New Hampshire Counselor License Exam
To get licensed in New Hampshire Professional Counselors are required to take an exam covering such subjects as assessment and diagnosis, counseling and psychotherapy, and administration, supervision and consultation. Whether you live in Manchester, Concord, Portsmouth, or another city or county, the resources below will help you get started on the path to receive your Professional Counselor’s license.
Need of a License: A license is needed to work as a counselor in New Hampshire. Licenses are granted by the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice.
To qualify to become a licensed professional counselor in New Hampshire, the following must be met:
- Obtain a graduate degree in counseling from an accredited school meeting credit limits.
- Meet supervised clinical experience requirements of 3,000 hours of postgraduate professional
- An applicant must earn a passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE)
How to Apply for Licensure
An application for licensure and other documentation can be obtained online. All documents must be sent to:
New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice
121 South Fruit Street
Concord, NH 03301
603-271-6762
Test content of the NCMHCE
The test format comprises of 12 to 14 case studies. Each case study is followed by 10 multiple-choice questions, divided into counseling phases: the intake and assessment phase, the first follow-up counseling session, and the second follow-up counseling session. Candidates will have one hour and 45 minutes to complete the exam.
Six different counseling domains will be addressed throughout these case simulations, to include:
- Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis
- Treatment Planning
- Counseling Skills and Interventions
- Professional Practice and Ethics
- Core Counseling Attributes
- Areas of Clinical Focus, which is the given information provided in each case study
For more information, see the NCMHCE Candidate Handbook.
How to Apply to Take the Exam
Apply online to take the NCMHCE.
License Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements
To renew a license, regulations require 40 clock hours of continuing education in acceptable courses and programs. This must include six hours in professional ethics.
