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LicenseReciprocity

Counseling License from Georgia to Iowa: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing): Licensed Mental Health Counselor ↗

A counseling license transfers from Georgia to Iowa by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing): Licensed Mental Health Counselor, verify your Georgia license, and meet Iowa's endorsement requirements. National exam is not retaken. Iowa requires the NCMHCE (NBCC) for the mental health counselor license (481 IAC 880.3(1), NCMHCE-only since 2022-01-01), but the endorsement rule (481 IAC 880.5) asks only for the application, fee and license verification. Iowa Code 272C.12 issues the license 'without an examination' to a person who passed the exam the other state required. No Iowa jurisprudence exam is required..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

A counseling license moves from Georgia to Iowa by endorsement. Iowa has enacted the Counseling Compact but was not issuing or accepting privileges as of 2026-09-27, so your Georgia license cannot reach it through the compact yet. You apply to the Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing): Licensed Mental Health Counselor, which verifies your Georgia license and standing, matches it to Iowa's independent tier, and applies its own rule on crediting your national exam score, plus any Iowa jurisprudence and background requirements.

What changes, Georgia → Iowa

Side-by-side: Georgia vs Iowa (Counseling (LPC / LMHC)), verified 2026-09-27
Georgia (current)Iowa (destination)
Counseling Compact statusCounseling Compact member — compact privilege to practiceCounseling Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee$100 ($100 non-refundable LPC endorsement application fee; the 05/02/2023 paper form lists $110, which includes a $10 mail-in processing fee. The current online GOALS fee schedule (goals.sos.ga.gov) returned HTTP 403 and could not be checked. Fingerprint background check paid separately to the vendor; NBCC score-report fee separate. NOT the Counseling Compact privilege fee (Georgia charges $100 + $30 commission admin fee = $130 for a privilege; no jurisprudence exam).)$120 (Mental health counselor license fee per 481 IAC 507.3(1) and the DIAL application page; covers all application routes; nonrefundable. DCI/FBI background-check cost is charged to the applicant separately. Iowa is not yet an operational Counseling Compact state, so no privilege fee applies.)
Processing time~5 weeks (the endorsement application form says to allow up to 25 business days (about 5 weeks) to process a complete application. The Board may also take up the file at a meeting, and an application must be complete 15 days before a meeting to be placed on its agenda. Incomplete applications are withdrawn after 60 days.)DIAL publishes no processing timeframe for mental health counselor applications
Licensing authorityGeorgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists (Secretary of State), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing): Licensed Mental Health Counselor

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Iowa sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Iowa's current requirements on the Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing): Licensed Mental Health Counselor website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing): Licensed Mental Health Counselor (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
  4. Hold a mental health counselor license (independent level) under the laws of another jurisdiction.
  5. Provide license verification from the most recent licensing jurisdiction (name, initial licensure date, status, discipline), plus verification from every state where licensed per the DIAL page.
  6. Disclose any public or pending complaints in any other jurisdiction.
  7. Submit fingerprint cards and waivers for a DCI/FBI national criminal history check (required of mental health counselor applicants under 481 IAC 880.2(1)(b)).
  8. Apply online and pay the $120 nonrefundable license fee.
  9. Pay the fees ($120 (Mental health counselor license fee per 481 IAC 507.3(1) and the DIAL application page; covers all application routes; nonrefundable. DCI/FBI background-check cost is charged to the applicant separately. Iowa is not yet an operational Counseling Compact state, so no privilege fee applies.)) and allow DIAL publishes no processing timeframe for mental health counselor applications.

Official links

Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing): Licensed Mental Health Counselor ↗Iowa application ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Iowa → GeorgiaCounseling in GeorgiaCounseling in IowaAll counseling statesThe Counseling Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Does Iowa accept a Georgia counseling license?

A counseling license transfers from Georgia to Iowa by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing): Licensed Mental Health Counselor, verify your Georgia license, and meet Iowa's endorsement requirements. National exam is not retaken. Iowa requires the NCMHCE (NBCC) for the mental health counselor license (481 IAC 880.3(1), NCMHCE-only since 2022-01-01), but the endorsement rule (481 IAC 880.5) asks only for the application, fee and license verification. Iowa Code 272C.12 issues the license 'without an examination' to a person who passed the exam the other state required. No Iowa jurisprudence exam is required..

Do I retake the NCE or NCMHCE moving from Georgia to Iowa?

National exam is not retaken. Iowa requires the NCMHCE (NBCC) for the mental health counselor license (481 IAC 880.3(1), NCMHCE-only since 2022-01-01), but the endorsement rule (481 IAC 880.5) asks only for the application, fee and license verification. Iowa Code 272C.12 issues the license 'without an examination' to a person who passed the exam the other state required. No Iowa jurisprudence exam is required.

What does the move cost?

$120 (Mental health counselor license fee per 481 IAC 507.3(1) and the DIAL application page; covers all application routes; nonrefundable. DCI/FBI background-check cost is charged to the applicant separately. Iowa is not yet an operational Counseling Compact state, so no privilege fee applies.)

How long will it take?

DIAL publishes no processing timeframe for mental health counselor applications.

Iowa joined the Counseling Compact. Can I use a privilege there?

Not yet. Iowa had enacted the compact but was not issuing or accepting privileges as of 2026-09-27, so counseling clients located in Iowa takes Iowa's own authorization, normally an Iowa license.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]