The Two Exams on the LPCC Path
To become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in California, an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) must pass two exams:
- The California Law & Ethics Exam — a California-specific exam covering the laws and ethics that govern clinical practice in the state. It is administered by Pearson Vue.
- The NCMHCE — the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination, a clinical exam administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). This is not a Pearson Vue exam, and it is registered and scheduled separately from the Law & Ethics Exam.
These two exams happen at very different points in your journey. The Law & Ethics Exam is part of your APCC registration years — you take it (and must keep taking it annually until you pass) while you are accumulating supervised experience. The NCMHCE comes near the end — only after you have completed your 3,000 hours and your Application for LPCC Licensure has been approved by the BBS.
For the big picture of how these exams fit into the full timeline, see our guides on how to become an LPCC in California and APCC registration in California.
This guide explains which exams you need, when you take them, and how the process works — it is not exam-prep material and does not cover exam content, strategy, or practice questions.
The California Law & Ethics Exam
The California Law & Ethics Exam is administered by Pearson Vue. The official candidate resource is the Candidate Handbook at home.pearsonvue.com/cabbs. For APCCs, two things matter most about this exam:
- You must take it annually to renew your APCC registration — until you pass it. Each year your registration comes up for renewal and you have not yet passed, you must take (or re-take) the exam.
- You must pass it before the BBS will issue a subsequent APCC registration. An APCC registration is renewable, but the Board will not issue a renewed registration once you have run through the period in which you were required to pass the exam without having done so.
The first time you take it, you submit the BBS's registrant_initial_law-ethic_exam_request.pdf form. If you do not pass and need to retake it, you go through the BBS re-exam process at bbs.ca.gov/exams/re_exam_acknowledge.html. The BBS also publishes a Law and Ethics Examination FAQ that answers the most common questions about timing, eligibility, and the re-exam process.
Take it early
Because the Law & Ethics Exam must be passed before a subsequent APCC registration is issued — and must be taken annually until passed — most candidates plan to take it early in their associate years rather than waiting. Treat it as one of the first boxes to check after your APCC number is issued. For a deeper look at this exam for associates, see the California Law & Ethics Exam guide for associates.
The NCMHCE (National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination)
The NCMHCE is the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination. It is the clinical exam in the LPCC sequence, and it is administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) — not Pearson Vue. NBCC publishes the official NCMHCE Candidate Handbook, which is the authoritative source for everything about the exam itself.
Eligibility. Before you can register for the NCMHCE, two things must be true:
- Your Application for LPCC Licensure must be approved by the BBS; and
- You must have passed the California Law & Ethics Exam.
Once the BBS approves your application, you register with NBCC. Scheduling is handled through the CCE / cce-global system at my.cce-global.org.
Deadline to take it. You must take the NCMHCE within one year of your Application for LPCC Licensure being approved. If you passed the Law & Ethics Exam after your application was approved, the clock instead runs one year from the date you passed the Law & Ethics Exam.
Re-exam. If you do not pass the NCMHCE, you must wait 30 days from your last attempt before retaking it.
After you pass. Once you pass the NCMHCE, you must request your LPCC license and pay the initial license fee within one year.
For the current passing score, exam format, number of clinical cases, time limit, content domains, fees, and accommodations for the NCMHCE, see the NCMHCE Candidate Handbook published by NBCC. For the California Law & Ethics Exam, see the Candidate Handbook (Pearson Vue, home.pearsonvue.com/cabbs) and the BBS Law and Ethics Examination FAQ. Exam details and fees change — always confirm current requirements directly with the BBS at bbs.ca.gov, with Pearson Vue, and with NBCC.
The Order: When Each Exam Happens
The two exams bracket your associate years — one near the start, one at the end.
Step 1 — During your APCC years: California Law & Ethics Exam
After your APCC number is issued, you take the California Law & Ethics Exam. You must take it annually until you pass, and you must pass it before the BBS will issue a subsequent APCC registration. Most candidates take it early. This exam is administered by Pearson Vue.
Step 2 — Accumulate 3,000 hours of supervised experience
Continue logging supervised experience hours under your APCC registration. When you have completed the required hours, you submit your Application for LPCC Licensure to the BBS. For help keeping your hours organized, see how to track LPCC hours in California.
Step 3 — BBS approves your Application for LPCC Licensure
The BBS reviews and approves your application. Approval — combined with having passed the Law & Ethics Exam — is what makes you eligible to register for the NCMHCE with NBCC.
Step 4 — Register for and take the NCMHCE through NBCC
You register with NBCC and schedule through my.cce-global.org. You must take it within one year of your application approval (or within one year of passing the Law & Ethics Exam if you passed it after approval). If you do not pass, you wait 30 days before retaking. After you pass, request your license and pay the initial license fee within one year.
Two different vendors, two different logins
The Law & Ethics Exam goes through Pearson Vue (home.pearsonvue.com/cabbs). The NCMHCE goes through NBCC, with scheduling at my.cce-global.org. They are entirely separate systems — passing one has nothing to do with registering for the other beyond the BBS eligibility rules above.
The Law & Ethics Exam vs. the Law & Ethics CE Requirement
These have similar names but are completely different obligations:
| Law & Ethics Exam | Law & Ethics CE | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A licensing exam (administered by Pearson Vue) that you must pass. | 3 hours of California Law and Ethics continuing education. |
| When | Take annually during APCC years until passed; must be passed before a subsequent APCC registration is issued. | Each renewal period, before renewing — effective January 1, 2023, for all registered Associates (including APCCs). |
| One-time? | Yes — once you pass, you are done. | No — it recurs every renewal period. |
In short: the exam is a one-time hurdle (you take it annually only until you pass); the CE is an ongoing 3-hour requirement you complete before each renewal. Both apply to APCCs, but they are not the same thing.
How HourJourney Helps You Reach the NCMHCE
You can only register for the NCMHCE after your Application for LPCC Licensure is approved — and that application hinges on a complete, accurate record of your 3,000 supervised experience hours. HourJourney is built specifically for California pre-licensed counselors and therapists to keep that record airtight.
- BBS-aligned hour categories — Log direct clinical, non-clinical, and supervision hours using the exact BBS categories so nothing is miscounted when you assemble your LPCC application.
- Supervision-ratio validation — HourJourney checks your weekly supervision against BBS requirements as you go, so you do not discover a shortfall at the finish line.
- Official BBS form export — Export your weekly logs in the BBS format the Board expects, with no re-entering data into paper forms.
Curious how close you are? Try the LPCC hours calculator for California or read how to track LPCC hours in California.
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FAQ: California LPCC Exams
How many exams does an APCC have to pass to become an LPCC in California?+
Two. To become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in California, you must pass the California Law & Ethics Exam and the NCMHCE (National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination). The Law & Ethics Exam is administered by Pearson Vue; the NCMHCE is administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).
Which exam do I take first as an APCC?+
The California Law & Ethics Exam comes first. You must take it annually to renew your APCC registration until you pass it, and you must pass it before the BBS issues a subsequent APCC registration. You only become eligible for the NCMHCE after your Application for LPCC Licensure is approved by the BBS and you have passed the Law & Ethics Exam.
Who administers the NCMHCE?+
The NCMHCE — the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination — is administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), not Pearson Vue. After the BBS approves your Application for LPCC Licensure, you register with NBCC and schedule through the CCE/cce-global system at my.cce-global.org. NBCC publishes the NCMHCE Candidate Handbook with the current passing score, format, fees, and content.
How long do I have to take the NCMHCE after my LPCC application is approved?+
You must take the NCMHCE within one year of your Application for LPCC Licensure being approved. If you passed the California Law & Ethics Exam after your application was approved, you have one year from the date you passed the Law & Ethics Exam instead. Confirm current deadlines directly with the BBS.
What is the re-exam waiting period if I fail an LPCC exam?+
For the NCMHCE, you must wait 30 days from your last attempt before retaking it. For the California Law & Ethics Exam, submit a re-exam request through the BBS at bbs.ca.gov/exams/re_exam_acknowledge.html and follow the instructions on the BBS website and in the Candidate Handbook.
Is the Law & Ethics CE requirement the same as the Law & Ethics Exam?+
No. Effective January 1, 2023, all registered Associates — including APCCs — must complete 3 hours of California Law and Ethics continuing education each renewal period, before renewing. That CE requirement is separate from the California Law & Ethics Exam, which is a one-time pass requirement (taken annually until passed).
What happens after I pass the NCMHCE?+
After you pass the NCMHCE, you must request your LPCC license and pay the initial license fee within one year. Verify the current fee and timeline with the BBS at bbs.ca.gov.
Where do I find the passing score and exam format?+
For the current passing score, exam format, number of clinical cases, time limit, content domains, fees, and accommodations for the NCMHCE, see the NCMHCE Candidate Handbook published by NBCC. For the California Law & Ethics Exam, see the Candidate Handbook (Pearson Vue, home.pearsonvue.com/cabbs) and the BBS Law and Ethics Examination FAQ. Exam details and fees change — always confirm current requirements directly with the BBS at bbs.ca.gov, with Pearson Vue, and with NBCC.
Related guides
How to Become an LPCC in California: Step-by-Step
The full path from a counseling degree to an LPCC license, including both exams.
APCC Registration in California
How to register as an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor with the BBS.
The California Law & Ethics Exam for Associates
What the exam covers, the annual requirement, and the re-exam process.
How to Track LPCC Hours in California
Keeping your 3,000 supervised hours organized for your LPCC application.
This guide is for informational purposes only. Always verify requirements directly with the BBS at bbs.ca.gov, with Pearson Vue, and with NBCC. Exam details and fees change — always confirm current requirements before relying on them.