- LMHC title
- The clinical counseling title in 7 states
- NCMHCE
- Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts and New York
- NCMHCE or NCE
- Washington, your choice
- Not listed
- Hawaii: no NCMHCE on the board pages we checked
Which exam each LMHC state uses
This is the quick view. Tap a state for its full rule and sources.
| State | Exam | Board fees | Supervised experience | Board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | NCMHCE | $180 total at initial application | At least 2 years of supervised experience, including 1,500 face-to-face psychotherapy hours and 100 supervision hours | Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling |
| Massachusetts | NCMHCE | $272 total | 3,360 post-master's hours over 2–8 years, including 960 direct-contact hours and 130 supervision hours | Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions |
| New York | NCMHCE | $371 licensure and first-registration fee | 3,000 supervised post-degree hours, including at least 1,500 direct client-contact hours | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions |
| Hawaii | NCMHCE not listed | $60 application fee | 3,000 postgraduate mental-health-counseling hours with 100 face-to-face clinical-supervision hours, completed in 2–4 years | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division |
| Indiana | NCMHCE | $50 application fee | 3,000 postgraduate clinical hours over 21–48 months, including 100 hours of face-to-face supervision | Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board |
| Iowa | NCMHCE | Check with the board | Check with the board | Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals |
| Washington | NCMHCE or NCE | Check with the board | At least 36 months full-time or 3,000 postgraduate hours, including 1,200 direct-counseling hours and 100 immediate-supervision hours | Washington State Department of Health |
"Check with the board" means the board's public pages did not state the figure when we looked; it is not a blank. The NCMHCE fee itself, $275 per attempt in most states and $350 for a first attempt in Florida, comes on top of any board fee.
If your LMHC exam is the NCMHCE, see the format before you plan your studying: one free case, 14 questions, every answer explained, about 20 minutes.
Try a free caseWhat the LMHC exam is: 11 cases in 225 minutes
The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) is NBCC's case-based exam.
- Cases
- 11 clinical cases, each in three parts
- Questions
- 130 to 150 multiple-choice, with 100 scored
- Testing time
- 225 minutes
- Parts
- Each part locks once you leave it
The NCE, which Iowa and Washington also accept, is 200 stand-alone multiple-choice questions on the eight CACREP areas. The NCE vs NCMHCE page compares them in detail, and the format page walks through a case.
How you sign up in most LMHC states:
- The board approves you to test first.
- NBCC sends registration instructions.
- You pay the $275 fee.
- You schedule at a Pearson VUE center or online.
Florida is the exception: you apply to CCE directly with its exam application form and your transcript, with no board approval beforehand, and the fee is $350 for the first attempt and $275 for a retake.
The registration page has each step and the retake rules.
Each state's rule
Open a state to see its license, fees, hours and board, each with its source.
Florida: NCMHCE, no board approval first
Fees, hours and board for Florida
Florida needs no board approval before the NCMHCE: you apply to CCE directly with its exam application form and your official transcript. The exam fee is $350 for the first attempt and $275 for a retake, paid to CCE. Source
| License | Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) |
|---|---|
| Exam | NCMHCE Source |
| Board fees | $180 total at initial application ($100 application, $75 initial license, $5 unlicensed-activity fee) Source |
| Supervised experience | At least 2 years of supervised experience, including 1,500 face-to-face psychotherapy hours and 100 supervision hours Source |
| State exam or course | No separate state examination identified on the board's LMHC requirements page; an 8-hour Florida laws-and-rules course is required Source |
| Board | Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. Checked October 24, 2026. |
Massachusetts: NCMHCE
Fees, hours and board for Massachusetts
| License | Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) |
|---|---|
| Exam | NCMHCE Source |
| Board fees | $272 total ($117 application fee and $155 initial license fee) Source |
| Supervised experience | 3,360 post-master's hours over 2–8 years, including 960 direct-contact hours and 130 supervision hours Source |
| Board | Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions. Checked August 10, 2026. |
New York: NCMHCE
Fees, hours and board for New York
| License | Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) |
|---|---|
| Exam | NCMHCE Source |
| Board fees | $371 licensure and first-registration fee Source |
| Supervised experience | 3,000 supervised post-degree hours, including at least 1,500 direct client-contact hours Source |
| Board | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions. Checked August 10, 2026. |
Hawaii: NCMHCE not listed
Fees, hours and board for Hawaii
The board pages we checked do not list the NCMHCE for this license. Ask the board which exams it accepts. Source
| License | Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) |
|---|---|
| Exam | NCMHCE not listed |
| Board fees | $60 application fee Source |
| Supervised experience | 3,000 postgraduate mental-health-counseling hours with 100 face-to-face clinical-supervision hours, completed in 2–4 years Source |
| Board | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division. Checked August 10, 2026. |
Indiana: NCMHCE
Fees, hours and board for Indiana
| License | Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) |
|---|---|
| Exam | NCMHCE Source |
| Board fees | $50 application fee Source |
| Supervised experience | 3,000 postgraduate clinical hours over 21–48 months, including 100 hours of face-to-face supervision Source |
| Board | Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board. Checked August 10, 2026. |
Iowa: NCMHCE, or NCE for a temporary license
Fees, hours and board for Iowa
For the full LMHC license Iowa requires the NCMHCE; the temporary LMHC license accepts the NCMHCE or the NCE, and an NCMHCE pass for the temporary license counts for the full one. Source
| License | Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) |
|---|---|
| Exam | NCMHCE Source |
| Board fees | Check with the board |
| Supervised experience | Check with the board |
| Board | Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals. Checked October 22, 2026. |
Washington: NCMHCE or NCE
Fees, hours and board for Washington
The board accepts the NCMHCE or the NCE, so you choose. Source
| License | Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) |
|---|---|
| Exam | NCMHCE or NCE |
| Board fees | Check with the board |
| Supervised experience | At least 36 months full-time or 3,000 postgraduate hours, including 1,200 direct-counseling hours and 100 immediate-supervision hours Source |
| Board | Washington State Department of Health. Checked August 10, 2026. |
Related titles in other states
Several states use a mental-health-counselor title other than LMHC. Their exam rules, from the same board checks:
| State | License | Exam | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health (LPCMH) | NCMHCE or NCE | Delaware Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals |
| Nebraska | Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP) | NCMHCE or NCE | Department of Health & Human Services; Division of Public Health |
| New Hampshire | Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) | NCMHCE | New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice |
| New Mexico | Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LPCC) | NCMHCE | New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board |
| North Carolina | Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) | NCMHCE or NCE | North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors |
| Rhode Island | Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) | NCMHCE | Rhode Island Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists |
| South Dakota | Licensed Professional Counselor–Mental Health (LPC-MH) | NCMHCE | South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists |
| Tennessee | Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider designation (LPC-MHSP) | NCMHCE | Tennessee State Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Pastoral Therapists |
| Utah | Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC) | NCMHCE | Utah Division of Professional Licensing |
| Vermont | Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) | NCMHCE | Vermont Board of Allied Mental Health Practitioners |
Every other state's clinical counseling title (LPC, LPCC, LCPC) and exam rule is on the NCMHCE requirements by state page, with fees and hours on LPC requirements by state. Moving between LMHC states? The reciprocity page has each board's endorsement rule.
What people who passed say helped most
People who passed the current exam say the same three things helped most:
- Knowing each theory by the techniques that belong to it
- Knowing DSM-5-TR diagnoses by their differentials and time rules
- Working many full cases on the clock
The how to pass page has their accounts, the study guide covers the content, and the sample questions show the question style with every answer explained.
LMHC exam FAQ
Is the LMHC exam the same as the NCMHCE?
In Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts and New York, yes: the board names the NCMHCE as the clinical exam for the LMHC. Washington accepts either the NCMHCE or the NCE. There is no separate national "LMHC exam"; the title is the state's, the exam is NBCC's.
What exam does Florida require for the LMHC?
The NCMHCE is the exam for this license. Florida needs no board approval before the NCMHCE: you apply to CCE directly with its exam application form and your official transcript. The exam fee is $350 for the first attempt and $275 for a retake, paid to CCE. Exam fee: $350 first attempt, $275 retake, paid to CCE. Board fees: $180 total at initial application ($100 application, $75 initial license, $5 unlicensed-activity fee). Source: Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, checked October 24, 2026.
What exam does Massachusetts require for the LMHC?
The NCMHCE is the exam for this license. The exam fee paid to NBCC is $275. Board fees: $272 total ($117 application fee and $155 initial license fee). Source: Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions, checked August 10, 2026.
What exam does New York require for the LMHC?
The NCMHCE is the exam for this license. The exam fee paid to NBCC is $275. Board fees: $371 licensure and first-registration fee. Source: New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, checked August 10, 2026.
Is there an LMHC practice exam?
An LMHC practice exam is an NCMHCE practice exam. The free practice case on this site runs one full case in the current format with every answer explained, and the sample questions page has twenty more. Both need no account.
How hard is the LMHC exam?
Florida, the largest LMHC state, publishes NCMHCE pass and fail counts every year: across 2017 to 2024, 51.4% of the 15,864 results it reported were passes. That counts repeat attempts, so the first-attempt figure is unknown; NBCC's national first-time pass rates, as published by a university that received them, ran 67% to 77% across four sessions in 2023 to 2025. See the pass rate page.
What does the LMHC exam cost?
The NCMHCE fee is $275 per attempt in most states, paid to NBCC; in Florida the first attempt is $350 and a retake $275, paid to CCE. Board application and license fees are separate and vary by state: Florida, $180 total at initial application; Hawaii, $60 application fee; Indiana, $50 application fee; Massachusetts, $272 total; New York, $371 licensure and first-registration fee.
Sources
- Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) requirements. Accessed October 24, 2026.
- Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) requirements. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- Massachusetts Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Washington State Department of Health, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Delaware Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals, Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health (LPCMH) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Department of Health & Human Services; Division of Public Health, Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board, Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LPCC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Rhode Island Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselor–Mental Health (LPC-MH) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Tennessee State Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Pastoral Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider designation (LPC-MHSP) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Utah Division of Professional Licensing, Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC) requirements. Accessed August 10, 2026.
- Vermont Board of Allied Mental Health Practitioners, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) requirements. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- NBCC, Candidate Handbook for State Licensure, NCMHCE: format, fee, registration and retake rules. Accessed September 23, 2026.
- Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, NCMHCE pass rates by university, 2017 to 2024. Accessed August 10, 2026.
The free practice case is one full NCMHCE-style case: 14 questions, about 20 minutes, no account needed.
Try the free case