Colorado Counselor License Exam

To get licensed in Colorado, Professional Counselors are required to take an exam covering such subjects as human growth and development, psychopathology, group therapy and professional ethics. Whether you live in Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora or another city or county, the resources below will help you get started on the path to receive your Professional Counselor’s License.

Need of a License: A license is needed to work as a counselor in Colorado. Licenses are granted by the Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners.

To qualify to become a licensed professional counselor in Colorado, the following must be met:

Obtain a graduate degree in counseling from an accredited school meeting credit limits.
Meet supervised clinical experience requirements of two years post-masters, or one year post- doctoral experience.
An applicant must earn a passing score on the NCE (National Counselor Exam)
An applicant must also take the Colorado Jurisprudence exam.

How to Apply for Licensure

An application for licensure and other documentation can be obtained online. All documents must be sent to:

Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners

1560 Broadway, Suite 1350
Denver, CO 80202

303-894-7766
303-894-7764 (fax)
MentalHealth@dora.state.co.us
www.dora.state.co.us/mental-health

Test Content of the NCE

The NCE measures the applicants’ knowledge of the following eight content areas:

The psychology of human growth and development
Socio-cultural diversity
Establishing helping relationships
Group dynamics and group therapy
Career goals and development
Assessment of psychopathology and treatment needs
Research methods andprogram evaluation
Professional orientation and ethical practice.

The applicant’s knowledge of the following five work areas are also measured by the NCE:

Fundamental issues in counseling
The process of counseling
Diagnostic and assessment services
Professional practice issues
Ongoing professional development and the need for clinical supervision and consultation.

The exam consists of 200 questions, 40 of which are not scored, but are included for purpose of research. The actual score is based on 160 questions. The number of questions the applicant must get correct to pass varies between test versions. Four hours are given to complete the exam.

For more information, see the NCE Candidate Handbook.

How to Apply to Take the Exam

Apply online to take the NCE.

The exam is administered by Pearson VUE.

The content of the Colorado Jurisprudence exam is not available on-line.

License Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements

To renew a license, regulations require 40 clock hours of continuing education in acceptable courses and programs offered by approved Continuing Education providers every two year licensure renewal period.

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For more information on licensing and exam prep, go to Tests.com's NCE Guide.

And take Tests.com's free NCE Practice Test.

For counseling exam preparation products and services, such as study guides, practice tests, flashcards and courses, go to Tests.com's NCE listings.

Quality starts with who wrote the material.

Our practice exam writer

Diane Dean, LPC, RN-BC, MA,

is a licensed professional counselor and educator with over 20 years experience in healthcare. She has taught at many colleges and universities, including the University of Pittsburgh.

Stacy Fruhling, LCPC, LCADC, NCC, MAC,

is an adjunct professor in psychology and counseling at the Ann Arundel Community College and the Community College of Baltimore.

Lisa Slade, MS, LPC, NCC,

is an adjunct professor in psychology, counseling, sociology and human services at Caldwell University in the Graduate School of Psychology, at the University of Bridgeport and at the Housatonic Community College.

OUR PRACTICE EXAM COVERS THE ACTUAL NCE DOMAINS:

The NCE contains 200 multiple-choice, non-sectioned questions. There are different versions of the test. Test questions come from a pool of questions that have been extensively reviewed and researched for content accuracy and clarity.

Below are the eight domains tested by the NBCC on the NCE:

• Human Growth and Development

• Social and Cultural Diversity

• Helping Relationships

• Group Counseling

• Career Counseling

• Assessment and Testing

• Research and Program Evaluation

• Professional Orientation and Ethics

Five work behaviors are also tested:

• Fundamentals of Counseling

• Counseling Process