General Information
Applications will be reviewed and approved under laws and rules in effect at time of application.
Application Fee
The non-refundable license application fee, which includes the cost of the required fingerprint-based criminal background check ($45), must be paid along with the submission of the online application.
Statutes (Laws) and Administrative Rules
These contain your legal rights and responsibilities. Please review the licensure
laws and rules carefully prior to completing and submitting your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Requirements
Status Updates and Processing Time
All application forms, fees, and background check information must be
submitted to the Board before an application is considered
complete. Applicants who respond 'yes' to character and fitness
questions or have a
criminal background can expect a longer processing time. Please
be advised that if an application document is found to be insufficient,
your application file will be removed from the queue. Once
all corrected documents and necessary information are received,
application files will be added back to the bottom of the queue.
You may verify your application status and review your application documents via the Applicant Portal.
It
is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all documents and
forms are received and that timely corrections are made. If you are
unsure about which forms to submit, please review the document
connection in your portal. For documents marked as “Not Received,”
please reach out to the respective person or agency responsible for
submitting information on your behalf. For documents in need of
correction, please follow the instructions provided in the comment
section. You may find board forms here.
A
reminder: the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists
conducts primary source verification of applicants' education,
examination, training, and other jurisdictional licenses, registrations,
or certifications (if applicable). Acceptable sources include documents
sent directly from the educational institution, supervisor, approved
examining organization, or other state licensing/credentialing
authority.
Application Methods & Required Forms
Review each application method and decide which best fits your circumstances:
The associate registration application method is required for those who have not yet completed the post-degree supervised work experience required for licensure. This method requires the applicant to obtain Board approval of a proposed plan for completing the required experience. See the Associate Registration Page for more detail on the requirements.
Do not submit an application under this method if:
- You already have an active associate registration, which means you have an active licensure application. When you are eligible for promotion to licensure, you will receive an email with instructions for submitting your Promotion Application throught the Licensee Portal.
- You have already met the post-degree supervised work experience requirements for licensure.
The direct method is required for applicants who have already completed the clinical supervised experience requirements for licensure: OAR 833-030-0021 for LPC or OAR 833-040-0021 for LMFT. Applicants may or may not have already completed an approved competency examination.
Do not use this application method if:
- You are already licensed in Oregon as an LPC or LMFT, unless you are seeking dual licensure. License renewal is completed in the License Portal.
- You have an active associate registration. When you are eligible for promotion to Licensee, you will receive an email with instructions for submitting your Promotion Application.
Required Materials:
Competency Exam Verification (if appropriate)
Your graduate transcript mailed or emailed directly from your college to the Board Office.
- Educational Record Form for regionally accredited schools (unaccredited programs).
Criminal background check/fingerprints: Fingerprinting must be completed by the applicant no more than 90 days prior to submitting an application; you will need to follow the fingerprinting instructions. Other documents may be required depending on your situation.
Former applicants (including formerly registered associates) who reapply may transfer previously filed documents to their new application if the documents are available in the Board's office. Former registered asscociates who are registered again will receive a new registration number. See OAR 833-020-0071
The reciprocity method is required for applicants who possess a current, active license to practice professional counseling or marriage and family therapy issued by another state credentialing entity. Reciprocity applicants must document that the license held in another state is equivalent to the standards required for Oregon licensure as a professional counselor or as a marriage and family therapist. For those applicants who have been licensed in another jurisdiction for at least three years, some of your licensure time may substitute for a portion of the education and experience requirements. See OAR 833-020-0051.
Do not apply for licensure by reciprocity if:
- You are currently licensed as an LPC or LMFT in Oregon.
- You hold an expired or inactive license in another state.
The re-licensure method is for applicants who were previously licensed by the Board within the past 2 years. Successful applicants will receive a new license number, but are not required to submit documentation of supervised work experience. See OAR 833-020-0061.
Do not use this application method if:
- You are already licensed in Oregon as an LPC or LMFT, or are a registered associate. License/registration renewal is completed in the License Portal.
- You have never been licensed in Oregon as an LPC or LMFT.
The servicemember portability method is for United States servicemembers and spouses or domestic partners of servicemembers who relocate their residence to Oregon because of military orders for military service in Oregon.
See OAR 833-020-0202
Required Materials:
- Application form (please contact us)
- Proof of military orders
- Criminal background check/fingerprints: Fingerprinting must be completed by the applicant no more than 90 days prior to submitting an application; you will need to follow the fingerprinting instructions.
- For spouses or domestic partners of servicemembers: a copy of the evidence of marriage or domestic partnership (such as marriage certificate or domestic partnership registration) showing the name of the applicant and the name of the servicemember
- Verification of Licensure/Registration from Other State(s) (if applicable) **
- A notorized affidavit
* Clinical experience reported on the Post-Degree Supervised Work Experience Form must have been earned in Oregon before 2002 or in another state.
** An official verification is required for each professional license, registration, or certification to practice a healthcare profession in another jurisdiction, whether current or not.
Application Checklists
You may download these fillable checklists as a useful resource:
Primary Source Verification
The Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists conducts
primary source verification of applicants' education, examination, training, and other jurisdictional licenses, registrations, or certifications (if applicable). Acceptable sources include documents sent directly from the educational institution, supervisor, approved examining organization, or other state licensing/credentialing authority. It is the applicant's responsibility to arrange for their documents to be sent to the board.
The states listed below do not send
license verifications to other states. In these cases, we can verify a
license using the state's online license search tool. Please note that
we can only use an online verification if the state does not send
verifications directly. Otherwise, we require that verifications be sent
directly from the state.
- Alaska
- Maine
- Indiana
- Colorado
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Oklahoma
All Forms and submissions must be sent to the Board's office:
OBLPCT
3218 Pringle Road SE, Suite 120
Salem, OR 97302
Online Application
Important! If you have already started or submitted an application to the Board, do not start or submit another application in the Applicant Portal. This will cause a second system entry for you, which will lead to delays in the processing of your application and materials. Instead, login to the Portal using the email that you have on record with the Board. You can use the “forgot password” function if you do not remember your password, or if you are unsure which email address you have on record with the Board for your login, please contact us at lpct.board@mhra.oregon.gov.
All application forms, fees and background check information must be submitted to the Board before application is considered complete. If you are unsure which forms to submit, please review the document connection in your portal.
To ensure you receive notifications concerning a submitted application, add oblpct@thentiacloud.net to your contact and safe list.
You can find additional forms here.
Fingerprinting
A fingerprint-based criminal records check is required for all licensure applicants (including reapplications). Do not complete your criminal background check more than 90 days before submitting your application.
Degree Evaluation
Applicants who were trained abroad must have their degrees evaluated by a Board recognized credentialing body.
Method of Payment
Payments are made in the Applicant Portal; you may pay with a credit or debit card. Cash, checks, or outside e-payments are not accepted. Refund policy: no refunds.