Licensed Professional Counselor (professional counselor) · Louisiana · regulated by Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners · high confidence
| Pre-license credential | PLPC (Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor) |
|---|---|
| Supervised experience | Minimum of 3,000 hours of post-master's experience in professional mental health counseling under a board-approved supervisor (≥1,900 direct, ≥1,000 indirect, 100 supervision) |
| Direct client contact | 1,900 hours of direct counseling/psychotherapeutic services with individuals, couples, families, or groups |
| Supervision | 100 hours of face-to-face supervision by an LPC Supervisor; ≥50 individual |
| Minimum time | 2 years |
| Time limit | 6 years from the original date supervision was approved |
| Exams | NCE or NCMHCE (oral exam at board discretion); PLPCs must retake at least once per renewal period until passed |
Supervision
- How much: 100 hours of face-to-face supervision by an LPC Supervisor; ≥50 individual
- How often: Active supervision: 1 hour face-to-face per 20 hours of direct client contact; must meet at least 1 hour within any 3-month period
- Group supervision: Group = 2 to 10 PLPCs; up to 50 of the 100 hours may be group
- Who may supervise: LPC Supervisor (LPC-S): LA LPC with ≥3 years post-licensure practice; 45-clock-hour graduate supervision course or 25-hour ACA/LCA/NBCC training within 5 years; max 10 PLPCs
When hours count and what to keep
- Before your degree: Not counted; post-master's practicum/internship direct hours count only if earned after PLPC approval under the board-approved supervisor
- Paperwork: Board approval letter before accruing hours; declaration of practices and procedures; supervised hours (direct/indirect/supervision) submitted at each PLPC renewal; supervisor certifies completion
Can you be supervised remotely in Louisiana?
Yes by video, but the supervisor needs a state-specific supervisor credential and the board must approve the arrangement first. What shapes this: state-only supervisor credential, prior board approval.
- Video supervision: Up to 100% of the 100 supervision hours may be by synchronous video on a HIPAA-compliant platform; telesupervision defined as synchronous video and audio. Mail, email and telephone never count as supervision.
- Phone only: not allowed
- Supervisor licensed in Louisiana? required
- Supervisor credential: LA LPC Supervisor (LPC-S) designation issued by the LA LPC Board (LA LPC ≥3 years post-licensure + supervision training)
- Supervisee cap: ≤10 PLPCs at any given time; group supervision 2-10 PLPCs
- Board approval first: PLPC license plus board approval of the supervision arrangement and practice setting before any hours accrue; changing supervisor requires a new approved application
- If you live outside Louisiana: Licensees must follow the licensing laws of both the jurisdiction where the licensee is physically located and where the client is located; a nonresident of Louisiana needs board approval to provide teletherapy in Louisiana
The client’s location decides which state’s rules apply. This is not legal advice; confirm with the board before building a program. Compare every state on the remote-supervision map.
Recent and pending changes
Rule amendments LR 50:1851 (Dec 2024) take effect April 1, 2027 (continuing-education/coursework sections, not the 3,000-hour rule).
Where the rules are unclear
Louisiana’s own documents disagree or are silent on these points. Ask the board if they affect you:
- Does a PLPC who is physically outside Louisiana but treating Louisiana clients need the §505.D 'nonresident' teletherapy approval, and do those hours count?
In the board’s own words
“a supervisee must document a minimum of 3,000 hours of post-master's experience in professional mental health counseling” — LAC 46:LX §605.A.2✓ matched in the source
“over a period of no less than two years and not more than six years from the original date such supervision was approved” — LAC 46:LX §605.A.2✓ matched in the source
“one hour of face-to-face supervision with his/her board-approved supervisor for every 20 hours of direct client contact” — LAC 46:LX §503✓ matched in the source
“A minimum of 100 hours of face-to-face supervision by a LPC Supervisor.” — LAC 46:LX §605.A.2✓ matched in the source
“One hundred percent of total supervision hours may be used within a telesupervision format.” — LAC 46:LX §505.K✓ matched in the source
“Up to 100 percent of the supervision hours may be conducted by synchronous videoconferencing on a HIPAA compliant platform” — LAC 46:LX §605.A.2✓ matched in the source
“supervision may not take place via mail, email, or telephone.” — LAC 46:LX §605.A.2✓ matched in the source
“The supervisor must hold a Louisiana license as a licensed professional counselor.” — LAC 46:LX §801✓ matched in the source
“This individual must hold the licensed professional counselor-supervisor designation as issued by the Louisiana LPC Board of Examiners” — LAC 46:LX §605✓ matched in the source
“A supervisor may not supervise more than 10 provisional licensed professional counselors at any given time.” — LAC 46:LX §803✓ matched in the source
“must be employed in the professional setting in which the provisional licensed professional counselor is rendering counseling services and be available for case consultation” — LAC 46:LX §605.A.2✓ matched in the source
“A PLPC may be a contracted employee.” — LAC 46:LX §503✓ matched in the source
4 more quotes are in the state explorer.
Other licenses in Louisiana
- LMFT (marriage and family therapist)
- LCSW (clinical social worker)
- Psychologist
- All Louisiana licenses · every state
Sources
Checked against Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners’s rules, statutes and publications on September 25, 2026. The board decides; if your situation is unusual, confirm with them.