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LicenseReciprocity

Counseling License from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) ↗

A counseling license transfers from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet New Hampshire's endorsement requirements. National exam is not retaken. The OPLC endorsement route (RSA 310:17 / Plc 313) accepts a license from a qualifying jurisdiction whose pathway required the NCMHCE or an equivalent nationally recognized exam (Plc 313.37(a)(2)); license verification, not a separate NBCC score transfer, is required. No New Hampshire jurisprudence exam is listed for mental health practice endorsement..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

A counseling license moves from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire by endorsement. Both states have enacted the Counseling Compact, but neither was issuing or accepting privileges as of 2026-09-27. When both go operational, cross-border work between them could run on a privilege; a relocation would still need a New Hampshire license. You apply to the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC), which verifies your Pennsylvania license and standing, matches it to New Hampshire's independent tier, and applies its own rule on crediting your national exam score, plus any New Hampshire jurisprudence and background requirements.

What changes, Pennsylvania → New Hampshire

Side-by-side: Pennsylvania vs New Hampshire (Counseling (LPC / LMHC)), verified 2026-09-27
Pennsylvania (current)New Hampshire (destination)
Counseling Compact statusCounseling Compact enacted — not yet issuingCounseling Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee$100 (application fee for licensure and original license issuance as an LPC per 49 Pa. Code 47.4(6); no separate endorsement fee is listed. Pennsylvania is a pending Counseling Compact state, so no privilege fee applies yet.)$325 (Clinical Mental Health Counselor application fee from the OPLC Mental Health Practice fee page; includes the mandatory $28 Professional Health Program fee; same fee as in-state applicants. Criminal records check fee paid separately to NH Department of Safety (amount not verified).)
Processing timethe Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; an Act 41 applicant may be granted a provisional license at the Board's discretionOPLC publishes no processing timeframe; under Plc 313.06(c) a qualified endorsement applicant whose criminal records check is pending receives a provisional license and may practice meanwhile
Licensing authorityPennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional CounselorsNew Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC)

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

Step by step

  1. Confirm New Hampshire's current requirements on the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
  4. Hold an active, unencumbered, non-temporary clinical mental health counselor license in good standing in an OPLC-listed qualifying jurisdiction.
  5. Submit the OPLC Universal Application for Initial License with the Clinical Mental Health Counselor application fee.
  6. Provide primary-source license verification (board-portal printout or screen capture showing good standing) per Plc 313.05(a).
  7. Complete a state and FBI criminal history records check through the NH Department of Safety, with results sent to OPLC.
  8. Pay the fees ($325 (Clinical Mental Health Counselor application fee from the OPLC Mental Health Practice fee page; includes the mandatory $28 Professional Health Program fee; same fee as in-state applicants. Criminal records check fee paid separately to NH Department of Safety (amount not verified).)) and allow OPLC publishes no processing timeframe; under Plc 313.06(c) a qualified endorsement applicant whose criminal records check is pending receives a provisional license and may practice meanwhile.

Official links

New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC) ↗New Hampshire application ↗

Related guides

Reverse: New Hampshire → PennsylvaniaCounseling in PennsylvaniaCounseling in New HampshireAll counseling statesThe Counseling Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Does New Hampshire accept a Pennsylvania counseling license?

A counseling license transfers from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, LCMHC), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet New Hampshire's endorsement requirements. National exam is not retaken. The OPLC endorsement route (RSA 310:17 / Plc 313) accepts a license from a qualifying jurisdiction whose pathway required the NCMHCE or an equivalent nationally recognized exam (Plc 313.37(a)(2)); license verification, not a separate NBCC score transfer, is required. No New Hampshire jurisprudence exam is listed for mental health practice endorsement..

Do I retake the NCE or NCMHCE moving from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire?

National exam is not retaken. The OPLC endorsement route (RSA 310:17 / Plc 313) accepts a license from a qualifying jurisdiction whose pathway required the NCMHCE or an equivalent nationally recognized exam (Plc 313.37(a)(2)); license verification, not a separate NBCC score transfer, is required. No New Hampshire jurisprudence exam is listed for mental health practice endorsement.

What does the move cost?

$325 (Clinical Mental Health Counselor application fee from the OPLC Mental Health Practice fee page; includes the mandatory $28 Professional Health Program fee; same fee as in-state applicants. Criminal records check fee paid separately to NH Department of Safety (amount not verified).)

How long will it take?

OPLC publishes no processing timeframe; under Plc 313.06(c) a qualified endorsement applicant whose criminal records check is pending receives a provisional license and may practice meanwhile.

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

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

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