Ohio counseling license requirements

We've listed some of the most common questions and answers for Ohio counseling continuing education.

How many CE Credits does Ohio require for counselors?

• Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists licensed by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board:

  • LPC, LPCC, LPCC-S, LPAT, LPMT IMFT, IMFT-S, MFT: 30 hours every 2 years. Licenses expire biennially.

• Professionals with credentials from the Ohio Chemical Dependency and Professionals Board:

  • CDCA, LCDC II, LCDC III, LICDC, LICDC-CS: 30 hours every 2 years.
  • OCPC, OCPS: 40 hours every 2 years.
  • OCPSA: 20 hours every 2 years.

Can I take my continuing education through Continued Counseling?

Licensed Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists: Yes. For professionals licensed through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapists Board, the Board accepts courses by NBCC approved providers. Continued has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7484. Find courses offered for NBCC credit.

Addiction Counselors: Yes. The Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board (OCDP) approves individual courses. Continued has courses approved by OCDP. Find courses approved by OCDP.

Licensees are responsible for completing courses that align with the content requirements for their specific license.

Licensed Professional Counselors:

• LPC, LPCC, LPCC-S, LPAT, LPMT:

  • There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be obtained online.
  • 3 hours must be obtained in ethics for each renewal. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics course requirement.
  • If the licensee has a supervisor designation, 3 hours in supervision must be obtained each renewal. Continued offers courses that may meet the supervision course requirement.

Licensed Marriage and Family Counselors:

• IMFT, IMFT-S, MFT:

  • There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be obtained online.
  • 3 hours must be obtained in ethics for each renewal. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics course requirement.
  • If the licensee has a supervisor designation, 3 hours in supervision must be obtained each renewal. Continued does not currently offer courses that meet this requirement.

Addiction Counselors:

• There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be completed online.
• Effective 4/1/2024, all CDCA Preliminary applications must include a 1 CEU certificate of completion for "OCDP CDCA Ethics Course" hosted on eBased Academy. Instructions on finding this course can be found here.
• CDCA, LCDC II, LCDC III, LICDC:
  • 3 hours of ethics each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics course requirement.
  • 6 hours of substance use disorder (SUD) each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the SUD course requirement.
• LICDC-CS:
  • 3 hours of ethics each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics course requirement.
  • 6 hours of substance use disorder (SUD) each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the SUD course requirement.
  • 6 hours of supervision each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the supervision course requirement.

Prevention Certificates:

• Education in counseling theory, models, strategies and/or techniques for the purpose of diagnosing or treating behavioral health disorders, including substance use disorders, will NOT be accepted as prevention education.

• OCPSA:

  • 1.5 hours of prevention ethics each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet this course requirement.
  • 3 hours must be from Content Area P6-Professional Growth & Responsibility. Continued offers courses that may meet this course requirement.

• OCPC, OCPS:

  • 3 hours of prevention ethics each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet this course requirement.
  • 6 hours must be from Content Area P6-Professional Growth & Responsibility. Continued offers courses that may meet this course requirement.

CE Broker Reporting:

• Proof of required CE must be electronically submitted directly to CE Broker. Continued will report course completions to CE Broker for approved courses. You may also self-report to CE Broker. The Continued provider number for CE Broker is 50-29950.