Counseling Compact: Live States, Eligibility, and What It Means for Online Therapy

Written by: Meghan Gilliland, LCSW, LICSW
Last updated: May 17, 2026
Sources used: Counseling Compact, Compact Commission, CSG compact database, HHS telehealth guidance.

The Counseling Compact is different from traditional multi-state licensure. With traditional multi-state licensure, a counselor applies separately to each state where they want to practice. Each state may have its own application, fees, documentation, jurisprudence requirements, renewal rules, and continuing education requirements.

With the Counseling Compact, an eligible counselor may use a qualifying home-state license to apply for a privilege to practice in another live compact state. That privilege is not the same as automatically holding full separate licenses in every compact state.

Current Status

Compact status

Operational, partially live

Live jurisdictions

Arizona, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Ohio

Applications

Available only for eligible counselors in live jurisdictions

Provider takeaway

Enacted does not mean live. Verify your home state and each remote state before relying on the compact.

Current Status of the Counseling Compact

As of May 9, 2026, the Counseling Compact is operational, but only in a limited set of live jurisdictions. Eligible counselors in live home states may be able to apply for compact privileges in other live states. It does not mean counselors can use the compact across all enacted states yet.

Compact status

Operational, partially live

Live jurisdictions

Arizona, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Ohio

Applications

Available for eligible counselors in live jurisdictions

Enacted jurisdictions

39 jurisdictions have passed compact language

Privilege model

Counselors apply for a privilege to practice in each remote state.

Provider takeaway

Verify whether your home state and the client’s state are live before relying on the compact.

Important: This page is for general educational and planning purposes. It is not legal advice. Before making practice decisions, verify current requirements with the Counseling Compact, your home-state licensing board, and the licensing board in the state where your client is located.

What Is the Counseling Compact?

The Counseling Compact is an interstate occupational licensure compact for eligible professional counselors. It is designed to improve access to counseling services, support portability, preserve state regulatory authority, and reduce the need for counselors to complete a full separate license application in every compact state where they want to practice.

In plain English, the compact creates a pathway for eligible counselors to use a qualifying home-state license to apply for a privilege to practice in other participating states.

The compact does not create one national counseling license. It also does not remove the role of state licensing boards. Counselors using the compact still need to meet eligibility requirements, apply for the proper privilege, and follow the rules of the state where the client is located during the session.

Who Does the Counseling Compact Apply To?

The Counseling Compact applies to counselors who hold the independent, highest-level professional counseling license in a participating state. Different states use different license titles, so the compact is not limited to one exact acronym.

LPCs

Licensed Professional Counselors who meet compact requirements

LPCCs

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors who meet compact requirements

Equivalent licenses

Independent, highest-level professional counseling licenses in participating states

Providers may search for this topic using terms like LPC compact, LPCC compact, licensed professional counselor compact, counselor compact, or counseling compact privilege to practice. The important question is not only the title of the license, but whether the license meets the compact definition and the provider satisfies the compact requirements. The compact is generally not available to student, assistant, associate, provisional, or other supervised-status counselors.

Which States Are in the Counseling Compact?

State participation is one of the areas where counselors should be especially careful. A state may pass compact legislation before the compact is live for issuing or accepting privileges. The most important distinction is whether a state is enacted or actually live.

Live jurisdictions

Arizona

Louisiana

Minnesota

Ohio

Enacted but not yet live jurisdictions

Alabama

Arkansas

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Maine

Maryland

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

North Carolina

North Dakota

Oklahoma

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Important: A state being part of the Counseling Compact does not automatically mean counselors can practice there today. The provider still needs the proper compact privilege or another lawful authorization pathway.

Understanding the Counseling Compact’s Scope

When a counselor is eligible and both states are live, the compact may allow the counselor to use a qualifying home-state license to apply for a privilege to practice in a remote compact state. The compact can make interstate counseling more efficient, but it works within a defined set of rules and requirements.

What a privilege allows:

Apply for a privilege to practice in another live compact state
Provide counseling in person or by telehealth in a remote live state
Support continuity of care when clients move or travel among live compact states
Reduce the need for a full separate license application in each live compact state
Use a shared compact system to verify eligibility and privilege status

What it does not do

Create a national counseling license
Authorize practice in every enacted compact state
Apply to nonmember states
Replace remote-state laws and licensing rules
Usually apply to LMFTs, LCSWs, or supervised-status clinicians

Compact Privilege vs. Getting Licensed in Multiple States

Individual state licenses

Apply separately in each state
Useful for compact states, noncompact states, and states that are not yet live
May be necessary if the counselor does not qualify for the compact
Each state may have its own renewal, fee, and continuing education rules

Counseling Compact privileges

Available only through live compact jurisdictions
Require a qualifying home-state license
Require an application for each remote state where the counselor wants to practice
May involve state fees, administrative fees, and jurisprudence requirements
Still require following the client-state rules

What Does the Counseling Compact Mean for Telehealth?

The Counseling Compact is especially relevant to online therapy because online clients are not always in one fixed location. Clients may move, travel, attend college out of state, split time between seasonal homes, or need continuity of care during major life transitions.

Important reminder

Online therapy is not automatically borderless. In most cross-state telehealth situations, the client’s physical location during the session matters. A counselor generally needs to be licensed, privileged, or otherwise legally authorized in the state where the client is located at the time of service.

The compact may streamline lawful interstate counseling, but only when the counselor is eligible, the home state is live, the remote state is live, the privilege has actually been issued, and the counselor follows the client-state’s rules.

If you are a counselor planning to use the Counseling Compact for telehealth, it is important to verify the client’s location before sessions, confirm whether a compact privilege is available and active, and understand any state-specific requirements that apply to the client’s location.

What Clients Should Know

Clients may hear about the Counseling Compact and wonder whether it means any counselor can now provide online therapy across state lines. The answer is no. The compact is currently live only in a limited set of jurisdictions, and counselors still need the right license, privilege, or other authorization for the state where the client is located.

If you are moving out of state

Ask your counselor whether they can continue care after your location changes.

If you travel or split time between states

Confirm whether your counselor can see you in each state where you may attend sessions.

If you are searching for a new therapist

Look for providers who clearly list the states where they are currently licensed, privileged, or otherwise authorized.

Basic Eligibility Considerations for Counselors

Eligibility can be specific, and providers should verify details with official compact sources and their licensing board. In general, the Counseling Compact is designed for independently licensed professional counselors who meet compact requirements.

License type matters

The compact is designed for qualifying professional counselors. LMFTs, LCSWs, and supervised-status clinicians generally need separate pathways unless they also hold a qualifying counseling license.

Background check matters

Federal criminal background check readiness is one reason some enacted jurisdictions are not yet live. A state may need to complete required background check and data system steps before privileges can be issued or accepted.

Home state matters

A counselor participates through their home-state license. The home state is generally the state where the counselor primarily resides. A counselor cannot usually use the compact through a license from a state that is not their home state.

License status matters

The counselor generally needs an unencumbered license that authorizes independent counseling practice at the highest level in a participating state.

Remote state requirements matter

A remote state may require additional steps, such as a jurisprudence exam. Counselors should review the requirements for each remote state where they want to practice.

Verify eligibility

Because eligibility questions can be specific, counselors should verify directly with their licensing board and official compact resources before assuming they qualify.

Fees, Jurisprudence Exams, and Renewals

The Counseling Compact is not a one-time, all-states pass. Counselors pay fees for each state where they request a privilege.

As of this page’s last update, the compact’s administrative fee is listed as $30 per privilege. The live-state fee page also lists state fees of $250 for Arizona, $130 for Louisiana, $50 for Minnesota, and $25 for Ohio. Fees can change, so providers should verify current amounts before applying.

Counselors generally complete continuing education for their home state, but they may need to complete jurisprudence exams in remote states that require them.

Privileges are connected to the home-state license expiration date. Renewing the home-state license may not automatically renew compact privileges, so counselors should check the official compact application and renewal process before relying on an existing privilege.

What Counselors Can Do Now

Whether the compact is available to you today depends on your home state, your license, and the remote states where you want to practice.

Confirm whether your home state is live.
Check the official Counseling Compact implementation status before assuming you can use compact privileges. A state may have enacted the compact but still may not be live for licensees.
Verify your eligibility before planning around the compact.
Review your home-state license status, discipline history, education, examination, and any state-specific requirements before relying on the compact for interstate practice.
Avoid saying you can practice in all compact states.
Use careful language on your website and profiles. Compact participation does not automatically mean you can practice everywhere, and privileges may depend on your home state, remote state, and application status.
Think strategically about remote states.
Prioritize states where you already receive client inquiries, have referral relationships, or plan to grow your online practice.
Build visibility before and after compact privileges expand.
Update your therapist directory profiles, website copy, internal links, and state-specific service pages as your licensed or authorized practice areas change.

Already licensed in more than one state?

Make your licensed states easier to find on Therapy Expanded. Connect with clients and referral partners who need providers available for cross-state care.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Counseling Compact

What is the difference between enacted and live in the Counseling Compact?

An enacted state has passed compact legislation. A live state is ready to issue or accept compact privileges. This distinction matters because a counselor cannot assume compact-based practice is available just because a state has enacted the compact.

Which states are live in the Counseling Compact right now?

As of May 9, 2026, the live jurisdictions are Arizona, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Ohio. Providers should verify current status through the official Counseling Compact before making practice decisions, because additional states may go live over time.

Who qualifies for the Counseling Compact?

The compact is generally for counselors who hold an unencumbered, independent, highest-level professional counseling license in a live compact home state and meet the compact’s education, exam, background check, and other eligibility requirements.

Can LPCs and LPCCs use the Counseling Compact?

Many people search for the Counseling Compact using terms like LPC compact or LPCC compact. Eligibility depends on the underlying license and state requirements, not only the license title. Counselors should verify whether their license meets the compact definition and whether their home state is live.

Can LMFTs or LCSWs use the Counseling Compact?

Generally, no. The Counseling Compact is for qualifying professional counselors. LMFTs and LCSWs typically need separate licensure, portability, or compact pathways unless they also hold a qualifying counseling license and meet all compact requirements.

Can associate, provisional, or supervised counselors use the compact?

Generally, no. The compact is not designed for student, assistant, associate, provisional, or other supervised-status licenses. It also cannot be used to transfer supervised hours.

Do counselors pay one fee or a fee for each state?

Counselors pay for each remote state where they request a compact privilege. There may be a compact administrative fee and a separate state fee. Fees can change, so providers should check the official fee page before applying.

Do counselors need jurisprudence exams in remote states?

Some remote states may require a jurisprudence exam. Counselors should check the official compact fee and jurisprudence information, as well as the requirements of each remote state where they want to practice.

Can a counselor keep seeing a client who moves?

Possibly, but only if the counselor is licensed, privileged, or otherwise authorized in the state where the client will be located. The Counseling Compact may help in some live compact-state situations, but it does not automatically authorize care across all states.

Does the Counseling Compact make online therapy borderless?

No. Online therapy is still connected to where the client is located during the session. A counselor using the compact must still follow the laws and rules of the remote state where the client is located.

Official Counseling Compact Resources

Because compact status, fees, and implementation details can change, providers should verify current information through official sources.

Official Counseling Compact

Main homepage and live-status updates

Compact Jurisdictions

Current compact map and enacted jurisdictions

Council of State Governments Database

Compact database and state tracking

Info for Counselors FAQ

Eligibility, home state, privileges, and fees

Apply or Verify

Privilege application and verification information

Fees and Jurisprudence

State fees, jurisprudence exams, and contacts

HHS Telehealth Licensure

Federal guidance on cross-state practice

Governance Documents

Rules, model legislation, and commission documents

Plan for Multi-State Practice With Therapy Expanded

The Counseling Compact may make interstate practice easier for eligible counselors in live compact states, but legal authorization is only one part of building a sustainable online practice.

If you are already licensed in more than one state, applying for compact privileges, or preparing for future compact expansion, Therapy Expanded can help you make your licensed states easier to find and build referral relationships with other providers navigating the same landscape.