Nearly all states require that mental health counselors be licensed, registered, or certified. Requirements vary by state.

In Illinois a person must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to practice professional counseling. Licensure as a professional counselor requires:

• a bachelor's degree in human services from an approved program and five years of supervised experience; or,
• a master's degree in counseling, rehabilitation counseling, or clinical psychology from an approved program;
• payment of a fee; and,
• passage of an exam.

Licensure as a clinical professional counselor requires an applicant to have:

• a master's degree from an approved program in counseling, rehabilitation counseling or clinical psychology and two years of supervised experience; or,
• a doctorate degree from an approved program in counseling, rehabilitation counseling or clinical psychology and completion of at least two years of supervised experience, one year of which must be subsequent to the degree;
• payment of a fee; and,
• passage of an exam.

Licensure must be renewed every two years and requires 30 hours of continuing education.

Additional licensing information can be obtained from: