Counselors in Montana who have obtained their licensure are known as Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPCs). Montana refers to candidates for LCPC licensure as PCLC. Licensure for LCPCs in Montana is managed by the Montana Board of Behavioral Health, a division of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.  The Professional Counselors Association of Montana is a professional association for counselors in Montana, a chapter of the American Mental Health Counselors Association.

Licensure requirements for counselors in Montana, including those relating to education, supervision, examination, fees, renewal, and “licensure by credential,” are examined in further detail below, along with salary information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as scholarships and loan repayment programs available to aspiring LCPCs in the state.

Licensure as a clinical professional counselor in Montana requires a graduate degree that meets current board standards which requires a degree primarily counseling in nature from either a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs CACREP-accredited program of at least 60 semester credits or an institutionally accredited program of at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits that includes CACREP core competencies and CACREP professional practice standards for fieldwork and academic quality.

Montana allows up to 12 semester/18 quarter credits from an incomplete post-baccalaureate degree or 20 semester/30 quarter credits from a completed post-baccalaureate degree in counseling to be transferred from other institutions or programs. Candidates should also be aware that credits earned more than six years prior to the date of graduation will not count toward Montana’s education requirements for professional counseling licensure.

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“Supervision” is shorthand for directed experience in professional counseling under supervision in a work setting. Montana requires aspiring LCPCs to complete 3,000 hours of supervised counseling practice, with at least 1,500of those hours post-degree. Additionally, Montana requires at least one hour of face-to-face supervision and consultation for every 20 hours of professional counseling. For hours post-degree, 1,000 of the 1,500 minimum hours must come from direct client contact under face-to-face supervision in a clinical setting, with no more than 250 hours in group or co-facilitative therapy.

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LCPC licensure in Montana requires a passing score on either the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification or the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam.

National Counselor Examination (NCE) for Licensure and Certification

The NCE is a 200-question, multiple-choice examination administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors. It assesses knowledge, skills, and abilities in effective counseling services.

National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam (NCMHCE)

The NCMHCE assesses an entry-level clinical mental health counselor’s ability to apply counseling knowledge and skills to clinical case studies. The current format comprises 11 case studies, with one unscored case used for future test development. It is administered for licensure through NBCC’s affiliate, the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE).

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LCPCs in Montana can expect to pay the following fees for their application, license, and renewal:

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LCPC licenses in Montana expire annually on December 31. Licensees who renew after December 31 owe a penalty equal to 100% of the renewal fee. Review the Montana license renewal form.

Montana LCPCs must complete 20 hours of continuing education each year, though CE is not required until after a licensee’s first renewal. Licensees may carry over up to 20 unused CE hours into the next renewal cycle. For the first renewal and every two years thereafter, at least 2 of the required hours must cover suicide prevention. Montana also allows up to 10 of the 20 required hours to come from first-time preparation of a new course, in-service training, workshop, or seminar that meets board criteria, or from preparing a paper published in a professional journal or presented at a statewide or national professional meeting. These requirements appear in Montana Administrative Rule 24.219.435. 

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For Counselors Licensed in Other States

Montana now handles out-of-state applicants through the current Board of Behavioral Health endorsement and substantial-equivalency standards (24.219.413). Interested applicants can review complete details and process an out-of-state application. 

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The following types of counselors in Montana can expect to earn the corresponding average hourly and average annual wages, according to May 2021 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

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The following scholarships and loan repayment programs are available to aspiring LCPCs in Montana:

Montana State Loan Repayment Program

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students

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*Licensure information, including requirements, salaries, renewals, scholarships, and fees, was retrieved as of March 2026. Information may have changed since then; check with the state’s board of licensing for more details.

Information Last Updated: March 2026