Arizona LAC Requirements & Hours Tracker

In Arizona, the Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) is the entry‑level counseling license regulated by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AzBBHE). It allows you to practice professional counseling only under supervision and is the usual first step toward independent licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

Below is a structured guide, focusing on the actual language, hour requirements, and definitions used by the Board and in Arizona law.

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1. Legal framework and who regulates you

LACs are regulated under:

• Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) Title 32, Chapter 33 – especially:
  • § 32‑3301 “Licensed professional counselor; licensure; requirements” (azleg.gov)
  • § 32‑3303 “Licensed associate counselor; licensure; requirements; supervision” (azleg.gov)
  • § 32‑3251 “Definitions” (azleg.gov)
• Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) Title 4, Chapter 6 (Board of Behavioral Health Examiners) – especially:
  • R4‑6‑101 “Definitions” (azrules.elaws.us)
  • R4‑6‑502 “Examination” (azrules.elaws.us)
  • R4‑6‑503 “Supervised Work Experience for Professional Counselor Licensure” (regulations.justia.com)

The Board’s own “Counseling” and “Applying for Licensure” pages provide application logistics and supervision forms. (bbhe.az.gov)

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2. Core idea of the LAC license

By statute, an LAC must meet specific education and examination requirements and then may only practice under “direct supervision.” (azleg.gov)

A.R.S. § 32‑3303 states, in substance:

• To be licensed as an LAC, a person must:
  • Satisfy the education requirements in § 32‑3301(B); and
  • Meet certain attestation/deficiency provisions in § 32‑3301(H) and (I); and
  • Pass an examination approved by the Board. (azleg.gov)
• An LAC “shall only practice under direct supervision” as prescribed by the Board. (azleg.gov)

Importantly, there is no post‑degree supervised work‑experience hour requirement just to obtain the LAC license itself. The Board’s counseling rule explicitly says:

“There is no supervised work experience requirement for licensure as an associate counselor.” (regulations.justia.com)

The supervised hours you often hear about (3,200 hours, 1,600 direct, etc.) are the post‑master’s hours you complete as an LAC (or equivalent) in order to later qualify for LPC, not hours required to get the LAC.

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3. Educational and pre‑degree clinical hour requirements

3.1 Degree and credit‑hour requirements

A.R.S. § 32‑3301(B) requires that an applicant for licensure as a counselor (including an LAC) show: (azleg.gov)

• A master’s or higher degree
• With a major emphasis in counseling
• From a regionally accredited college or university
• With a program of study including at least 60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) in counseling.

The degree must come from one of the following:

1. A program accredited by CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) or CORE/NCRE;
2. A program whose curriculum has been specifically approved by the Board; or
3. A program with a curriculum that meets Board-prescribed requirements by rule. (azleg.gov)

3.2 Required supervised clinical hours within the degree

If your program is not CACREP/CORE-accredited, A.R.S. § 32‑3301(C) requires at least 700 hours of supervised clinical hours, plus coursework across eight “core content areas.” (azleg.gov)

The statute provides that such a program must:

• Require 700 supervised clinical hours, and
• Include at least 24 semester hours (or 32 quarter hours) in courses that cover eight core content areas:
  1. Professional orientation and ethical practice
  2. Social and cultural diversity
  3. Human growth and development
  4. Career development
  5. Helping relationships
  6. Group work
  7. Assessment
  8. Research and program evaluation (azleg.gov)

These 700 hours are part of your master’s training (typically practicum plus internship) and must be supervised clinical hours in counseling.

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4. Exam requirement for LAC

4.1 Board‑approved exams

The Arizona Administrative Code R4‑6‑502 lists the approved examinations for counselor licensure: (azrules.elaws.us)

• National Counselor Examination (NCE) – NBCC
• National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) – NBCC
• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Examination (CRCE) – CRCC

You must receive a passing score on one of these.

The rule also states that an applicant must:

• Take and pass the exam within 12 months of receiving written exam authorization from the Board; and
• Not take the exam more than twice in that 12‑month period. (azrules.elaws.us)

The Board’s counseling page confirms that it will notify applicants when they’re authorized to test, and that these are the exams accepted for counseling licensure. (bbhe.az.gov)

4.2 When the exam is taken for LAC

In practice, you:

1. Apply to the Board for LAC by examination (through the Board’s portal, with a $250 fee and fingerprint clearance). (bbhe.az.gov)
2. The Board reviews your education and, if acceptable, authorizes you for a national exam.
3. After you pass an approved exam, the Board issues your LAC license. (bbhe.az.gov)

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5. Supervision status and definitions once you’re an LAC

5.1 “Only under direct supervision”

A.R.S. § 32‑3303(B) provides that a licensed associate counselor may only practice under direct supervision as prescribed by the Board. (azleg.gov)

The Board’s definitions rule, R4‑6‑101, defines:

• “Direct supervision” as responsibility and oversight for all services a supervisee provides, with specifics laid out in R4‑6‑211. (azrules.elaws.us)
• “Clinical supervision” as direction or oversight provided face‑to‑face, by videoconference, or by phone by a qualified individual, to evaluate, guide, and direct all behavioral health services and help the licensee develop the knowledge and skills needed for ethical, safe, competent practice. (azrules.elaws.us)
• “Supervised work experience” as practicing counseling (or other relevant discipline) for pay or as a volunteer under direct supervision while also receiving clinical supervision, according to R4‑6‑212 and the discipline‑specific rules. (azrules.elaws.us)

Practically, as an LAC you:

• Cannot practice independently (no solo private practice, no independent billing).
• Must have a Board‑qualified clinical supervisor and work within the limits of direct supervision as defined by rule.

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6. Is there a post‑degree hour requirement to get the LAC?

The short answer, from the Board’s own rule, is no.

Arizona Administrative Code R4‑6‑503, which governs “Supervised Work Experience for Professional Counselor Licensure,” includes this explicit statement:

“There is no supervised work experience requirement for licensure as an associate counselor.” (regulations.justia.com)

So:

• To obtain the LAC license itself, the Board does not require you to have already completed a set number of post‑master’s supervised hours (such as 1,500 or 3,200).
• Your hour requirements at that stage are pre‑degree (the 700 supervised clinical hours for certain non‑CACREP programs, as discussed above) and then passing a Board‑approved exam.

All of the commonly cited 3,200/1,600/100‑hour requirements apply to becoming an LPC, which you typically pursue after you become an LAC.

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7. Hours you must complete as an LAC to later become an LPC

Although your question is about the LAC license, Arizona ties the LAC closely to the LPC supervised‑experience requirements, so it’s helpful to spell those out clearly.

7.1 Board rule: 3,200 supervised hours over at least 24 months

Arizona Administrative Code R4‑6‑503(A) sets out the supervised work‑experience requirement for professional counselor licensure (LPC). It specifies that an applicant must complete:

• At least 3,200 hours of supervised work experience in professional counseling, in no less than 24 months. (regulations.justia.com)

Within those 3,200 hours, the rule requires:

1. At least 1,600 hours of direct client contact involving the use of psychotherapy.
2. Of those 1,600 direct hours, no more than 400 hours may be in psychoeducation.
3. At least 100 hours of clinical supervision following Board rules (R4‑6‑212 and R4‑6‑504).
4. For licensure purposes, no more than 1,600 hours of indirect client contact related to psychotherapy services. (regulations.justia.com)

In addition, R4‑6‑503(B) requires that:

• For any month in which you provide direct client contact, you must receive at least one hour of clinical supervision. (regulations.justia.com)

In other words, under the Board’s rule, the supervised experience expectation for LPC is:

• 3,200 total supervised work‑experience hours, in at least 24 months
  • 1,600 hours minimum must be direct client contact using psychotherapy
    • Within those 1,600 hours, ≤ 400 hours may be psychoeducation
  • Up to 1,600 hours may be indirect client service
  • At least 100 hours must be clinical supervision

These hours are almost always accrued while you hold an LAC (or other qualifying supervised status).

7.2 Statutory language on post‑master’s hours

A.R.S. § 32‑3301(F)–(G) also describe the LPC work‑experience requirement in statute. The current version requires that an LPC applicant: (azleg.gov)

• Have at least 24 months of post‑master’s degree work experience in the practice of professional counseling under supervision;
• This experience must include at least 1,600 hours of direct client contact; and
• The applicant must also have at least 100 hours of clinical supervision;
• No more than 400 of the direct‑contact hours may be in psychoeducation.

So the statute emphasizes minimum direct client‑contact hours (1,600) and clinical supervision (100) over at least 24 months, while the Board’s rule continues to spell out a 3,200‑total‑hours structure with limits on indirect hours.

Because the Board is still applying R4‑6‑503, you should plan on meeting the 3,200‑hour breakdown described in the rule unless and until the Board formally changes it.

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8. What counts as “direct,” “indirect,” and “clinical supervision”?

Arizona law and Board rules use specific definitions that affect how your hours are counted.

8.1 Direct client contact

“Direct client contact” is defined in both statute and rule as performing therapeutic or clinical functions related to your level of psychotherapy practice, including diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, and it may include psychoeducation for mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders. It is based primarily on verbal or nonverbal communication and intervention with one or more clients, including telehealth. (azleg.gov)

In practice, this includes:

• Individual, couple, family, or group counseling sessions
• Diagnostic interviews
• Psychotherapy sessions
• Certain psychoeducational groups, up to the psychoeducation cap

8.2 Indirect client service

“Indirect client service” is defined as training for, and performance of, functions at your practice level in preparation for or on behalf of a client for whom you also provide direct client contact, including: (azrules.elaws.us)

• Case consultation
• Receiving clinical supervision

It explicitly does not include psychoeducation.
Examples of indirect hours: documentation, treatment planning, case staffing, and training directly tied to psychotherapy practice.

8.3 Clinical supervision and supervised work experience

As summarized above, “clinical supervision” is structured oversight aimed at improving your competence and ensuring safe and ethical practice, delivered in person, by videoconference, or by phone, by a qualified supervisor. (azrules.elaws.us)

“Supervised work experience” means you are:

• Practicing professional counseling (for pay or as a volunteer),
• Under direct supervision, and
• Receiving clinical supervision under the Board’s supervision rules. (azrules.elaws.us)

These definitions are exactly what the Board uses when it evaluates the 3,200 supervised hours, 1,600 direct hours, and 100 clinical supervision hours on your LPC application.

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9. Practical summary: What you actually need for LAC in Arizona

Putting it all together:

1. Earn the right kind of master’s degree

   • Master’s or higher with a major emphasis in counseling.
   • At least 60 semester (or 90 quarter) credit hours.
   • From a qualifying (CACREP/CORE‑accredited or Board‑approved) program. (azleg.gov)
   • If not CACREP/CORE: include 700 supervised clinical hours and specified coursework in the eight core areas. (azleg.gov)

2. Complete the Board’s application requirements

   • Apply through the Board’s online portal (Boardal).
   • Pay the $250 application fee.
   • Provide fingerprints or a DPS fingerprint clearance card, legal presence documentation, and background information, as described on the Board’s “Applying for Licensure” and “Counseling” pages. (bbhe.az.gov)

3. Pass an approved national counseling exam

   • NCE, NCMHCE, or CRCE, within 12 months of Board exam authorization, consistent with A.A.C. R4‑6‑502. (azrules.elaws.us)

4. Receive your LAC and practice only under supervision

   • Once licensed as an LAC, you must practice under direct supervision—you are not an independent practitioner. (azleg.gov)

5. Then, as an LAC, accumulate supervised hours for LPC

   • Over at least 24 months, complete supervised work experience that satisfies:
     • At least 3,200 total supervised work‑experience hours in professional counseling;
     • At least 1,600 hours of direct client contact using psychotherapy (no more than 400 hours in psychoeducation);
     • At least 100 hours of clinical supervision;
     • No more than 1,600 hours of indirect client service counted toward the 3,200. (regulations.justia.com)

   These hours are not required to obtain the LAC, but they are required when you later apply for LPC.

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In Arizona, then, the LAC is essentially your supervised counseling license: you qualify based on your master’s education (including its built‑in clinical hours) and a national exam, and you then use the LAC period to accumulate the 3,200 supervised hours, including 1,600 hours of direct client contact and 100 hours of clinical supervision, that the Board and statutes require for independent LPC licensure.