Educated and Motivated: Preparing for Exams in LPC Candidacy

Pictured above: a therapist sits at a laptop and writes in a small notebook, with a textbook open next to them

With a fresh grad school education and a lot of motivation, soon a new cohort of LPC candidates will be joining the mental health field in Oklahoma. Though they have just completed graduate training and are eager to practice, they are not quite finished with studying and testing. Before receiving approval for LPC candidacy, the Board of Behavioral Health requires all applicants to pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the Oklahoma Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Examination (OLERE).

The OLERE is a comprehensive ethics exam that must be completed before applying for candidacy. Applicants may register for the OLERE by calling a registered testing site and paying the $45 exam fee. In order to prepare for the OLERE, applications but be familiar with the State Board of Behavioral Health Enabling Statute, as well as the Licensed Professional Counselor Acts and Rules.

The NCE is a 200 question exam that is administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors. After submitting the application for candidacy and receiving pre-approval from the Board of Behavioral Health, candidates may register for the exam on the NBCC website and paying the $275 exam fee. As for preparing for the NCE, many have found the Encyclopedia of Counseling by Howard Rosenthal to be helpful. Applicants must make sure to request the exam scores are sent to the Board of Behavioral Health once the exam is complete. 

If an applicant would benefit from special accommodations for the NCE, such as extended testing time or a dictionary, they may apply for exam accommodations through NBCC here. 

For more information on examinations and applying for candidacy, make sure to check out the free e-book "Putting the CAN in Candidacy: A Practical Guide for Oklahoma LPC Candidates."

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Updated December 2021.