Licensed Professional Counselor
Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Overview
Ohio's pre-independent counseling pathway runs from Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) to Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). LPCs may practice counseling but cannot independently diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders (MED) without supervision. To earn the LPCC, candidates must complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience (including 1,500+ face-to-face client contact hours involving MED) over at least 24 months.
Ohio uses a ratio-based supervision model rather than a fixed total: 1 hour of supervision for every 20 hours of work. There is no required split between individual and group supervision, and no pre-registration contract with the Board. Instead, Ohio requires milestone evaluations at 1,500 and 3,000 hours. AuditHalo tracks the 1:20 ratio continuously and alerts your team when any supervisee falls behind.
Summary
3,000 supervised practice hours over at least 24 months (max 1,500 per 12-month period), with 1,500+ face-to-face client contact hours involving MED diagnosis/treatment. Supervision ratio: 1 hour per 20 hours of work (~150 hours total). No fixed individual-to-group ratio required. Supervisor must be an LPCC with the Board's training supervision designation. No pre-registration/contract filing required — Ohio uses milestone evaluations at 1,500 and 3,000 hours.
Hour requirements
- Total practice hours
- 3,000
- Total supervision hours
- 150
- Min. individual share
- 0%
- Group session max
- 8 attendees
- Duration window
- 24 to 120 months
Checks AuditHalo runs
Training supervisor must be an LPCC with the Board's training supervision designation. Clinical/work supervisors (Psychologist, Psychiatrist, IMFT, LISW) may oversee MED activities but do NOT satisfy the training supervision requirement (OAC 4757-17-01(D)(3), 4757-13-03(A)(4)(b))
supervisor_credential_required · blocker
1 hour of supervision per 20 hours of work by the supervisee (OAC 4757-17-01(B))
supervision_ratio_per_practice_block · warning
Group supervision capped at 8 supervisees; individual permits up to 2 (OAC 4757-17-01(B)(1)-(2))
group_size_limit · blocker
Must accumulate at least 3,000 hours of supervised experience (OAC 4757-13-03(A)(4))
total_practice_hours · info
Approximately 150 supervision hours based on 1:20 ratio across 3,000 practice hours (OAC 4757-17-01(B))
total_supervision_hours · info
Experience must span at least 24 months; max 1,500 hours per 12-month period (OAC 4757-13-03(A)(1), (A)(4)(a))
duration_window · warning
Supervisor qualifications
- Training supervisor must be an LPCC with the Board's training supervision designation (OAC 4757-17-01(D)(1)(e))
- For clinical/work supervision of MED work, supervisor may also be a psychologist, psychiatrist, IMFT, or LISW with clinical competence (OAC 4757-17-01(D)(3), (F)(2))
- Supervisor designation requires: 1 year + 1,500 hours post-LPCC experience, 24 hours of supervision training CE, observation of 5 sessions, and ACA ethics compliance (OAC 4757-17-01(I)(1))
- Must complete 3 hours of board-approved supervision CPE per renewal cycle (OAC 4757-17-01(I)(2))
- Family-member supervisors prohibited (OAC 4757-17-01(D)(2))
- Out-of-state supervisors require written petition to the Board (OAC 4757-17-01(D)(5))
Common mistakes to avoid
- No more than 1,500 hours of experience may be accrued in any 12-month period — this is a hard annual cap (OAC 4757-13-03(A)(4)(a))
- At least 50% of hours each year (750+ per 1,500) must be face-to-face client contact involving MED diagnosis/treatment
- Ohio does NOT require a pre-filed supervision contract — but supervision records must be maintained by the supervisee and acknowledged by the supervisor at least quarterly (OAC 4757-17-01(E)(1))
- Supervisors must submit online evaluations at 1,500 and 3,000 hours within 30 days of the supervisee's request — failure to submit may result in disciplinary action (OAC 4757-17-01(E)(2))
- Ohio's 'individual supervision' permits up to 2 supervisees (not strictly 1:1) — this differs from most states
- LPCs must disclose supervision status to clients on all printed and electronic materials and name the supervisor (OAC 4757-17-01(A))
- Solo private practice by an LPC is permitted but requires clinical/work supervision (OAC 4757-17-01(F))
Verification
- Last verified
- 2026-07-21
- Verified by
- perplexity_research
Evidence package
Required signers: supervisor, supervisee
Immutability: sha256_signed_json
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AuditHalo evaluates every hour you log against this rule and flags issues before they become problems.
Start freeOH LPC — common questions.
How many supervised hours does an LPC need for LPCC in Ohio?
3,000 hours of supervised experience over at least 24 months, with at least 1,500 face-to-face client contact hours involving diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders. No more than 1,500 hours may be accrued in any 12-month period.
How many supervision hours are required?
Ohio uses a ratio rather than a fixed total: 1 hour of supervision for every 20 hours of work. Across the full 3,000-hour requirement, this yields approximately 150 supervision hours. There is no required split between individual and group supervision.
What qualifies as an approved supervisor in Ohio?
For training supervision toward LPCC, the supervisor must be an LPCC holding the Board's training supervision designation. This requires 1+ years and 1,500+ hours post-LPCC, 24 hours of supervision training, observation of 5 supervision sessions, and ongoing CE. For clinical/work supervision of MED activities, LPCCs, psychologists, psychiatrists, IMFTs, and LISWs also qualify.
Does Ohio require a supervision plan before starting?
No. Ohio does not require a pre-filed supervision contract. Instead, the supervisee maintains supervision records (dates, content, goals) signed by the supervisor at least quarterly, and the supervisor submits evaluations at 1,500 and 3,000 hours.
Can supervision be done remotely in Ohio?
Yes. After an initial face-to-face meeting (which may be via videoconference), ongoing supervision may be in person, via videoconference, or by phone. No in-person-only requirement exists.
Does AuditHalo generate the documentation Ohio requires?
AuditHalo generates tamper-evident evidence packages for each supervision session with date, duration, session type, supervisor credentials, topics, and dual signatures. Records are maintained with quarterly acknowledgment tracking as required by OAC 4757-17-01(E)(1).
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