Counseling License from Kentucky to North Carolina: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does North Carolina accept a Kentucky counseling license?
Yes — North Carolina has a reciprocity arrangement covering Kentucky license holders. Apply to the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) under its reciprocity/endorsement track and complete North Carolina's remaining requirements.
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Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
North Carolina names Kentucky on its published reciprocity list, so the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) handles your application on that track, provided you meet the agreement's conditions (license tier, and in some agreements a minimum number of years' experience). Confirm the list is current with the board before you file. Both states have enacted the Counseling Compact, but neither was issuing or accepting privileges as of 2026-10-29. When both go operational, cross-border work between them could run on a privilege; a relocation would still need a North Carolina license.
What's different between Kentucky and North Carolina
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into North Carolina. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Kentucky to North Carolina (this page): Reciprocity agreement.
North Carolina to Kentucky (the reverse move): Reciprocity agreement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Kentucky matter?
Coming from Kentucky matters here: only 3 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into North Carolina.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (47).
- Reciprocity agreements
North Carolina's reciprocity agreement list names 3 states (Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee), including Kentucky.
Kentucky's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (North Carolina and Tennessee), including North Carolina.
- Counseling Compact membership
Kentucky has enacted the Counseling Compact but is not issuing under it yet; North Carolina has enacted the Counseling Compact but is not issuing under it yet.
Because they are not both active members, the Counseling Compact does not cover this move.
- Application fee
North Carolina lists $238 for an out-of-state applicant and Kentucky lists $150 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
North Carolina lists 4–6 weeks; Kentucky has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
North Carolina and Kentucky carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- North Carolina (this move): National exam is not retaken: the Board accepts the NCE, NCMHCE or CRC exam (21 NCAC 53 .0305), with official scores sent by the examining organization. Every applicant, including endorsement and reciprocity applicants, must ALSO complete the Board's LCMHC Jurisprudence Exam within six months before applying.
- Kentucky (the reverse move): No exam is retaken. Endorsement applicants with 5+ years of licensed experience are exempt by statute from the examination requirement (KRS 335.527(2)(b)), and the Board FAQ confirms no NCE or NCMHCE scores are required. North Carolina reciprocity-agreement applicants must also complete a 3-hour Board-approved Kentucky Professional Counselor Law course. No separate jurisprudence exam on the endorsement path.
What changes, Kentucky → North Carolina
| Kentucky (current) | North Carolina (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Counseling Compact status | Reciprocity with 2 states · Counseling Compact enacted — not yet issuing | Reciprocity with 3 states · Counseling Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| Application fee | $150 (application fee for licensure as a professional counselor per 201 KAR 36:020 Section 1(1), which 201 KAR 36:072 applies to reciprocity applicants, and per the Board's LPCC application (DPL-LPC-04, Rev. July 2026); non-refundable; FBI fingerprinting paid separately to the vendor; annual renewal also $150. Kentucky is not yet issuing Counseling Compact privileges.) | $238 (Board-stated endorsement/reciprocity application fee of $238, which includes the $38 criminal background check fee; nonrefundable; jurisprudence exam provider fee not verified) |
| Processing time | no processing timeframe is published; the Board FAQ says complete applications go to the monthly Board meeting's Applications Committee | 4–6 weeks (Board-stated 'Application Processing Timeframe (provided there are no legal/special considerations) 4-6 weeks from completed application submission') |
| Licensing authority | Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, LPCC) | North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — North Carolina sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm North Carolina's current requirements on the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold an active, independent, unrestricted counselor license in good standing in another state for at least two years immediately before applying.
- Document 5 years full-time (or 8 years part-time, or an equivalent combination) of licensed counseling experience within the last 10 years, including at least 2,500 direct client contact hours.
- Pass the North Carolina LCMHC Jurisprudence Exam within six months before applying.
- Consent to a criminal background check.
- Have your current licensing board send the Out-of-State License Verification Form directly to the Board.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
North Carolina joined the Counseling Compact. Can I use a privilege there?
Not yet. North Carolina had enacted the compact but was not issuing or accepting privileges as of 2026-10-29, so counseling clients located in North Carolina takes North Carolina's own authorization, normally a North Carolina license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- NCBLCMHC: Licensure by Endorsement (requirements, $238 fee, 4-6 week processing) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NCBLCMHC: LCMHC License by Reciprocity (South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NC OAH: 21 NCAC 53 .0304 Applicants Licensed in Other States ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NC OAH: 21 NCAC 53 .0305 Examination (NCE/NCMHCE/CRC; jurisprudence exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Kentucky LPC Board FAQ (Endorsement and Reciprocity FAQs, reciprocity-agreement states) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Kentucky LPC Board: Application for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, DPL-LPC-04 Rev. July 2026 ($150 fee; endorsement per KRS 335.527 and reciprocity-agreement routes; KSP and FBI fingerprint check) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- KRS 335.527 Licensing reciprocity requirements (endorsement: 5 years; exam and supervision exemption; Internet Archive capture of the official LRC page) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- 201 KAR 36:072 Reciprocity requirements (Board-published amendment text) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- 201 KAR 36:020 Fees (Internet Archive capture 2026-06-11 of the official LRC page) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Kentucky LPC Board: laws and regulations page (KRS 335.527, 201 KAR 36:072, Counseling Compact KRS 335.560) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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