How to Become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Dakota: Official 2026 Guide

Mental health counseling in North Dakota continues to thrive, with 385 licensed professionals serving state residents as of 2018. The career offers strong financial prospects, with counselors earning an average of $59,880 annually.

The path to becoming a licensed professional counselor in North Dakota has specific requirements. You need a master’s degree in counseling with 60 semester credits and must complete a two-year Plan of Supervision that includes 400 hours of client contact. The next step requires passing the National Counselor Examination before you can apply for associate professional counselor status. Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) certification demands two years of post-master’s clinical experience and successful completion of the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination.

This guide outlines every step you need to take toward licensure, from education requirements to credential maintenance. You’ll find valuable information here whether you’re beginning your career or ready to advance your existing counseling practice in North Dakota.

Types of Licensure in North Dakota

North Dakota has multiple paths to become a licensed professional counselor. Each path fits different career goals and specialties. The North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners (NDBCE) manages three main mental health counseling credentials, while other boards handle specialized counseling areas.

The state recognizes these main types of mental health counselor licenses:

• Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC): Entry-level credential for those who have completed their education but are still accumulating supervised experience
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): Full licensure requiring completed supervision hours
• Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC): Advanced clinical license for those with additional training and experience

You need a master’s degree in counseling to qualify as an LAPC. The rules changed after July 1, 2017 – now all counseling master’s degrees must have 60 semester credits to get a license in North Dakota. The LAPC license works as a temporary credential that lasts two years while you complete full licensure requirements.

Moving up to LPC status takes 100 hours of direct supervision and 400 hours of direct client contact over two years. You’ll need a board-approved Plan of Supervision, and 60 of your supervision hours must be one-on-one.

The LPCC is the highest clinical credential you can earn. You must first become an LPC, then complete 3,000 more hours of post-master’s clinical supervised experience with at least 100 hours of supervision. Since July 2016, these 100 supervision hours must come from an LPCC.

North Dakota also offers specialized counseling licenses beyond mental health counseling:

School Counselor Credentials (SC03) come from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. These let counselors work with students from prekindergarten through grade twelve. You must keep your North Dakota Educator’s Professional License active for these credentials to stay valid. School counselors need to graduate from state-approved counseling programs at one of three schools: North Dakota State University, University of Mary, or University of North Dakota.

The North Dakota Board of Addiction Counselor Examiners handles licenses for both Licensed Addiction Counselors (LAC) and Master’s Licensed Addiction Counselors (MLAC). These professionals focus on substance abuse treatment and counseling.

Each license type needs different renewal requirements. LPCs must renew every two years with 30 hours of continuing education. LPCCs need 40 hours. School counselor credentials last five years and need six semester hours of continuing education, including two hours in counseling. Your career will need ongoing professional development to keep your credentials current.

These various license options create clear professional paths in North Dakota’s counseling world. The process might look complex at first, but each path gives you a clear route to grow professionally while helping North Dakota residents get quality care.

Earn Your Degree

Your counseling career in North Dakota starts with a master’s degree in counseling or a related field. Since July 1, 2017, all counseling master’s degrees need 60 semester credits to qualify for a license.

These four North Dakota schools have counseling master’s programs that meet state license requirements:

• University of North Dakota (UND) – The APA-accredited M.A. in Counseling takes 2-3 years with 60-66 credit hours. Students can choose between on-campus and online formats, with specialized tracks in addiction, school, rehabilitation, child/adolescent, and community counseling.
• North Dakota State University (NDSU) – The CACREP-accredited counselor education program offers specializations in school counseling and clinical mental health counseling. Students need 60 graduate semester credit hours and usually finish in three years.
• University of Mary – The CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Counseling focuses on clinical mental health counseling. Students can complete the program in 20-32 months based on their chosen track. The program blends online courses with weekly in-person or video conference classes.
• University of Jamestown – The Master of Science in Clinical Counseling program has curriculum approval from the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners. Students complete 60 credits in about 24 months.

Whatever school you pick, your coursework must cover these nine key content areas to meet license requirements:

1. Counseling theories
2. Counseling methods
3. Group counseling
4. Individual appraisal or testing
5. Statistics or research methods
6. Human growth and development
7. Social and cultural foundations
8. Career and lifestyle development
9. Professional orientation and ethics

Supervised clinical experience plays a vital role in your education. Programs need a practicum of about 100 hours in an on-campus clinic or community setting, plus an internship of 600-900 hours. NDSU students, to name just one example, complete 100 practicum hours in their Community Counseling Services clinic and 900 internship hours in community centers.

Programs offer specialized tracks that match your career goals. UND’s counseling program focuses on evidence-based practices and multicultural competence. This prepares you to work in mental health centers, rehabilitation offices, addiction treatment clinics, and family service organizations.

After finishing the program, you’ll have the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to pursue your license. Your education becomes the base of your expertise in psychotherapy, mental health counseling, psychology, and crisis intervention techniques that clinical practice demands.

Get Licensed

The path to counseling licensure in North Dakota starts after you get your master’s degree. You’ll need to follow specific steps that include applications, exams, and supervision requirements.

Your journey begins with applying for the Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC) credential. Here’s what you need:

• A completed LAPC application form
• Documentation of your master’s degree from an accredited program
• Evidence of meeting training standards adopted by the Board
• Personal and professional recommendations
• A written plan for supervised experience

The next step after LAPC approval is passing the National Counselor Examination (NCE). Here’s what you should do:

1. Get approval from the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners to take the exam
2. Submit the Licensure Examination Registration Form to the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
3. Pay the examination fee ($275.00)
4. Schedule your exam at either Bismarck or Fargo testing locations in North Dakota, or any Pearson professional center nationwide

You have six months to schedule and complete your exam once registered. The exam runs during the first two to three full weeks each month. You must wait three months before retaking the exam if you don’t pass.

Your next milestone is becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). This happens after you pass the NCE and finish your supervised experience. Requirements include:

• Two years of supervised experience
• Minimum 400 hours of client contact
• 100 hours of direction from an approved supervisor (60 hours must be one-on-one)
• A statement of professional intent to practice
• Successful completion of the National Counselor Examination

The Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) is the highest credential. You’ll need your LPC license first, plus:

• 60 graduate semester credits
• Graduate coursework in psychopathology
• 3,000 hours of post-master’s clinical supervised experience within two years
• 100 hours of supervision from an LPCC (mandatory for applications after July 1, 2016)
• Passing the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE)

Here are the license-related fees:

• LPC/LPCC License Application: $150.00
• LPC License Biennial Renewal: $150.00
• LPC and LPCC Combined Renewal: $225.00

The North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners website provides all necessary forms. These include supervision documents, extension requests, and renewal applications.

Most counselors complete this whole ordeal from application to LPCC licensure in 3-4 years. Your timeline depends on how quickly you complete the supervised experience requirements.

Find Employment

The job market for clinical mental health counselors in North Dakota looks promising. The field expects to see an 18% growth between 2022 and 2032. The state has met only 23.5% of its mental health professional requirements, which creates excellent opportunities for new licensed counselors.

Licensed professional counselors in North Dakota earn $107,908 on average per year. Pay scales vary substantially based on experience, location, and specialization. Mental health counselors make about $52,790 yearly, with starting salaries at $28,840. Experienced professionals can earn up to $64,400.

Location plays a key role in a counselor’s earning potential. Here are the top-paying cities for licensed professional counselors:

• Minot: $116,327 annually
• Grand Forks: $108,949 annually
• Fargo: $108,288 annually
• Bismarck: $107,768 annually
• Williston: $102,454 annually

Clinical mental health counselors work in a variety of settings throughout North Dakota. They find opportunities in mental health centers, rehabilitation offices, addiction treatment clinics, family service organizations, and K-12 schools. The Department of Health and Human Services employs counselors among other professionals such as accountants, eligibility workers, lab assistants, and vocational rehab counselors.

The state offers attractive loan repayment programs to bring qualified mental health professionals to underserved areas. Behavioral health professionals can receive up to $22,000 through the Health Care Professional Student Loan Repayment Program ($20,000 from the state plus $2,000 community match). Licensed clinical psychologists qualify for up to $75,000. The SLRP (State Loan Repayment Program) provides up to $50,000 yearly for two years of full-time service with a 1:1 match requirement.

Most counselors practice in urban areas. About 71.8% of LPCCs, 77.6% of LPCs, and 79.6% of LAPCs work in urban settings. Rural communities need counselors more than ever.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs leads the way among federal and state employers. They offer Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor positions with yearly salaries between $61,111 and $96,116. Private sector employers like Brightside Health, Deer Oaks Mental Health Associates, and Durand & Associates regularly seek licensed counselors.

Remain Compliant

You need to stay watchful about renewal deadlines and continuing education requirements to keep your counselor license valid in North Dakota. Your professional trip involves meeting compliance standards after getting licensed.

Mental health counselors must renew their licenses every two years, with CE requirements varying by credential level. Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) need to complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years. The bar is set higher for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs) who must complete 40 CE hours biennially. LPCCs also need at least 10 hours focused on clinical content.

You must complete 3 hours of ethics training during each renewal period, whatever type of license you hold. These ethics courses should be your priority early in your renewal cycle.

The North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners expects you to renew by December 31 each year. Missing this deadline results in a late fee and gives you a 60-day grace period until March 1. You’ll need to submit a completely new application and meet current licensure requirements if you haven’t renewed by then.

Your continuing education activities should get into these approved topics:

• Counseling theories and practice
• Human growth and development
• Social and cultural foundations
• Group counseling
• Assessment methods
• Ethics

CE activities should boost your professional knowledge and skills. You need to get at least 20 CE hours through face-to-face workshops or conferences. Online courses, seminars, or professional presentations can make up the rest. No single event, method, or topic can provide more than 15 CE hours.

The North Dakota Counseling Association (NDCA) offers great continuing education options. Members can earn up to 12 CEUs yearly through their monthly webinar series. Non-members can join these webinars for $15 each.

Random audits check your continuing education activities rather than requiring submission during renewal. You should still keep all certificates and attendance proof for at least three years after your license expires.

Next Steps

Professional associations provide great resources that go beyond simple licensure requirements for your counseling career in North Dakota. The North Dakota Counseling Association (NDCA) gives its members numerous professional development opportunities throughout the year.

The 2026 NDCA Annual Conference will take place from February 15-17 at the Delta Hotels in Fargo. “Call to Action!” serves as the event theme that will gather hundreds of counselors from all over the state and create excellent networking opportunities. You can get more involved through conference sponsorship opportunities that help you connect with counselors statewide while supporting professional growth.

NDCA membership comes with several practical benefits:

• Reduced costs for professional development events
• Valuable networking opportunities
• Leadership development possibilities
• Community connections with other professionals
• Mentorship opportunities

NDCA hosts monthly webinars on the second Thursday of each month from 12-1 pm CT. Members can attend these sessions free while non-members pay $15. The webinars cover topics like supervision, expressive arts, prenatal mental health, substance use, leadership, and grief. You need to register in advance to join these educational sessions.

School counselors can get specialized support from the North Dakota School Counselor Association (NDSCA). Regular members pay $50 for NDCA membership plus $40 for NDSCA dues, while students and retired professionals pay $25 for NDCA and $10 for NDSCA. NDSCA promotes school counselors’ roles, boosts professional credibility, creates networking opportunities, and backs favorable legislation.

Licensed counselors should think over loan repayment assistance programs if they plan to work in Health Professional Shortage Areas. The National Health Service Corps programs offer substantial financial benefits when you commit to serving in these areas.

Your path as a clinical mental health counselor in North Dakota goes way beyond your original licensure. Professional organizations are a great way to get ahead in your career and serve North Dakota communities better.