Section 43-47-06 - Licenses - Qualifications - Reciprocity1. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person may not engage in counseling in this state unless that person is a licensed professional counselor or licensed associate professional counselor.2. The board shall issue a license as a licensed professional counselor to each applicant who files an application upon a form and in a manner the board prescribes, accompanied by the required fee, and who furnishes evidence to the board that the applicant:a. Has a master's degree from an accredited school or college in counseling or other program that meets the academic and training standards adopted by the board;b. Provided personal and professional recommendations that meet the requirements adopted by the board and satisfied the board that the applicant will adhere to the highest standards of the profession of counseling;c. Has two years of supervised experience, at least fifty percent of which must have been under a licensed professional counselor or licensed psychologist, or its equivalent as determined by the board, and the additional supervised experience may have been with other qualified professionals designated by the board which are competent in the area of practice being supervised, if barriers due to geographical location, disability, or other factors determined by the board to create a hardship exist for the applicant. The qualified professional must be registered or otherwise qualified as a clinical supervisor by the board that licenses the other professional;d. Provided a statement of professional intent to practice in this state describing the applicant's proposed use of the license, the intended client population, and the counseling procedures, as defined by the board, the applicant intends to use in serving the client population; ande. Has demonstrated knowledge in the field of counseling by successful completion of an examination prescribed by the board.3. The board shall issue a license as a licensed associate professional counselor to each applicant who files an application upon a form and in a manner the board prescribes, accompanied by the required fee, and who furnishes sufficient evidence to the board that the applicant:a. Has a master's degree from an accredited school or college in counseling or other program that meets the academic and training standards adopted by the board;b. Provided personal and professional recommendations that meet the requirements adopted by the board and satisfied the board that the applicant will adhere to the standards of the profession of counseling; andc. Provided a written plan for supervised experience which meets the requirements adopted by the board.4. The board may waive the formal examination requirements for a professional counselor license if the applicant has been licensed or certified to practice counseling in another state under standards and qualifications similar to or greater than those set by the board.5. A professional counselor shall renew the license every two years. The board shall renew a license upon payment of a fee set by the board and upon demonstration by the licenseholder of completion of continuing education requirements set by the board.6. An associate professional counselor initially licensed under this chapter may be licensed for no more than two years. The associate professional counselor's license may not be extended beyond two years, except upon recommendation of the associate professional counselor's supervisor and three other counselors, at least one of whom must be a professor from the associate professional counselor's training program.Amended by S.L. 2023, ch. 391 (SB 2187),§ 1, eff. 8/1/2023.Amended by S.L. 2017 , ch. 299( SB 2033 ), § 3, eff. 7/1/2017.