Persons practicing psychotherapy, including persons engaged in supervised practice toward licensure, must be entered on the roster.

If you engage in supervised practice in Vermont, you MUST be on the roster of non-licensed non-certified psychotherapists before you begin your supervised practice. Your supervision hours will not be accepted if you were not on the Roster during the entire time you were engaged in supervised practice.

Forms and Instructions

• Non-licensed, Non-certified Psychotherapist Application Instructions (The Roster application is found within Allied Mental Health in the Online Licensing System)
• Non-licensed, Non-certified Psychotherapist Disclosure Form

Roster Requirement

If you engage in supervised practice in Vermont, you MUST be on the roster of non-licensed non-certified psychotherapists before you begin your supervised practice. Your supervision hours will not be accepted if you were not on the Roster during the entire time you were engaged in supervised practice.

Forms & Instructions

Licensing requirements must be completed within 5 years from the date your application is submitted to the Office.

• Mental Health Counselor Application Instructions
• Mental Health Counselor Public Disclosure Form

Education Information

Programs accredited by CACREP meet Vermont’s educational requirements for licensure.

CACREP-approved programs must include 60 credits of graduate-level coursework in mental health counseling to qualify for licensure.

Non-CACREP programs MUST meet the required coursework found in the Administrative Rules, see 3.8 and 3.9. At a minimum, the program must be stand-alone courses and include the following which cannot be supplemented post-degree:

• 60 graduate credits in mental health counseling. (48 credits supplemented toa 60-credit degree may be accepted.)
• a stand-alone 3-credit DSM course
• at least a 600-hour internship.
• 5 out of 7 graduate 3 credit courses as outlined in 3.8(d).

In addition to official transcripts, course descriptions and syllabi are required to be submitted to the Office. The Mental Health Counselor Education & Coursework Requirements Worksheet is not required.

Some Vermont programs that are not CACREP accredited may hold an MOU with the Board. Click here for a list of Vermont programs with an MOU with the Board.

Examination Information

Your education must be approved by the Office before you will be able to sit for the examination(s). You must apply and submit your education to the Office for review.

Applicants must successfully complete both the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) and the National Counselor Examination (NCE). Only exam results obtained within five (5) years of the date of licensure may be accepted.

Please visit the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) for more information.

Supervision

Supervised Practice Requirement

You are required to complete 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervised practice over a period of no less than two (2) years of which 2000 of the 3000 hours must be direct. See Rules 3.15-3.22.

To ensure that an applicant’s supervised practice reflects a current competence for licensure, only supervised practice hours acquired within 5 years of a final decision on licensure may be accepted. See Rules 3.15-3.22.

• Mental Health Counselor Supervision Form
• Mental Health Counselor Verification of Supervisor Licensure Form

Supervisor Requirements

Your supervisor must be a licensed physician or a licensed osteopathic physician who has been certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Medical Specialties, a licensed psychiatric nurse practitioner, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical mental health counselor, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, or a person licensed or certified in another jurisdiction in one of these professions, or in a licensed profession which is in the opinion of the Board their substantial equivalent. Supervisors must have been licensed for at least 3 years and be in good standing when the supervision commenced.

A supervisee may choose to have supervision from a supervisor with a VT provisional license, but the supervisee assumes the risk that the supervisor may not be qualified to provide supervision. The supervisor and the supervisee are subject to all Vermont laws.

If that supervisor is later deemed unqualified to provide supervision (e.g., has fewer than 3 years of licensed practice or is not in good standing), the supervised hours acquired by the supervisee will NOT be counted toward licensure.

Mental Health Supervision Registry

Act 117 (2022) requires OPR to maintain a registry of licensed mental health professionals who are available to serve as supervisors for mental health professionals in training. Supervisors and individuals engaged in supervised practice must comply with all other requirements for supervision, as set forth in the Vermont statutes and regulations. It is the responsibility of the supervisor and the supervisee to read and comply with the statutes and administrative rules for the licensed profession of the supervisor and for the profession in which the supervisee is seeking licensure. Click here for more information on the Mental Health Supervisor Registry.

Roster Requirement

If you engage in supervised practice in Vermont, you MUST be on the roster of non-licensed non-certified psychotherapists before you begin your supervised practice. Your supervision hours will not be accepted if you were not on the Roster during the entire time you were engaged in supervised practice.

Forms & Instructions

Licensing requirements must be completed within 5 years from the date your application is submitted to the Office.

• Marriage & Family Therapist Application Instructions
• Marriage & Family Therapist Public Disclosure Form

Educational Program Information

Programs accredited by COAMFTE meet Vermont’s educational requirements for licensure.

Non-COAMFTE programs MUST meet the required coursework found in the Administrative Rules (see 4.8 through 4.14). At a minimum, required courses must be stand-alone courses and the program must include the following:

• 48 graduate credits in marriage and family therapy and related areas of study (36 credits with a supplemented 18 credits primarily dedicated to being marriage, couple, or family therapy/systems/relational perspective to obtain a 48-credit degree may be accepted).
• A stand-alone 3-credit DSM course (cannot be supplemented post-degree).
• Internship for 500 hours which cannot be supplemented post-degree. Applicants who did not provide 500 hours of direct service during the internship must add to the 3,000 hours of post-degree supervised practice.

Examination Information

Your education must be approved by the Office before you will be able to sit for the examination(s). You must apply and submit your education to the Office for review.

Only exam results obtained within five (5) years of the date of the final decision of licensure may be accepted.

Please visit the Association of Marital & Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) for more information.

Supervision

Supervised Practice Requirement

You are required to complete 3,000 hours of post graduate supervised practice within five (5) years of final decision of licensure.

2,000 hours must be direct service, 50% of which must be with couples and/or families. The remaining 1,000 hours must be continued clinical practice or indirect services related to or supporting clinical services.

• Marriage & Family Therapist Verification of Supervisor License
• Marriage & Family Therapist Report of Supervision

Supervisor Requirements

Your supervisor must be licensed as a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed clinical social worker, a clinical mental health counselor, a psychologist, or a licensed physician certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Supervisors must have been licensed for at least 3 years and be in good standing, when the supervision commenced.

A supervisee may choose to have supervision from a supervisor with a VT provisional license, but the supervisee assumes the risk that the supervisor may not be qualified to provide supervision.

The supervisor and the supervisee are subject to all Vermont laws. If that supervisor is later deemed unqualified to provide supervision (e.g., has fewer than 3 years of licensed practice or is not in good standing), the supervised hours acquired by the supervisee will NOT be counted toward licensure.

Mental Health Supervision Registry

Act 117 (2022) requires OPR to maintain a registry of licensed mental health professionals who are available to serve as supervisors for mental health professionals in training. Supervisors and individuals engaged in supervised practice must comply with all other requirements for supervision, as set forth in the Vermont statutes and regulations. It is the responsibility of the supervisor and the supervisee to read and comply with the statutes and administrative rules for the licensed profession of the supervisor and for the profession in which the supervisee is seeking licensure. Click here for more information on the Mental Health Supervisor Registry.

Telehealth

Certain healthcare professionals licensed in another state can provide telehealth services to Vermonters. If you are physically located in Vermont, you are not permitted to practice telehealth. Please visit our Telehealth Registration and Licensing for more information.

Fast Track Endorsement

If you have been fully licensed to practice independently in another state for 3 or more years, you may be able to apply for accelerated licensing. Please visit our Fast Track Endorsement Webpage for more information.

Five Year Rule

Applicants fully licensed or certified to practice independently as a clinical mental health counselor and is in good standing in another United States or Canadian jurisdiction, regardless of the jurisdiction’s current licensing requirements, and has been in “active practice” no fewer than five years, the Board may issue a license.

“Active practice” means practicing clinical mental health counseling more than an average of 20 hours per week for 48 weeks per year over the five years before the application for licensure in Vermont.

Forms and Instructions

• Mental Health Counselor Application Instructions (Endorsement or Fast Track)

Telehealth

Certain healthcare professionals licensed in another state can provide telehealth services to Vermonters. If you are physically located in Vermont, you are not permitted to practice telehealth. Please visit our Telehealth Registration and Licensing for more information.

Fast Track Endorsement

If you have been fully licensed to practice independently in another state for 3 or more years, you may be able to apply for accelerated licensing. Please visit our Fast Track Endorsement Webpage for more information.

Five Year Rule

Applicants fully licensed or certified to practice independently as a marriage and family therapist and is in good standing in another United States or Canadian jurisdiction, regardless of the jurisdiction’s current licensing requirements, and has been in “active practice” no fewer than five years, the Board may issue a license. See Rule 4.25(b).

“Active practice” means practicing marriage and family therapy counseling more than an average of 20 hours per week for 48 weeks per year over the five years before the application for licensure in Vermont.

Forms & Instructions

• Marriage & Family Therapist Application Instructions (Endorsement or Fast Track)

Forms & Instructions

• Renewal instructions (coming soon)

Forms & Instructions

• Renewal instructions (coming soon)
• Continuing Education Form
• Course Provider Fee Exemption guidance

Per H.305 (2023), where administrative rules require in-person or face-to-face continuing education, synchronous (live or interactive and not pre-recorded) virtual continuing education courses qualify as live, in-person training and will be accepted for renewal. The Policy for Continuing Education and Impacts of COVID-19 will be rescinded as of January 31, 2025.

Continuing Education Requirement

40 hours of continuing education is required beginning with your first renewal after two years of licensure and ever renewal thereafter. CE requirements start at Rule 3.26.

Act 117 (2022) went into effect on July 1, 2023 and requires licensed mental health professionals to complete one (1) hour of continuing education related to systematic oppression and anti-oppressive practice, or related areas. You must complete the one hour of continuing education beginning with your January 2025 renewal. Online courses are acceptable.

Forms & Instructions

• Renewal Instructions (coming soon)
• Continuing Education Form
• Course Provider Fee Exemption guidance

Per H.305 (2023), where administrative rules require in-person or face-to-face continuing education, synchronous (live or interactive and not pre-recorded) virtual continuing education courses qualify as live, in-person training and will be accepted for renewal. The Policy for Continuing Education and Impacts of COVID-19 will be rescinded as of November 30, 2024.

Continuing Education Requirement

20 hours of continuing education is required beginning with your first renewal after two years of licensure and every renewal thereafter. CE requirements start at Rule 4.28.

Act 117 (2022) went into effect on July 1, 2023 and requires licensed mental health professionals to complete one (1) hour of continuing education related to systematic oppression and anti-oppressive practice, or related areas. You must complete the one hour of continuing education beginning with your November 2024 renewal. Online courses are acceptable.