How to Verify a Therapist’s License Before Starting Online Therapy
Written by: Meghan Gilliland, LCSW, LICSW
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Before you start online therapy, it is a good idea to confirm that the therapist or mental health provider is licensed, active, and authorized to provide care in the state where you will be located during sessions.
This guide explains what information to gather, where to look, and how to use state licensing board websites to verify a provider’s license.
Quick answer: To verify a therapist’s license, start with the state where you will be located during the session, identify the provider’s license type, and search the official state licensing board by name or license number.
Information to gather
- Provider name
- License type
- License number
- State licensing board
- State where you will be located
WHY IT MATTERS
Why license verification matters
A professional license shows that a provider has met the education, training, exam, and regulatory requirements for their profession in a specific state. Checking a license can help you confirm that the provider’s name, license type, license status, and licensing board match what you were told before starting care.
License verification is especially important for online therapy because providers and clients may be in different locations. A therapist may be licensed to work with clients in one state, but not another. Before booking, confirm that the provider is licensed, compact-authorized, registered, or otherwise permitted to provide care in the state where you will physically be during the appointment.
Identify the provider's professional credential
Check the provider is licensed in the state where you are located during your session
Use the official state licensing board to verify the license is active
LOCATION MATTERS
For online therapy, your location matters
Licensure is usually tied to the client’s location during the session, not just the provider’s office address or the client’s home address. If you are meeting from home, school, work, another state, or while traveling, the state where you are physically located during the appointment may affect whether that provider can legally see you.
For example, a therapist who can see you while you are in Arizona may not automatically be able to continue care if you move to California, travel for an extended period, attend college out of state, or split time between multiple homes. If your location may change, ask the provider how they handle care across state lines before you begin.
You can also read our guide to online therapy across state lines if you may move, travel, attend college out of state, or split time between homes.
Your session state determines which license applies
Your location during your sessions:
If your location may change, ask the provider how they handle care across state lines before you begin.
BEFORE YOU SEARCH
What information do you need to verify a license?
Most state licensing board websites allow you to search by name, license number, profession, or a combination of details. Before you search, gather as much of the following information as you can:
- Provider name Use the provider’s full legal name if available. Some providers use a nickname, professional name, maiden name, or hyphenated name in different places.
- License Type Examples may include Psychologist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Psychiatrist, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, or Physician Assistant.
- License Number. This is often listed on the provider’s website, profile, intake paperwork, informed consent form, email signature, or business card.
- State licensing board. Different professions may be regulated by different boards, even within the same state.
- State where you will be located For online therapy, this is the state where you will be physically located during the session.
STEP-BY-STEP
How to Verify a Therapist’s License
Use these steps before your first appointment, or any time you want to confirm a provider’s current license status.
Start with the state where you will be during the session
Because online therapy rules usually depend on the client’s physical location, start with the state where you will be located during the appointment. If you expect to meet from more than one state, check each state that may apply.
Identify the provider’s license type
Look at the provider’s profile, website, intake paperwork, or email signature to find their credential. Common mental health credentials include LCSW, LICSW, LMFT, LPC, LPCC, LMHC, psychologist, psychiatrist, PMHNP, APRN, MD, DO, or PA-C. The credential helps you choose the correct licensing board.
Go to the official state licensing board website
Use the official licensing board or state license lookup website whenever possible. Avoid relying only on general search results, advertisements, directory listings, or third-party websites. State board websites are usually the most direct place to confirm whether a license is active and whether the name, profession, and license number match.
Search by name or license number
Search using the provider’s full name or license number. If you do not find a match, try alternate spellings, or the license number without spaces. Some boards separate searches by profession, so make sure you are searching in the correct provider category.
Review the license record carefully
Check that the provider’s name, license type, license number, state, and license status match what you expected. Look for words such as active, current, expired, inactive, suspended, probation, or disciplinary action. Not every board displays the same information, and some records may require contacting the board directly for clarification.
Ask questions before booking
If anything is unclear, ask the provider which license they use to see clients in your state and how you can verify it. You can also contact the state licensing board directly. A licensed provider should be able to tell you their license type, license number, licensing state, and the board that regulates their profession.
Troubleshooting
What If You Cannot Find the Provider’s License?
Not finding a license right away does not always mean something is wrong. You may be searching the wrong board, using a different name than the one on file, or looking in the wrong state. Some providers also hold multiple licenses, compact privileges, telehealth registrations, or medical credentials that appear in different systems. If you need care that can continue across more than one state, you can search for providers licensed in multiple states.
Before starting care, ask the provider for the exact license type, license number, licensing state, and licensing board. If the information still does not match, contact the board directly or consider choosing a provider whose license you can clearly verify.
Official License Verification Resources
The most reliable place to verify a therapist’s license is usually the official state licensing board or state license lookup system for that provider’s profession. Some professional organizations also maintain links to state board lookup tools, but the state board record is usually the source to check before starting care.
Therapy Expanded includes state-specific license verification links on state pages whenever possible. These links can help you find the correct board for therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other mental health providers in that state.
To get started, browse online therapists by state, choose the state where you will be located during sessions, and review the license verification resources listed on that state page.
CHOOSING A THERAPIST
License Verification Is Only One Part of Choosing a Therapist
Verifying a license helps confirm that a provider is regulated by a licensing board, but it does not tell you everything about fit. You may also want to ask about the provider’s experience with your concern, therapy approach, availability, fees, insurance, privacy practices, telehealth platform, cancellation policy, and what happens if you move or travel.
A strong match often includes both practical fit and clinical fit. License verification is a helpful first step before deciding whether a provider is right for you.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Verifying a Therapist’s License
Does a therapist have to live in my state to see me online?
Not always. A provider may live in one state and be licensed or otherwise authorized to see clients in another. What usually matters is whether the provider is permitted to provide care in the state where you are physically located during the session.
What if I travel or move during online therapy?
Tell your provider before you travel, move, attend school out of state, or split time between states. Your location during the session can affect whether care can continue. If you know you may meet from more than one state, ask the provider whether they are licensed or authorized in each location.
Can I verify a psychiatrist or medication management provider the same way?
Yes, but you may need a different licensing board. Psychiatrists are usually licensed through a state medical board. Psychiatric nurse practitioners are usually verified through a state nursing board. Physician assistants are usually verified through a medical board or physician assistant board. Use the provider’s license type to find the correct board. You can also browse online medication management providers by state and then verify the appropriate medical, nursing, or physician assistant license.
Does Therapy Expanded verify provider licenses for me?
Therapy Expanded is a directory that helps you search for online mental health providers by state, specialty, care type, and other filters. Before starting care, you should confirm a provider’s current license status with the appropriate state licensing board or ask the provider how to verify their license.
What should I do if a license is expired, inactive, or does not match?
Ask the provider for clarification before booking. There may be a name difference, renewal delay, or another license involved. If the issue is not resolved clearly, contact the licensing board or choose a provider whose license status you can verify.
What is the best website to verify a therapist’s license?
The best place to verify a therapist’s license is usually the official state licensing board or license lookup website for the provider’s profession. Search by the provider’s full name, license number, profession, and the state where you will be located during sessions.
Can a therapist be licensed in more than one state?
Yes. Some therapists and mental health providers hold licenses in more than one state. Others may rely on compact privileges, telehealth registrations, temporary practice rules, or other authorization pathways. Before starting care, ask which license or authorization the provider is using for the state where you will be located.
Ready to search for licensed online care?
Start with the state where you will be located during sessions. From there, you can search Therapy Expanded for online therapists and medication management providers, then use the state resources on each page to verify license information before beginning care.