Summary of Exam Requirements
- To qualify for licensure, all applicants for LPC and/or LMFT are required to pass an approved competency exam and the Oregon Law and Rules Exam.
- Only approved applicants (those whose educational qualifications have been verified) will be authorized to take the exams. Applicants receive an approval email indicating that they now qualify for exams.
- Please ensure that you add the following email address to your contacts or safe list: oblpct@thentiacloud.net.
- Other Resources:
Competency Exam
Applicants must pass— or have passed within 10 years prior to applying for licensure— a Board-approved competency exam.
- Applicants pay exam fees directly to the examination provider (not to the Board).
- Passing scores are established by the examining entity or agency verifying passage of its exam.
- For individuals who requested exam authorization through this Board: the vendor will automatically send your exam scores to us, and we will provide them to you. Otherwise, you must have an official score verification sent directly to the Board (see Exam Verification, below).
- Applicants who passed a competency exam more than 10 years ago must retake and pass a Board-approved exam to qualify for licensure.
- Exception: Reciprocity applicants only may, instead of retaking the exam, complete continuing education which at minimum meets the requirements described in OAR Chapter 833, Division 80 (40 total clock hours) within the 24 month period prior to application or initial license.
LPC Competency Exam
A licensed professional counselor (LPC) applicant must pass one of the following exams to qualify for licensure:
- National Counselor Examination (NCE);
- National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE); or
- Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Examination (CRC).
LMFT Competency Exam
An LMFT applicant must pass one of the following exams to qualify for licensure:
- The marital and family therapy examination of the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB); or
- The State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences’ Marriage and Family Therapist Written Clinical Examination.
The Marital and Family Therapy Examination is a computer-based test administered by AMFTRB. Please visit the
AMFTRB examination webpage for registration windows and exam dates.
Requesting a Competency Exam
- To request an upcoming exam, submit your Exam Request Form for Board review.
- On approval, you will receive the necessary forms and instructions.
- To verify if a score has been received, refer to the document connection in the Applicant Portal.
- Please note that it takes 6-8 weeks from the date an exam was taken for the score to be received and posted to your applicant portal. NBCC sends reports to the board once per month, around the 15th of each month, containing the prior month's scores.
Exam Verification
Unless this Oregon Board authorized you to take the exam, you will need to request that verification of completion of your competency exam be sent directly to the Oregon Board. You will need to contact the applicable exam service (NBCC, CRC, AMFTRB, or the California Board) or your other state licensing board to make your request. We accept score verifications via email or regular mail.
Law & Rules Examination
- A link to the Law and Rules exam is contained in the application approval email.
- This exam is open-book and untimed; however, it must be completed in one sitting.
- You may refer to the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) and Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs), which are listed on the Board’s Law and Rules webpage.
- Official exam results will be posted in the Applicant Portal under "Review Documents" within 10-14 days of submitting your online exam.
Special Accommodations
Requests for special accommodations for disability or English as a Second Language must be made at the time your written request to take the exam is submitted to the Board. For disability accommodations, you will need to include a written verification of your disability from a qualified care provider (i.e. a person certified or licensed by the state to provide such services) detailing the nature, extent and duration of your disability and the provider's specific recommendation for an accommodation.
- OAR 833-020-0081(7)
- Special Accommodations Policy
Submit your documentation to the Board by faxing (503-374-1904), or mail or personally deliver it to:
BLPCT
3218 Pringle Road SE, Ste. 120
Salem, OR 97302
Alternatively, you may
email your documents. To protect your privacy, we recommend the use of encrypted email.