(225 ILCS 107/45)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)

Sec. 45. Qualifications for a license.

(a) Professional counselor. A person is qualified to be licensed as a licensed professional counselor, and the Department shall issue a license authorizing the practice of professional counseling to an applicant who:

(1) has applied in writing on the prescribed form and has paid the required fee;

(2) is at least 21 years of age and has not engaged in conduct or activities which would constitute grounds for discipline under this Act;

(3) is a graduate of a master's or doctoral level program in the field of counseling, rehabilitation counseling, psychology, or similar degree program approved by the Department;

(4) has passed an examination for the practice of professional counseling as authorized by the Department; and

(5) has paid the fees required by this Act.

Any person who has received certification by any State or national organization whose standards are accepted by the Department as being substantially similar to the standards in this Act may apply for a professional counselor license and need not be examined further.

(b) Clinical professional counselor. A person is qualified to be licensed as a clinical professional counselor, and the Department shall issue a license authorizing the practice of clinical professional counseling to an applicant who:

(1) has applied in writing on the prescribed form and has paid the required fee;

(2) is at least 21 years of age;

(3) is a graduate of:

(A) a master's level program in the field of counseling, rehabilitation counseling, psychology, or similar degree program approved by the Department and has completed the equivalent of 2 years full-time satisfactory supervised employment or experience working as a clinical counselor under the direction of a qualified supervisor subsequent to the degree; or

(B) a doctoral program in the field of counseling, rehabilitation counseling, psychology, or similar program approved by the Department and has completed the equivalent of 2 years full-time satisfactory supervised employment or experience working as a clinical counselor under the direction of a qualified supervisor, at least one year of which is subsequent to the degree;

(4) has passed the examination for the practice of clinical professional counseling as authorized by the Department; and

(5) has paid the fees required by this Act.

Any person who has received certification or licensure by any State or national organization whose standards are accepted by the Department as being substantially similar to the standards in this Act may apply for a clinical professional counselor license, and need not be examined further.

(c) Examination for applicants under this Act shall be held at the discretion of the Department from time to time but not less than once each year. The examination used shall be authorized by the Department.

(d) Upon application and payment of the required fee, an applicant who has an active license as a clinical psychologist or a clinical social worker licensed under the laws of this State may, without examination, be granted registration as a licensed clinical professional counselor by the Department.

(Source: P.A. 102-878, eff. 1-1-23.)