How to Become a Licensed Counselor in Missouri: Expert Guide to LPC Requirements

Licensed mental health counselors in the U.S. earn $53,710 on average each year, with earnings potentially reaching $70,000 or more in areas with high demand. The field offers promising opportunities if you want to become a licensed counselor in Missouri. The state projects an 18.2% job growth for mental health and substance use counselors between 2022 and 2032.

Your journey to become a Missouri licensed professional counselor takes dedication and roughly eight years from start to full licensure. The path has several key requirements: you’ll need to earn a qualifying graduate degree, complete supervised clinical experience, and meet specific state requirements. Missouri’s licensing process needs 3,000 hours of supervision spread across at least two years. This complete guide walks you through every step to get licensed, from education to keeping your credentials current. Mental health professionals are in growing demand here, particularly since Missouri’s suicide rate has stayed above the national average since 2000.

Types of Licensure in Missouri

Missouri has several paths to become a licensed professional counselor. Each path follows rules set by different state committees. Your counseling career in the state starts with knowing these license types.

The Committee for Professional Counselors, which is part of the Missouri Division of Professional Registration, manages two main counseling credentials. Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) is the full license that lets you practice on your own. But first, you need to work under supervision as a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC).

The State Committee of Marital and Family Therapists handles marriage and family therapy licenses. This committee gives out both Provisional Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (PLMFT) and Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) credentials. You can also work as a Supervised Marital and Family Therapist (SMFT) to build supervised experience without a provisional license.

School counseling certification works differently. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) handles this process instead of the counseling boards.

The path to becoming an LPC starts with getting a PLPC license. This lets you practice under supervision while you complete your 3,000 hours of supervised experience needed for full licensure. You must finish these hours in 24 months to five years. At least 1,200 of these hours must be direct counseling with clients.

LMFT candidates also need 3,000 supervised hours, with 1,500 hours spent working directly with clients. You’ll need face-to-face supervision every week for one hour (or two hours every two weeks). The total requirement is 200 hours of direct supervision, and half of this must be one-on-one.

People with doctoral degrees have shorter supervision requirements. To name just one example, LMFT candidates with doctorates need only 1,500 supervised hours and 750 hours of direct client contact. LPC candidates with doctorates also need just 1,500 supervised hours and can finish them faster.

Whatever path you choose, Missouri added a new rule in 2018 through HB 1719. Since January 1, 2019, all original license applications must show at least two hours of training in suicide assessment, referral, treatment, and management. This shows Missouri’s steadfast dedication to handling mental health crises well.

Missouri also lets counselors licensed in other states transfer their licenses if their state’s requirements match or are higher than Missouri’s standards. This helps experienced counselors who move to Missouri get started faster.

Knowing these license paths helps you plan your professional growth. Each type of license comes with its own renewal rules and practice limits that shape your career as a counseling professional in Missouri.

Earn Your Degree

A master’s degree in counseling or related field is the foundation you need to become a Missouri licensed professional counselor. This degree serves as the basic educational requirement for all counseling license paths in the state.

Missouri counseling graduate programs need at least 60 semester hours of coursework. Students learn theory and gain hands-on experience through a well-laid-out curriculum that has a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship. Many schools ask students to complete research work – either a proposal or an independent manuscript based on the program’s focus.

Students can choose between two main educational paths: Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) and School Counseling (SC). CMHC graduates can work in community mental health centers, hospitals, private practices, and correctional facilities. School Counseling graduates help students in K-12 educational settings.

School counseling certification candidates just need a teaching certificate or three extra educational courses beyond their master’s program. They must also pass the Missouri Educator Gateway Assessment (MEGA) for Student Services-Counselor.

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation shows a program’s quality. Several Missouri schools have earned this prestigious recognition. Missouri State University got its accreditation in 2015. University of Central Missouri and Central Methodist University are also CACREP-accredited.

Your education will help you master eight core areas that CACREP requires:

• Professional identity
• Social and cultural foundations
• Human growth and development
• Career development
• Helping relationships
• Group work
• Assessment
• Research and program evaluation

Programs accept students year-round, though some have specific deadlines and size limits. Truman State University’s cohorts are limited to 24 students in both Mental Health and School Counseling programs. Most schools want a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, but some accept lower GPAs if you submit GRE scores.

Getting your master’s degree usually takes two years after completing a four-year bachelor’s program. The total time to become a licensed counselor in Missouri ranges from 6-8 years.

Students can specialize through electives or graduate certificates. Popular areas are addictions counseling, play therapy, child and adolescent counseling, or marriage and family therapy. These options let you shape your education around your career goals.

Money matters when planning your education. The University of Central Missouri offers specific counseling scholarships like the Dr. K. Dale Memorial Scholarship and William Burl Hammers Memorial Scholarship. Students taking six or more credit hours each semester can usually get federal financial aid.

Your degree completion opens the door to provisional licensure. You can then gather supervised experience needed to become a full LPC or school counselor in Missouri.

Get Licensed

The next significant step to become a licensed counselor in Missouri happens after completing your education. You’ll need to understand the state’s licensure application process. The Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors manages this process and sets specific requirements for each licensing stage.

Your experience starts with applying for provisional licensure as a Counselor-in-Training (CIT) or Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC). Here’s what you need:

1. A completed Supervision and CIT/Provisional Licensure form
2. Proof of fingerprint submission for background checks
3. Payment of a $75.00 application fee
4. Verification of passing the National Counselor Examination (NCE)

Missouri’s vendor, IdentoGo, handles the fingerprinting process through the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS). The process needs registration number 5409 and a $43.05 fingerprinting fee paid to the vendor.

Your application should show a supervision plan with an approved supervisor. A Model Contract: Affiliate Supervisor to Registered Site form is needed if your supervisor works at a different location than your practice site.

The next phase begins after getting provisional licensure. You’ll need to complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience over at least 24 months, with 1,200 hours of direct client service before applying for full licensure. The full licensure application needs:

• A completed licensure application form
• A $100.00 application fee
• Verification of Post Degree Supervised Counseling Experience form (from your supervisor)
• Documentation of passing the Missouri Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Examination

The jurisprudence exam tests your knowledge of Missouri counseling laws and regulations. It’s an online, open-book test with 20 two-part questions.

The Committee should receive applications 30 days before their next scheduled meeting. They might review applications received later at their discretion. PLPCs can submit their full licensure application up to 30 days before finishing their supervised hours.

A minimum of two hours of training in suicide assessment, referral, treatment, and management is required for all new licensees. This rule came from HB 1719 in 2018 and affects all applications after January 1, 2019.

Missouri provides fee waivers that last two years for military families and low-income individuals under section 324.015, RSMo (effective August 28, 2018). Low-income qualification means your household adjusted gross income is below 130% of the federal poverty line, or you’re enrolled in a state or federal public assistance program.

The Committee sends written updates about your application status. You’ll get a written decision once they review your complete application.

A well-laid-out approach and meeting these requirements will help you become a Missouri licensed professional counselor.

Find Employment

Licensed professional counselors in Missouri can work in many settings with competitive pay. The job market looks bright for new licensees. Mental health and substance use counselor positions will grow by 18.2% between 2022 and 2032.

You’ll find jobs in a variety of settings. These include community mental health centers, hospitals, private practices, educational institutions, and correctional facilities. The Department of Mental Health often has openings for Licensed Professional Counselor positions.

Your salary will depend on where you work, what you specialize in, and your experience. Marriage and family therapists lead the pack with average annual earnings of $70,010. Educational, guidance, and career counselors earn about $57,120 yearly. This falls short of the national average of $71,520 for this specialty.

Where you work in Missouri affects how much you earn. Here are the top-paying cities for Licensed Professional Counselors:

• Kansas City: $99,209 annually
• Columbia: $88,239 annually
• Poplar Bluff: $78,121 annually
• Chesterfield: $77,659 annually
• Springfield: $68,878 annually

Pay rates change based on your role and location if you work outside the LPC designation. Substance Use Disorder counselors are in high demand because of Missouri’s ongoing substance abuse challenges. Organizations like Community Counseling Center pay between $42,000-$50,000 yearly.

Many employers are looking for qualified counselors right now. Grow Therapy offers remote Licensed Professional Counselor positions that pay $72-$90 per hour. Remote work has opened up more job options beyond traditional settings.

Your first job search should focus on showcasing your education, provisional experience, and specializations. Government positions need proof of your license eligibility, including transcripts and work records.

The mental health workforce shortage creates great opportunities for new counselors, especially in rural areas. This shortage puts stress on the mental health system but gives job seekers an advantage as they enter the field.

Some counselors start their own private practices after getting experience. Running your own business needs extra skills, but you can set your schedule and potentially earn more.

Remain Compliant

You need to follow specific continuing education and ethical standards to keep your Missouri counseling license active. The Committee for Professional Counselors has set requirements that you must meet to maintain your credentials.

Licensed Professional Counselors must complete 40 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years before their license expires. You need to split these hours between formal and informal education, with at least 20 formal hours. You can complete up to 20 hours through self-study activities like reading professional journals or preparing public presentations.

The formal continuing education has a specific requirement – you must complete two hours of suicide assessment, referral, treatment, and management training. This requirement matches the legislation that became effective August 28, 2018, which applies to both original licensure and each renewal period.

You can fulfill your formal continuing education through these activities:

• Post-graduate coursework (one semester hour equals 15 CE hours)
• Professional meeting attendance (three hours credit for a full day)
• Workshops and seminars (in-person or online)
• Professional writing contributions (three to fifteen hours depending on publication type)
• Teaching relevant courses (maximum twenty hours annually)

The Committee’s website provides renewal applications and online PINs to start your renewal process. The regular renewal fee is $75. Late submissions beyond 60 days require an extra $100 reinstatement fee and a background check.

Your license must be displayed where clients can see it easily. Make sure you practice within your competence level, based on your education, training, and experience.

You must end therapeutic relationships in writing and provide appropriate referrals if your objectivity suffers due to emotional, mental, or substance abuse disorders. You also need to report any ethical violations by other professionals that risk client’s rights or interests.

Client welfare remains your top priority, and you must maintain ethical conduct in all professional activities.

Next Steps

Becoming a licensed professional counselor in Missouri takes dedication and perseverance. The entire experience takes about eight years from starting your education to getting your full license. You’ll complete a master’s degree in counseling, pass required exams, log 3,000 supervised clinical hours, and get your LPC credential.

Missouri gives aspiring counselors several advantages. Mental health and substance use counselors can expect job growth of 18.2% through 2032, which means plenty of career options. The state’s metropolitan areas like Kansas City and Columbia offer competitive salaries, where experienced professionals can earn up to $100,000 annually.

The strict licensing requirements will prepare you to deliver quality mental health services in many settings. Your specialized training helps you meet Missouri’s most important mental health needs whether you work in community centers, hospitals, schools, or private practice.

Your professional credentials need regular updates too. Every two years, you must complete 40 hours of continuing education, including specific training in suicide assessment and management. These requirements help you stay current with best practices and maintain the ethical standards that counseling demands.

This career path is challenging but gives you meaningful ways to help Missouri’s residents. As you think about getting licensed as a professional counselor here, each step builds your foundation for a rewarding career that serves mental health needs in communities of all types.