Everything to Know about the National Counselor Examination

A woman in a black shirt sitting on a chair.

What is the NCE Exam? 

The National Counselor Examination, or National Counselor Exam, is a crucial part of how to become an LPC (licensed clinical mental health counselor). The NCE Exam is a multiple choice examination that tests out the knowledge that is crucial for providing top-notch counseling services to those in need. These theoretical and skill-based questions cover the topics an entry-level counselor needs to possess in order to practice safely and efficiently. 



How to Register for the National Counselor Exam?

The first thing is to register an account here on the NBCC’s website. On this website, you will have to present documents regarding your graduate counseling program. Once this is completed, you have successfully set up an account on the NBCC’s website, and it is time to set up and arrange an appointment. You will be given the appropriate information to sign up for an appointment with Pearson VUE. Once you have received your receipt of authorization, you have to set up an appointment within six months of approval.  

What is on the NCE Exam?

The National Counselor Exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions. The standard examination time to complete this exam is three hours and 45 minutes. It covers eight content areas covered in a to-be counselor’s education: 


  • Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice

  • Social and Cultural Diversity

  • Counseling and Helping Relationships

  • Career Counseling

  • Assessment and Testing

  • Research and Program Evaluation

  • Human Growth and Development

  • Group Counseling and Group Work


Besides these content areas that are covered by the CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs), there are also work behaviors on the National Counselor Exam. Work behaviors are found in assessments of counseling professionals working in the field, to be covered in this exam:

  • Professional Practice

  • Fundamental Counseling Issues

  • Diagnostic and Assessment Services

  • Counseling Process

  • Professional Development, Supervision, and Consultation


How is the National Counselor Exam Graded? 

Out of the 200 questions on the exam, only 160 of these items are scored. While the maximum score possible on the NCE exam is 160 points, the minimum score depends from test to test due to a modified Angoff procedure. The Angoff procedure takes each question into account, determining the possibility of answering each presented question correctly. 

How to Prepare for the National Counselor Exam and Become an LPC (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor)? 

Becoming a professional clinical mental health counselor starts with getting a graduate school degree. This degree not only qualifies you for the NCE exam, but it helps teach you the knowledge, skills, and tenets needed to pass the exam. At ICSW, getting your master’s in clinical counseling and psychotherapy is just the first step in making a real difference. Taught by a faculty as passionate as you are, you will be prepared for comprehensive examinations with a mastery of psychotherapy under your belt. Curious about becoming a licensed clinical mental health counselor? Learn more today.  

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The Elements of Good Counseling

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Policy Agenda of a Clinical Social Worker