How New York Experience Is Gained
New York has no pre-license title for LMHC candidates; a person accruing hours is simply a "limited permit holder." Any experience obtained in New York must be performed under a limited permit issued by the Department (8 NYCRR 79-9.3(b)(1)). The permit is the credential, not a title attached to it.
That makes the permit the first thing to apply for once a qualifying graduate program is finished, before a single hour toward the New York LMHC requirements can count.
24 Months, Extended Twice, a 48-Month Ceiling
The limited permit is valid for not more than 24 months. The Department may extend it for up to two additional 12-month periods, at its own discretion, on a showing of good-faith effort, for a 48-month maximum across the permit and both extensions (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(3); Educ. Law 8409(2)).
Discretionary, not automatic. The Department grants it only on a showing of good-faith effort. New York uses two words for the same step: the Education Law says the permit "may be renewed" for up to two additional one-year periods (Educ. Law 8409(2)), and the regulation calls it an extension (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(3)).
The Fee: $70 Per Permit or Extension
The initial limited permit costs $70, and each extension costs $70 as well (NYSED Fee Chart; Educ. Law 8409(3)). A holder who uses both extensions pays the $70 fee three separate times: once for the permit, once for each extension.
Form 5 and Form 5CS
Form 5, the limited permit application, is filed online by the applicant for $70. Form 5CS, the Certification of Supervisor for Limited Permit (Rev. 2/22), is completed by the supervisor, not the applicant.
Eligible Supervisors and the Five-Permit Cap
A supervisor must be licensed and registered in New York in mental health counseling, medicine, as a physician assistant, psychology, licensed clinical social work, or as a registered professional nurse or nurse practitioner, or hold equivalent qualifications (8 NYCRR 79-9.3(c)(2)).
One supervisor may not oversee more than five limited permit holders at one time (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(2)(ii)). Confirm that count before lining up a supervisor at a busy group practice.
Supervision While the Permit Is Active
Supervision runs at an average of 1 hour per week, or 2 hours every other week, of face-to-face individual or group supervision (8 NYCRR 79-9.3(c)(1)). No fixed total appears in the rule; the standard is the average held over the permit period, not a running count toward a set number.
Acceptable Settings, and No Applicant-Owned Practice
Permit experience has to be gained in one of a defined list of settings (8 NYCRR 79-9.3(d)(1)): a professional service corporation, registered limited liability partnership, or professional limited liability company authorized for the scope of services; a sole proprietorship owned by a licensee; a professional partnership; a program operated, regulated, funded or approved by a state agency or a local governmental unit; an entity holding a waiver under Education Law 6503-a or 6503-b; a program authorized under federal law; or another exempt or authorized entity.
One setting is off the list entirely: a private practice owned or operated by the applicant (8 NYCRR 79-9.3(d)(3)).
The 3,000-Hour Pace at 24, 36 and 48 Months
The 3,000-hour experience requirement is separate from the permit term, but the permit clock sets the outer boundary a pace has to fit inside. The figures below are arithmetic that follows from dividing 3,000 by a length of time; none of them is a stated NYSED requirement.
| Timeframe | Pace needed for 3,000 hours |
|---|---|
| 24 months (initial permit, no extension) | 125 hours a month (3,000 ÷ 24) |
| 36 months (one 12-month extension) | about 83 hours a month (3,000 ÷ 36) |
| 48 months (both extensions used) | 62.5 hours a month (3,000 ÷ 48) |
A slower pace is not against any rule by itself; the constraint is the 48-month ceiling on the permit, not a required monthly rate. A pace that lands below the 48-month row means the permit will expire before the hours do.
After 48 Months: Reapply
After 48 months, the holder must reapply (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(3); Educ. Law 8409(2)). That is the full published rule; NYSED does not state anything further about the process or about hours already accrued.
The Same Structure for LMFT
LMFT candidates use the identical permit structure: a 24-month initial term, two possible 12-month extensions, a 48-month ceiling, and the same $70 fee per permit or extension (8 NYCRR 79-10.4(a)(3)).
A Different Rule From the LMSW or LCSW Limited Permit
Social work has its own limited permit, and it works differently. The LMSW or LCSW limited permit is valid for not more than 12 months and is not renewable at all; if the exam is not passed within that year, the applicant reapplies for a new limited permit (Educ. Law 7705(1); 8 NYCRR 74.4(a)(4), (b)(4)). The LMHC and LMFT limited permit runs up to 24 months and can be extended twice, which is a meaningfully longer runway than social work's single 12-month window.
Common Mistakes With the LMHC Limited Permit
Assuming the extension is automatic
It is granted at the Department's discretion on a showing of good-faith effort, not issued on request.
Treating the extension as automatic
The Department grants each 12-month period at its discretion, on a showing of good-faith effort (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(3)). The 48-month ceiling applies whether the step is called a renewal, as the Education Law does, or an extension, as the regulation does.
Working in a setting the applicant owns
A private practice owned or operated by the applicant is off the list of acceptable settings entirely.
Assuming a supervisor is eligible without checking
Only a defined set of licensed professions qualifies. Confirm the supervisor's license and registration before hours begin.
Confusing the LMHC permit term with the LMSW/LCSW permit term
Social work's limited permit is 12 months and not renewable. The LMHC and LMFT permit is a separate rule, up to 24 months, extendable twice.
Letting the 48-month ceiling arrive unplanned
Once the permit and both extensions are used up, the only path forward stated in the rule is to reapply.
Keep Your Own Numbers Under the Permit
A Form 4B comes from your supervisor's own records, not a log you hand over. HourJourney gives you a place to keep your own record alongside theirs:
- ✓Log hours by week
- ✓Running totals kept per supervisor
- ✓Running totals by category
- ✓An export history
Built for pre-licensed clinicians.
Related New York LMHC Guides
New York LMHC Requirements
The full 3,000-hour requirement the limited permit sits inside.
Can an LMHC Diagnose in New York?
The diagnostic privilege: a post-licensure credential with its own hours and fee.
NYSED Form 4B
Who files it, what it verifies, and why the applicant never submits it.
All New York Guides
Every New York LMHC and LCSW guide in one place.
FAQ: LMHC Limited Permit New York
How long does an LMHC limited permit last in New York?▾
Not more than 24 months. The Department can extend it twice, up to 12 months each time, if the holder shows good-faith effort toward finishing the requirements, for a 48-month maximum across the permit and both extensions (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(3); Educ. Law 8409(2)). The Education Law calls this a renewal (Educ. Law 8409(2)-(3)); the regulation calls it an extension (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(3)). Either way it is granted at the Department's discretion, not automatically.
How much does the LMHC limited permit cost?▾
$70, and the same $70 applies to each extension (NYSED Fee Chart; Educ. Law 8409(3)). That is separate from the $371 total fee for the LMHC license itself once the requirements are complete.
What forms does the LMHC limited permit need?▾
Form 5, the limited permit application, is filed online by the applicant for $70. Form 5CS, the Certification of Supervisor for Limited Permit (Rev. 2/22), is completed by the supervisor, not the applicant.
How many limited permit holders can one supervisor take on at a time?▾
No more than five (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(2)(ii)). A supervisor already at that number cannot take on another limited permit holder, LMHC or LMFT, until one of the five finishes or moves on.
What happens if the LMHC limited permit expires before the hours are done?▾
After 48 months, the holder must reapply (8 NYCRR 79-9.4(a)(3); Educ. Law 8409(2)). That is the full rule as published; NYSED does not state what becomes of hours already logged.
Is the LMFT limited permit the same as the LMHC limited permit in New York?▾
Yes. LMFT uses the identical structure: a 24-month term, two possible 12-month extensions, a 48-month ceiling, and the same $70 fee per permit or extension (8 NYCRR 79-10.4(a)(3)).
Is the LMHC limited permit the same as the LMSW or LCSW limited permit?▾
No. The LMSW/LCSW limited permit runs not more than 12 months and cannot be extended at all (Educ. Law 7705(1); 8 NYCRR 74.4(a)(4), (b)(4)). The LMHC and LMFT limited permit runs up to 24 months and can be extended twice.
Requirements verified against Education Law Article 163 and 8 NYCRR Subpart 79-9, as published by the NYSED Office of the Professions (checked September 2026). Statutes and regulations can change. Always confirm current requirements at op.nysed.gov before making decisions about your licensure path. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice.