# Title 97 — Board of Counselor Examiners

## Article 97-02 — Licensing Requirements

## Chapter 97-02-01 — Licensing Requirements

### § 97-02-01-01. Requirements to become a licensed professional counselor.

In order for an applicant to become a licensed professional counselor, an individual must make
application to the board, supplying, at a minimum, the following information:
1. A copy of a master's degree transcript from an accredited school or college that meets the
academic standards set forth in section 97-02-01-02.
2. Three recommendations as follows:
a. One from the counselor educator who provided direct supervision in the applicant's
counseling practicum or internship;
b. One from an employer who provided general supervision of the applicant's work since
receipt of the master's degree; and
c. One from the professional who provided direct supervision of the applicant's counseling
experience.
3. Certification that the individual has a minimum of two years of supervised experience under a
licensed professional counselor or licensed professional clinical counselor certified as a
supervisor under section 97-02-01-08, or under a supervision authorized under subdivision c
of subsection 2 of North Dakota Century Code section 43-47-06. The supervision must include
individual, face-to-face meetings that occur at regular intervals over a two-year period.
Supervision in a group setting may also be provided, such as in the case of a conference
among members of a professional staff or other arrangement. A total of one hundred hours
over the two-year period of supervision through individual and group methods must be
documented. At least sixty hours must be individual face-to-face supervision. The supervised
experience may not be in a practice in which the applicant holds an ownership interest. Face
to face includes electronic video communications that are secure and Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act compliant on a secure server.

4. Provides a statement of intent to practice, describing proposed use of the license, the
intended client population, and the counseling procedures that the applicant intends to use in
serving the client population.
5. Showing successful completion of the national counselor examination as distributed and
administered under the auspices of the national board of certified counselors.
History: Effective June 1, 1991; amended effective February 1, 1995; February 1, 1998; July 1, 2014;
July 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02, 43-47-03
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-03, 43-47-06
### § 97-02-01-01.1. Fees.

The following fees have been established by the board for the licensed professional counselor:
1. Application fee, one hundred fifty dollars.
2. If the applicant's transcript requires review to determine whether the academic program and
coursework meet the requirements of section 97-02-01-02, the board may submit the
transcript for review to the national board for certified counselors and the fee assessed by the
national board for certified counselors will be paid by the applicant.
3. Renewal fee, one hundred fifty dollars.
History: Effective February 1, 1998; amended effective July 1, 2014; July 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02, 43-47-03
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-03, 43-47-06
### § 97-02-01-02. Academic programs.

Academic programs are programs identified specifically as counseling programs in the graduate
bulletin of the accredited school or college. These programs include counseling, counselor education,
counseling and guidance, counseling and development, and counseling psychology. In addition to the
master's degree in counseling, the applicant's graduate transcript or transcripts must indicate a
minimum of sixty semester credits or ninety quarter credits relating to counseling, including coursework
in:
1. Counseling theories;
2. Counseling methods;
3. Group counseling;
4. Individual appraisal, assessment, or testing;
5. Counseling-related research methods;
6. Human growth and development;
7. Multicultural counseling;
8. Career and lifestyle development;
9. Professional orientation and ethics; and
10. Counseling practicum and internship.

The practica must consist of one hundred hours of training in supervised practica in settings
relevant to the practice of counseling. The internship must consist of six hundred hours of training
in supervised internship settings relevant to the practice of counseling. The practica and internship
hours may be within the required graduate semester hours. The research methods coursework
must include content on statistical analysis of data sets pertaining to topics in counseling. The
professional orientation and ethics coursework must be at least three semester credits or five
quarter credits, and include content on the profession of counseling and the American counseling
association code of ethics.
History: Effective June 1, 1991; amended effective February 1, 1995; February 1, 1998; July 1, 2014;
July 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-06
### § 97-02-01-03. Requirements to become a licensed associate professional counselor.

In order for an applicant to become a licensed associate professional counselor, an individual must
make application to the board, supplying, at a minimum, the following information:
1. A copy of a master's degree from an accredited school or college that meets the academic
standards set forth in section 97-02-01-02.
2. Three recommendations as follows:
a. One from the practicum agency contact person;
b. One from the applicant's master's degree program advisor; and
c. One from an additional counselor educator.
3. A written plan which at a minimum must include an estimated number of client contact hours
per week and must specify the supervision received. The supervision must include individual,
face-to-face meetings that occur at regular intervals over the two-year period. Supervision in a
group setting may also be provided such as in case conference among members of a
professional staff or other arrangement. A total of one hundred hours over the two-year period
of supervision through individual and group methods must be documented. At least sixty hours
must be individual face-to-face supervision. The supervised experience may not be in a
practice in which the applicant holds an ownership interest. The supervisor shall be a licensed
professional counselor or licensed professional clinical counselor certified as a supervisor
under section 97-02-01-08, or under a supervision authorized under subdivision c of
subsection 2 of North Dakota Century Code section 43-47-06. Face to face includes electronic
video communications that are secure and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
compliant on a secure server.
4. Showing successful completion of the national counselor examination as distributed and
administered under the auspices of the national board of certified counselors.
History: Effective June 1, 1991; amended effective February 1, 1995; February 1, 1998; July 1, 2014;
July 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-03, 43-47-06
### § 97-02-01-03.1. Fees.

The following fees have been established by the board for the licensed associate professional
counselor:

1. Application fee, one hundred fifty dollars.
2. If the applicant's transcript requires review to determine whether the academic program and
coursework meet the requirements of section 97-02-01-02, the board may submit the
transcript for review to the national board for certified counselors and the fee assessed by the
national board for certified counselors will be paid by the applicant.
3. Application fee for advancement to licensed professional counselor, one hundred fifty dollars.
4. Extension fee, one hundred dollars.
History: Effective February 1, 1998; amended effective July 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02, 43-47-03
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-03, 43-47-06
### § 97-02-01-04. Reciprocity.

An applicant for license by reciprocity shall also submit the following items to the board:
1. An application form completed in a manner prescribed by the board accompanied by the
required fee.
2. A photostatic copy of the license from the other state.
3. A copy of the licensing statute and rules of the state issuing the license in the other state.
4. The name and address of the licensing committee, agency, or board of the other state.
5. Proof of passing a counselor examination approved by the board.
The board or its designee shall verify that the licensing state imposes substantially the same
requirements as North Dakota, and that there is no other reason constituting good cause for refusing to
issue such license.
History: Effective June 1, 1991; amended effective July 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-03, 43-47-06
### § 97-02-01-05. Renewal of license.

1. Counselor licenses expire two years after originally granted or last renewed.
2. At least two months before expiration, the board will notify the counselor of the requirement for
renewal. The notice will be made to the address last provided to the board by the counselor.
3. A license shall be renewed if the counselor meets all of the following requirements:
a. The counselor shall file the complete application for renewal form prescribed by the
board.
b. The counselor shall pay the renewal fee required by section 97-02-01-01.1 or
97-02-01-03.1.
c. The counselor shall provide proof of completion of the continued professional education
required by section 97-02-01-06.
d. Grounds for denial of the application under North Dakota Century Code section 43-47-07
do not exist.

4. If the completed application for renewal, renewal fee, and proof of completion of continued
professional education is not filed at least thirty days before the expiration of the license, the
counselor shall pay a late fee of one hundred dollars.
5. If the completed application for renewal, renewal fee, proof of completion of continued
professional education and late fee is not filed before the expiration of the license, the license
expires and the individual may not practice counseling.
6. If the completed application for renewal, renewal fee, proof of completion of continued
professional education, and late fee is not filed within one year of the expiration, the license
shall not be renewed. The individual must apply and meet the license requirements to be
granted a license.
7. The board may extend the expiration date and the deadlines for filing the application for
renewal, renewal fee, proof of completion of continued professional education, and late fee
upon proof of medical or other hardship preventing the individual from meeting the deadlines.
History: Effective June 1, 1991; amended effective February 1, 1998; July 1, 2014.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-03, 43-47-06, 43-47-06.2
### § 97-02-01-05.1. Late renewal.

Repealed effective July 1, 2014.
### § 97-02-01-06. Continued professional education.

A licensed professional counselor shall complete at least thirty hours of continued professional
education in the two years preceding the date of expiration of the license. At least three of the hours
shall primarily focus on counselor ethics. A continued professional education hour is fifty minutes.
Examples of items meeting continuing professional educational requirements include attending
professional meetings, conferences, and workshops or taking graduate courses in counseling or other
mental health fields.
History: Effective June 1, 1991; amended effective July 1, 2014.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-03, 43-47-06
### § 97-02-01-07. Grandfather provisions.

Repealed effective February 1, 1998.
### § 97-02-01-08. Certification of supervisors.

1. To be certified as a supervisor an applicant shall meet all of the following requirements:
a. The applicant shall be a licensed professional counselor or licensed professional clinical
counselor.
b. The applicant shall have five years of experience as a licensed counselor.
c. For applications received after July 1, 2016, the applicant shall have completed thirty
hours of continuing education concerning supervision in the five years preceding the
application.
d. The applicant shall pay an application fee of one hundred dollars.

e. Grounds for denial of the application under North Dakota Century Code section 43-47-07
do not exist.
2. Supervisor certifications expire five years after originally granted or last renewed.
Certifications shall be renewed if the certified supervisor meets all of the following
requirements:
a. The certified supervisor shall complete at least thirty hours of continuing education
primarily focused on clinical supervision in the five years preceding the expiration date of
the certification.
b. The certified supervisor shall pay a renewal fee of one hundred dollars.
c. Grounds for denial of renewal under North Dakota Century Code section 43-47-07 do not
exist.
History: Effective July 1, 2014.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-47-01, 43-47-03, 43-47-06, 43-47-06.1, 43-47-07
