Counseling License from Tennessee to North Carolina: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does North Carolina accept a Tennessee counseling license?
Yes — North Carolina has a reciprocity arrangement covering Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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. North Carolina has enacted the Counseling Compact but was not issuing or accepting privileges as of 2026-10-29, so your Tennessee license cannot reach it through the compact yet.
What's different between Tennessee 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
Tennessee to North Carolina (this page): Reciprocity agreement.
North Carolina to Tennessee (the reverse move): Reciprocity agreement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Tennessee matter?
Coming from Tennessee 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 Tennessee.
Tennessee's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (Kentucky and North Carolina), including North Carolina.
- Counseling Compact membership
Tennessee is a Counseling Compact member state; 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 Tennessee lists $200 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
North Carolina lists 4–6 weeks; Tennessee has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
North Carolina and Tennessee 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.
- Tennessee (the reverse move): National exams are not retaken on the reciprocity route: the reciprocity rule (0450-01-.04(5)) and the Board's 2019 reciprocity policy require only the Tennessee Jurisprudence Exam, whose results are sent to the Board by NBCC. Exam-route applicants must pass the NCE and NCMHCE.
What changes, Tennessee → North Carolina
| Tennessee (current) | North Carolina (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Counseling Compact status | Reciprocity with 2 states · Counseling Compact privilege (not a license) | Reciprocity with 3 states · Counseling Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| Application fee | $200 (LPC/MHSP application fee per Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0450-01-.06(4)(c) and the application checklist; + $10 state regulatory fee ($210 total at application); background-check vendor fee separate. NOT the Counseling Compact privilege fee (Tennessee's total privilege cost is $210 including the $30 commission fee, and it requires a jurisprudence exam, per the commission's fee table).) | $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 timeframe published; files completed at least 30 days before a Board meeting are ordinarily processed at that meeting (0450-01-.05(5)(c)), and the application asks applicants to allow 14 working days for mailed documents to be filed | 4–6 weeks (Board-stated 'Application Processing Timeframe (provided there are no legal/special considerations) 4-6 weeks from completed application submission') |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Board for Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapists | 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)
- Tennessee Board: Policy Statement Regarding Licensure by Reciprocity (adopted 2019-12-06, amended 2020-01-03) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Tennessee Board: LPC application packet PH-2722 (file revised 8/2023; LPC/MHSP by reciprocity checklist, fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Rules of the Tennessee Board for Professional Counselors ch. 0450-01 (April 2020 revision; 0450-01-.04(5), .05(5), .06) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Tennessee Board page: policies list incl. TN/NC and TN/KY reciprocity agreements, Counseling Compact status (privilege applications accepted from 2026-09-01) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Tennessee Board: Reciprocity Agreement between Tennessee and North Carolina ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Counseling Compact: state privilege fees and jurisprudence requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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