Kentucky LPCC-S Requirements & Hours Tracker

Becoming a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor (LPCC‑S) in Kentucky is essentially a two‑step process:

1. Qualify and be licensed as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).
2. Obtain the Board’s supervisor designation as an LPCC‑S under 201 KAR 36:065.

The sections below walk through the requirements with an emphasis on hours and the way Kentucky law and regulations describe them.

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1. Base license: LPCC counseling and supervision hours

Kentucky law (KRS 335.525) sets the experience and supervision hours you must complete before you can be licensed as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).

1.1 Total post‑master’s counseling hours

To be licensed as an LPCC, you must have:

• “A minimum of four thousand (4,000) hours of experience in the practice of counseling, all of which must have been obtained since obtaining the master’s degree and must be under approved supervision.” (codes.findlaw.com)

In practice:

• All 4,000 hours are post‑master’s.
• All 4,000 hours are supervised (there is no “independent” hour category before LPCC; everything is under an approved supervisor).

1.2 Required breakdown of those 4,000 hours

Within those 4,000 supervised hours, Kentucky requires at least:

• 1,600 hours of direct counseling

  The statute specifies “a minimum of one thousand six hundred (1,600) hours of direct counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups.” (codes.findlaw.com)

  “Direct counseling” is understood as actual therapeutic contact—assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and counseling/psychotherapy services delivered to clients.

• 100 hours of individual, face‑to‑face clinical supervision

  Kentucky law requires “a minimum of one hundred (100) hours of individual, face‑to‑face clinical supervision with an approved supervisor.” (codes.findlaw.com)

  These 100 hours are supervision hours, not client hours. They occur within the 4,000 total.

• Encouraged (but not required): 10 hours in corrections

  The statute says each applicant is encouraged to include “a minimum of ten (10) hours of direct counseling with individuals in a jail or corrections setting” as part of the 4,000 hours. (codes.findlaw.com)

• Practicum/internship requirement (usually completed in your degree program, not as LPCA hours):

  • KRS 335.525 requires “an organized practicum or internship consisting of at least four hundred (400) hours.” (codes.findlaw.com)
  • The current LPCC education regulation (201 KAR 36:070) is more specific, requiring your counseling program to provide practicum/internship experiences of at least:
    • 600 clock hours of total experience, including
    • “at least 240 clock hours of direct service”, with weekly individual/triadic supervision and weekly group supervision by faculty. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

  Programs that meet the 600‑hour standard also satisfy the 400‑hour statutory minimum.

1.3 How Kentucky defines and structures supervision for those hours

Kentucky’s supervision regulation (201 KAR 36:060) adds detail about what counts and how supervision must occur:

• “Face‑to‑face” supervision

  Defined as supervision that may include interactive, simultaneous video and audio, with “a minimum of one (1) direct meeting per month that is in person where the supervisor and supervisee are physically present in the same room.” (kyrules.elaws.us)

• Frequency and amount of supervision while accruing hours

  The supervisory agreement must specify supervision frequency, and the regulation requires that supervision: (kyrules.elaws.us)

  • For full‑time practice (25+ hours/week of counseling):
    • Occur “a minimum of three (3) times per month and one (1) hour per meeting” of supervision.
  • For part‑time practice (<25 hours/week of counseling):
    • Occur “a minimum of one (1) hour for every thirty (30) hours of client contact.”

• Content of supervised experience

  “Experience under supervision” must include: (kyrules.elaws.us)

  • “Direct responsibility for a specific individual or group of clients”, and
  • “Broad exposure and opportunity for skill enhancement with a variety of developmental issues, dysfunctions, diagnoses, acuity levels, and population groups.”

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2. Supervisor credential: LPCC‑S requirements

Once you are licensed as an LPCC and have clinical experience, you may apply to be designated a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor (LPCC‑S). This designation is governed by 201 KAR 36:065 (“Licensed professional clinical counselor supervisor”).

2.1 Core supervisor qualifications (LPCC‑S)

Under 201 KAR 36:065, Section 1(1), to be a supervisor of an LPCA or an LPCC under discipline, you must: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

1. Hold the LPCC license

   • You must “be licensed by the board as a licensed professional clinical counselor.”

2. Have at least 2 years of post‑licensure practice

   • You must “have been in the practice of his or her profession for at least two (2) years following licensure as a professional clinical counselor or its licensure equivalent issued by another state's regulatory professional counseling board.”

   This is a time requirement (two years of practice after LPCC), not an additional specified number of hours beyond the 4,000 required for LPCC licensure.

3. Complete formal training in supervision

   You must submit an LPCC‑S Application with documentation of one of the following: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

   • “A certificate or certificates documenting the completion of fifteen (15) hours in a board‑approved CEU course on supervision; or
   • A copy of the transcript of a supervision course in a graduate program.”

   In addition, 201 KAR 36:065 further explains that:

   • A “three (3) hour graduate level course exclusively on counseling supervision or the board‑approved supervisor training course” must cover specific content: assessment and remediation of supervisees, counselor development, management/administration, and professional responsibilities/ethics in supervision. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)
   • The board‑approved supervisor training course must be taught by an instructor who is an LPCC and demonstrates proficiency with this curriculum. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

   The continuing education rule (201 KAR 36:030) adds that “supervision training under 201 KAR 36:065 … shall be pre‑approved by the board, and presented by the board or an instructor who is licensed by the board as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor – Supervisor (LPCC‑S).” (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

   So in hour terms for the supervisor credential:

   • 15 hours of board‑approved supervision CE or
   • A graduate‑level supervision course (typically 3 credit hours) that meets the board’s supervision‑content requirements.

4. Be in good disciplinary standing

   The supervisor candidate must not have: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

   • An unresolved complaint that has been reviewed and referred for investigation.
   • A suspended or probated license or certificate.
   • Been under discipline by the board within the last two (2) years preceding the application.
   • An order from the Kentucky board (or, for out‑of‑state applicants, from their home‑state board) prohibiting the applicant from providing supervision.

5. If coming from another state

   An out‑of‑state LPCC‑level counselor must: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

   • Show proof of supervisory status in the other state;
   • Take a three (3) hour board‑approved training on Kentucky law; and
   • Not be subject to an order from another state’s board prohibiting supervision.

2.2 Title and scope of the LPCC‑S designation

201 KAR 36:065 explicitly states that: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

• “Licensed professional clinical counselors engaged in training supervision shall be called a licensed professional clinical counselor supervisor and may use the acronym LPCC‑S.”

Kentucky’s supervision regulation also ties the “supervisor of record” role to this designation. After regulatory changes, a supervisor of record for an LPCA must be an LPCC supervisor approved by the board, with limited hardship exceptions. (kyrules.elaws.us)

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3. Limits and ongoing obligations for LPCC‑S supervisors

Becoming LPCC‑S is not just about qualifying once; you also accept continuing responsibilities defined in the regulations.

3.1 Maximum number of supervisees

Under 201 KAR 36:065, Section 2: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

• A supervisor of record “shall assume responsibility for the practice of the supervisee.”
• A supervisor “shall not serve as a supervisor of record for more than nine (9) persons obtaining experience for licensure at the same time.”
• Any supervisor with more than nine supervisees as of April 1, 2024 must reduce to nine (9) or less through attrition and may not accept new supervisees until below that limit.

3.2 Consequences of discipline for supervisors

If a supervisor is disciplined: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

• They are “ineligible to act as a supervisor” while under discipline.
• They “shall not become eligible to apply for reinstatement as a supervisor earlier than two (2) years following the completion of any disciplinary action, including completion of any suspension or probationary period.”
• Before reinstatement, they must complete a board‑approved supervision training again.

3.3 Ongoing supervisor training under 201 KAR 36:060

The broader supervision regulation states that, to obtain and maintain board‑approved supervisor status, a supervisor must: (kyrules.elaws.us)

• Complete three (3) hours of board‑approved supervisor training (covering Kentucky counseling law, supervision theory, ethics, and supervisor responsibilities).
• Retake this training every three (3) years to maintain board‑approved supervisor status.

This 3‑hour recurring training is separate from the initial 15 hours (or graduate course) in supervision required to obtain the LPCC‑S designation under 201 KAR 36:065.

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4. Putting it all together: A concise path to LPCC‑S in Kentucky

Step 1 – Earn your qualifying degree and practicum/internship

• Complete a CACREP‑accredited (or otherwise board‑acceptable) counseling master’s/specialist/doctoral program meeting 201 KAR 36:070, including:
  • At least 600 total practicum/internship hours with 240 direct service hours, plus specified supervision by faculty. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

Step 2 – Become a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA)

• Meet the education and exam prerequisites and obtain LPCA status so you can begin accruing post‑degree supervised hours under a board‑approved supervisory agreement.

Step 3 – Accrue required LPCC hours under supervision

• As an LPCA, complete at least:
  • 4,000 hours of post‑master’s experience in the practice of counseling, all under approved supervision.
  • Within that, at least:
    • 1,600 hours of direct counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups.
    • 100 hours of individual, face‑to‑face clinical supervision with an approved supervisor. (codes.findlaw.com)
• Ensure supervision frequency and structure meet 201 KAR 36:060 (e.g., three 1‑hour sessions per month for full‑time, or 1 hour per 30 client hours for part‑time; monthly in‑person meeting). (kyrules.elaws.us)

Step 4 – Obtain LPCC licensure

• Once your 4,000 hours (with required sub‑hours) and supervision are complete and approved, apply to the Board for LPCC licensure under 201 KAR 36:070 and KRS 335.525. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

Step 5 – Complete supervisor‑specific training and experience

After you are an LPCC:

• Practice independently for at least two (2) years as an LPCC (or equivalent out‑of‑state license). (apps.legislature.ky.gov)
• Complete either:
  • 15 hours of board‑approved continuing education on supervision, or
  • A graduate‑level supervision course (documented via transcript) that meets the board’s content requirements for counseling supervision. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

Step 6 – Apply for LPCC‑S designation

• Submit the LPCC‑S Application (DPL‑LPC‑03) with:
  • Proof of your LPCC license.
  • Documentation of the 15 supervision CE hours or supervision course.
  • Evidence of being in good standing with no disqualifying discipline or restrictions.
• If coming from another state, include proof of prior supervisor status and evidence of completion of the 3‑hour Kentucky law training on KRS 335.500–335.599 and 201 KAR Chapter 36. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

Step 7 – Maintain LPCC‑S status and comply with limits

• Observe the maximum of nine supervisees of record at any one time. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)
• Retake 3 hours of board‑approved supervisor training every three years to maintain board‑approved supervisor status, as required under 201 KAR 36:060. (kyrules.elaws.us)
• Remain in good standing (no unresolved complaints, suspensions, probations, or supervision‑prohibiting orders).

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In summary, Kentucky does not split LPCC requirements into something like “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience.” Instead, the state requires:

• 4,000 hours total post‑master’s supervised counseling experience,
• Including 1,600 hours of direct counseling and 100 hours of individual, face‑to‑face clinical supervision,
• Followed by two years of LPCC‑level practice and 15 supervision‑specific CE hours (or a graduate supervision course) to hold the LPCC‑S supervisor designation. (codes.findlaw.com)