Authority, credentials, and scope
Regulator, governing authority, credential names, regulated titles, scope boundaries, exemptions, and prohibited activities.
License required
Published research · ConfirmedThe practice and protected titles for clinical mental health counseling are regulated under Article 24, subject to statutory exemptions.
- Applies to
- Use for LCMHCA, LCMHC, LCMHCS research in NC.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Application and practice status
Application, education, examination, background check, fees, temporary authority, endorsement, and supervised versus independent practice.
Credential ladder
Published research · ConfirmedLCMHCA is the supervised associate credential, LCMHC authorizes independent practice, and LCMHCS identifies an approved clinical supervisor.
- Applies to
- Use for LCMHCA, LCMHC, LCMHCS research in NC.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Supervision and workforce evidence
Supervisor qualifications, written agreements, settings, hours, reporting, license verification, and hiring or credentialing evidence.
Associate supervision
Published research · ConfirmedAn LCMHCA must practice under qualifying supervision and may not be presented as an independently licensed counselor.
- Applies to
- Use for LCMHCA, LCMHC, LCMHCS research in NC.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Cross-border and practice structure
Telehealth location rules, registration, compact privileges, ownership, entity naming, fee sharing, and multidisciplinary practice.
Compact enactment is not automatic authority
Open implementation issue · QualifiedNorth Carolina enacted the Counseling Compact, but a practitioner must confirm that the relevant home and remote states are live and that a privilege has actually been issued before relying on compact authority.
- Applies to
- Use for LCMHCA, LCMHC, LCMHCS research in NC.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Client-facing operations and records
Disclosure, consent, telehealth, emergencies, advertising, confidentiality, access, retention, minors, subpoenas, closure, fees, billing, and termination.
Client-location check
Published research · QualifiedCounseling delivered to a client located in North Carolina requires a documented North Carolina authority route, including any valid compact privilege or applicable exemption.
- Applies to
- Use for LCMHCA, LCMHC, LCMHCS research in NC.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Maintenance, complaints, and monitoring
Renewal, continuing education, audits, inactive status, reinstatement, complaints, discipline, effective dates, exclusions, and unresolved interpretations.
License required
Published research · ConfirmedThe practice and protected titles for clinical mental health counseling are regulated under Article 24, subject to statutory exemptions.
- Applies to
- Use for LCMHCA, LCMHC, LCMHCS research in NC.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11