Counseling Degrees & Licenses in West Virginia

West Virginia licenses Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (Provisional LPC).

The requirements for a Provisional LPC license are:

• A completed application
• A $250 application fee
• Two professional recommendations from professionals in the field of counseling who hold at least a master’s
• Three personal recommendations
• A master’s degree from a CACREP or comparable accredited institution. Programs must be 60 semester-credits of 90 quarter-credits in length and have coursework in 12 core areas and include both a practicum and internship.
• Pass the NCE, NCMHCE, or CRC

To receive a full LPC license, candidates must meet the requirements for a provisional license, as well as complete 3,000 hours and two years of supervised work experience. At least 50 percent of the hours must be in direct contact with clients. There must be one hour of supervision for every 20 hours of practice. Up to 600 hours may be credited for a practicum or internship completed during a master’s degree.

Doctorate holders need to only complete 1,500 hours and one year. Supervision must be continuous with no more than a six-week break.

Both full LPC and provisional licenses in West Virginia must be renewed annually by June 30th. The fee for renewal is $145.

Every two years, counselors must complete 35 continuing education hours. Three of those hours must be in ethics, and two must be related to veterans.

The West Virginia Department of Education issues a student support certificate to school counselors.

The requirements for an initial certificate are:

• Have a master’s degree in counseling from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• Pass a criminal background check
• Complete an approved program for school counselors
• Submit a completed application
• Pay an application fee

• Complete two years of full-time work experience, with one of those years being in a West Virginia school district
• Complete a beginning educator internship program
• Complete six semester credit hours of relevant coursework or have a master’s and a +30 advanced salary classification or be at least 60 years old
• Have a recommendation from the superintendent

The initial school counselor certificate issued in West Virginia is valid for three years.

To renew, applicants must:

• Complete six semester credit hours of relevant coursework or have a master’s and a +30 advanced salary classification or be at least 60 years old
• Submit a completed application
• Pay an application fee

A renewal license is valid for five years. School counselors may apply for a permanent license after two five-year certificates, turning 60 years old, or earning a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification.

West Virginia Certification Board for Addiction and Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP)

The West Virginia Certification Board for Addiction and Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP) certifies Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) and Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC).

ADC certificate candidates must:

• Submit a signed and notarized application
• Pass the ADC exam from IC&RC
• Pay $75 application fee
• Have a total of six years of education and work experience (a minimum of three years of chemical and behavioral dependency related work experience; general work experience in counseling can count for up to three years of experience, or an associate’s counts for 1,000 hours, a bachelor’s for 2,000 hours, and a master’s for 4,000 hours)
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Complete 300 hours of education, of which 70 hours must be addiction specific and six hours must be in ethics
• Complete supervised work experience (ten hours in each of the 12 core functions and hours are based on education: high school graduates need 300 hours, those with associate degrees need 250 hours, those with bachelor’s degrees need 200 hours, and those with master’s degrees need only 100)
• Sign the counselor code of conduct

AADC license candidates must:

• Submit a signed and notarized application
• Pass the AADC exam from IC&RC
• Pay $75 application fee
• Complete 6,000 hours of work experience, of which at least 2,000 hours must be post-graduate
• Have a master’s degree
• Complete 300 hours of education, of which 70 hours must be addiction-specific and six hours must be in ethics
• Complete 100 hours of supervised work experience (10 hours in each of the 12 core functions)
• Sign the counselor code of conduct

Recertification for ADC and AADCs in Virginia is required every two years. Both recertifications cost $175.

Counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle, including six hours of ethics

West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling

West Virginia rehabilitation counselors are either Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) or Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (Provisional LPC).

The requirements for a Provisional LPC license are:

• A completed application
• A $250 application fee
• Two professional recommendations from professionals in the field of counseling who hold at least a master’s
• Three personal recommendations
• A master’s degree from a CACREP or comparable accredited institution. Programs must be 60 semester-credits of 90 quarter-credits in length and have coursework in 12 core areas and include both a practicum and internship.
• Pass the NCE, NCMHCE, or CRC

To receive a full LPC license, candidates must meet the requirements for a provisional license, as well as complete 3,000 hours and two years of supervised work experience. At least 50 percent of the hours must be direct contact with clients. There must be one hour of supervision for every 20 hours of practice. Up to 600 hours may be credited for a practicum or internship completed during a master’s degree.

Doctorate holders need to only complete 1,500 hours and one year. Supervision must be continuous with no more than a six-week break.

Both full LPC and provisional licenses in West Virginia must be renewed annually by June 30th. The fee for renewal is $145.

Every two years, counselors must complete 35 continuing education hours. Three of those hours must be in ethics, and two must be related to veterans.

Currently, there are no state certification or licensing requirements for applied behavior analysts in West Virginia.

However, the 2018 Applied Behavioral Analysis law stipulates that for ABA therapy to be reimbursable by insurance, it must be provided by a BCBA-certified provider.

Those providing ABA therapy in West Virginia who want to bill insurance will need to maintain a BCBA certification and meet those continuing education standards.

West Virginia credentials Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Provisional Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (Provisional LMFT).

The requirements for a Provisional LMFT license are:

• A completed application
• A $250 application fee
• Two professional recommendations from professionals in the field of counseling who hold at least a master’s
• Three personal recommendations
• A Verification of Supervision form
• A master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from a COAMFTE or comparable accredited institution, including a 300-hour practicum
• Passing score on the AMFTRB exam

To receive a full LMFT license, candidates must meet the requirements for a provisional license, as well as:

• Complete 3,000 hours and two years of supervised work experience. At least 50 percent of the hours must be in direct contact with clients. There must be one hour of supervision for every 20 hours of practice. Up to 600 hours may be credited for a practicum or internship completed during a master’s degree. Doctorate holders need to only complete 1,500 hours and one year. Supervision must be continuous with no more than a six-week break.

Both full LMFT and provisional licenses in West Virginia must be renewed annually by June 30th. The fee for a renewal is $145.

Every two years, counselors must complete 35 continuing education hours. Three of those hours must be in ethics, and two must be related to veterans.

West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling

West Virginia child therapists are either Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) or Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (Provisional LPC).

The requirements for a Provisional LPC license are:

• A completed application
• A $250 application fee
• Two professional recommendations from professionals in the field of counseling who hold at least a master’s
• Three personal recommendations
• A master’s degree from a CACREP or comparable accredited institution. Programs must be 60 semester-credits of 90 quarter-credits in length and have coursework in 12 core areas and include both a practicum and internship.
• Pass the NCE, NCMHCE, or CRC
• Supervisor’s Verification and Assessment Form

To receive a full LPC license, candidates must meet the requirements for a provisional license, as well as complete 3,000 hours and two years of supervised work experience. At least 50 percent of the hours must be direct contact with clients. There must be one hour of supervision for every 20 hours of practice. Up to 600 hours may be credited for a practicum or internship completed during a master’s degree.

Doctorate holders need to only complete 1,500 hours and one year. Supervision must be continuous with no more than a six-week break.

Both full LPC and provisional licenses in West Virginia must be renewed annually by June 30th. The fee for renewal is $145.

Every two years, counselors must complete 35 continuing education hours. Three of those hours must be in ethics, and two must be related to veterans.