channel, with supporting documents arriving by a few different routes.
- Online portal (the application itself). File at eLicense.Ohio.gov. The fee is $100 plus a $3.50 processing fee, paid by credit or debit card. Processing depends on how fast your transcript, supervision form, exam score, and background checks arrive, so the application is “submitted” instantly but “complete” only when every checklist item lands. Keep the on-screen confirmation and email receipt as your proof of filing.
- Email (transcript and exam score). Have your school email your official transcript, and email your NCMHCE score report, to counseling@cswb.ohio.gov. There is no separate fee. Save the sent email as proof.
- Fax (exam score alternative). You may fax your exam score report to (614) 728-7790 instead of emailing it. Keep the fax confirmation page.
- Fingerprinting (background checks). Complete BCI and FBI checks through a WebCheck provider in Ohio, or by fingerprint card if out of state, and have results sent directly to the Board. Fees are set by the fingerprinting vendor, not the Board. Keep your fingerprinting receipt.
- Supervision form (your LPCC-S). Your final supervisor files the online LPCC Supervision Form inside eLicense at no cost to you. Confirm with your supervisor that it shows as submitted.
Track everything through Review Status under Options on your application tile. That checklist is your single proof that each piece arrived.
What Happens After You File
Once you submit and pay, eLicense generates your request to sit for the NCMHCE and emails you a letter of eligibility valid for twelve months. You schedule and pass the exam, email your score to the Board, complete both background checks, and your LPCC-S files the supervision form. Each item lands on your Review Status checklist as it arrives.
The Board reviews your file only when it is complete. That means all four pieces — transcript, supervision hours, exam score, and both background checks — must be on record. A single missing item, often the supervisor’s form or the FBI check, is what keeps most files waiting, so check your status list and follow up fast.
When everything checks out, the Board issues your LPCC and your license appears in your eLicense dashboard and on the public license lookup. From that moment you may independently diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, bill under your own name, and begin earning toward the LPCC-S supervision designation if that is your goal. A common misconception is that you can practice independently the moment you pass the exam; you may not, because the license exists only after the Board issues it.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Clicking Renew on your LPC tile. This starts the wrong process, and you end up with no LPCC application on record.
- Creating a duplicate eLicense account. It splits your records and delays the match between your LPC and LPCC files.
- Choosing Reciprocity without a Kentucky license. You get an ineligibility message and must restart under Examination.
- Answering No to the supervised-experience question. The system blocks the application and you cannot proceed.
- Entering a name that does not match your transcript. It triggers an identity hold while staff confirm you are the same person.
- Uploading an unofficial transcript. The Board rejects it and your file stays incomplete.
- Assuming you enter your own supervision hours. Only your LPCC-S can file the form, and an unfiled form stalls the license.
- Forgetting to email your exam score. The testing company does not send it for you, so the file waits on a missing score.
- Completing only the BCI check. The missing FBI check leaves the file on indefinite hold.
- Paying for the exam too early. You may forfeit the fee if you do not test before the twelve-month letter expires.
- Closing the browser before payment confirms. The fee may not record, leaving an application that looks filed but is not.
- Never checking Review Status. A single “not received” item can hold your license for months unnoticed.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Do recover your existing eLicense login before applying, because a duplicate account splits your records.
- Do match your name exactly to your transcript and ID, since the Board cross-checks names and a mismatch causes a hold.
- Do confirm your LPCC-S is active and ready to file the supervision form, because your hours count only through that form.
- Do schedule fingerprinting right after you submit, since both BCI and FBI checks must reach the Board before issuance.
- Do save every receipt and confirmation, because they are your only proof of filing if something goes missing.
- Do check Review Status weekly, because the checklist is the reliable way to spot a missing item early.
Don’t:
- Don’t pay for the NCMHCE until you are ready, because the eligibility letter expires in twelve months and fees can be forfeited.
- Don’t answer No to the experience question if you plan to finish your hours, because it blocks the whole application.
- Don’t hide a past legal issue, since the background check reveals it and nondisclosure can mean denial.
- Don’t upload a student copy of your transcript, because only an official, school-sent copy counts.
- Don’t assume passing the exam licenses you, because only the Board’s issuance does.
- Don’t ignore the Laws & Rules Video, because you are responsible for the rules even without a completion certificate.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Most LPCC filers complete the application themselves, but some lean on their supervisor, employer, or a licensing consultant. Here is how the two approaches compare.
Pros of filing on your own:
- You save money, because you pay only the $103.50 in fees and no consultant charge.
- You control the timeline, since you submit the moment your hours and documents are ready.
- You learn the system, which helps when you later renew or apply for the LPCC-S.
- You catch your own errors fast, because you watch your own Review Status checklist.
- You keep your records in one place, under a single login you manage.
Cons of filing on your own:
- You carry the full burden of accuracy, and one wrong field can cause a hold.
- You must chase your own supervisor and school, which feels awkward when documents are late.
- You may misread the Reciprocity vs. Examination choice, since the difference is not obvious.
- You can miss the twelve-month exam-letter clock, and forfeit fees if you delay.
- You have no second set of eyes on legal or disciplinary disclosures, where mistakes are costly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the LPCC application filed online?
Yes. The LPCC application is completed and paid for only through eLicense.Ohio.gov; there is no paper version of the form for this license.
Is there a paper option for the LPCC application?
No. Ohio does not offer a mail-in LPCC application, though supporting documents like transcripts and exam scores can be sent by email or fax.
Do I choose Examination or Reciprocity in the application type field?
No, not Reciprocity unless you hold an active Kentucky license, because Ohio’s only reciprocity agreement is with Kentucky; everyone else chooses Examination.
Do I answer Yes to the supervised-experience question if my supervisor hasn’t filed the form yet?
Yes. You may apply before the form is filed, but you must answer Yes about completing your experience or the system blocks your application.
Do I enter my own supervised hours on the form?
No. Your final LPCC-S supervisor enters your hours on the online LPCC Supervision Form inside eLicense; you cannot record them yourself.
Do I write my maiden name or current legal name in the name field?
Yes, use your current legal name as it appears on your ID and transcript, and upload proof if a name change makes your transcript read differently.
Is the NCMHCE the required exam in 2026?
Yes. The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination is the LPCC exam, unless you passed the older PCLE by 2006 for a current LPC license.
Do I need both BCI and FBI background checks?
Yes. The Board cannot issue your LPCC until both the Ohio BCI and the FBI criminal records checks are sent directly to it.
Is the application fee refundable if I change my mind?
No. Treat the $100 fee plus $3.50 processing fee as non-refundable once your payment clears in eLicense.
Do I send my exam score to the Board myself?
Yes. Email your testing-center score report to counseling@cswb.ohio.gov or fax it to (614) 728-7790; the testing company does not send it for you.
Is my old LPC transcript automatically on file for the LPCC?
No, not always; if the Board does not already have it, have your school send your official conferred-degree transcript again.
Do I get a certificate for watching the Laws & Rules Video?
No. The Board does not issue proof or track completion, but you are still responsible for knowing the rules in the video.
Is twelve months the window to take the NCMHCE after applying?
Yes. Your letter of eligibility is valid for twelve months, and you may forfeit exam fees if you do not test before it expires.
Do I need 3,000 hours and 24 months of supervision to qualify?
Yes. You need at least 24 months, 3,000 hours, and 150 hours of training supervision under an LPCC-S, with no more than 1,500 hours claimed per year.
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