Clinical Supervision Requirements in Georgia

Licensing Board Overview

Georgia licenses counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists through the Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists. The board operates under the Georgia Secretary of State's office.

Georgia uses a tiered licensing system. Counselors start as an APC (Associate Professional Counselor) before qualifying for LPC. Social workers move from LMSW to LCSW. Marriage and family therapists move from AMFT to LMFT. Each transition requires a defined period of supervised experience. Georgia also requires specific supervisor credentials that go beyond simply holding the relevant license.

LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor

Georgia's LPC is the independent counseling license. You start as an APC (Associate Professional Counselor) and work under supervision.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: Typically 3,000 to 4,000 hours of post-master's supervised experience, depending on your degree and program (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Supervision hours: Typically 105 to 140 hours of individual or dyadic supervision (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Timeline: All experience must be completed within 60 months (5 years) of application
• Part-time credit: Part-time experience is accepted and prorated
• Direct service: A substantial portion of hours must involve direct client contact

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Georgia LPC license (or other qualifying license such as LCSW, LMFT, psychologist, or psychiatrist per Rule 135-5-.02)
• For supervisors approved after September 30, 2018: must hold the NBCC ACS (Approved Clinical Supervisor) credential or CPCS (Certified Professional Counselors Supervisor) credential
• Supervisors approved before September 2018 may be grandfathered under earlier requirements
• Supervision training (45 hours minimum for CPCS) covering ethics, multicultural competence, evaluation, and supervision models

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Georgia's LCSW requires post-master's supervised clinical experience. You start as an LMSW and work toward LCSW.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: Typically 3,000 hours of post-master's supervised clinical social work experience (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Supervision hours: Typically 120 hours of supervision (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Individual supervision: At least 50% of supervision must be individual (one-on-one or dyadic)
• Timeline: Must be completed within a 3-to-9-year window (36 to 108 months)
• Clinical focus: Experience must involve clinical social work (assessment, diagnosis, treatment) under supervision

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Georgia LCSW license (or other qualifying license such as LPC, LMFT, psychologist, or psychiatrist per Rule 135-5-.04)
• A minimum of 2 years and 2,000 clock hours of practice post-licensure

LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Georgia's LMFT requires post-master's supervised experience in marriage and family therapy. You start as an AMFT.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: Typically 2,000 to 2,500 hours of supervised experience (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Supervision hours: Typically 100 to 200 hours of supervision (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Individual supervision: A significant portion must be individual
• Relational content: Experience must include substantial work with couples and families
• Timeline: Must be completed within the board's specified time frame from licensure as AMFT

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Georgia LMFT license
• AAMFT Approved Supervisor or equivalent board-approved designation
• Supervisors must maintain ongoing CE in supervision topics

Georgia-Specific Details

Tiered Licensing System

Georgia requires an associate-level license before you can begin accruing supervised experience toward the independent license. This means you cannot just graduate and start counting hours. You have to apply for and receive your APC, LMSW, or AMFT first. Plan for processing time when setting your supervision timeline.

Supervisor Credential Requirements for Counseling

Georgia added a significant requirement in 2018 for counseling supervisors. LPC supervisors approved after September 30, 2018 must hold the NBCC ACS or CPCS credential. This goes beyond what most states require. If you're a supervisee looking for a supervisor, make sure your prospective supervisor holds the appropriate credential. If you're a supervisor, check with the board on current credentialing pathways.

60-Month Window for LPC

Georgia requires that all supervised experience for LPC be completed within 60 months of your application date. If your experience is older than that, it may not qualify. This is important for people who took breaks or worked part-time.

Documentation Requirements

• Written supervision agreement or contract in place before supervision begins
• Supervision log documenting each supervision meeting (date, duration, format, topics)
• Hour tracking with breakdowns by direct service vs. other clinical activities
• Supervisor verification forms at completion of the supervised experience period
• All experience must be completed within the board's specified time window
• Retain all documentation until licensure is confirmed and beyond (board may audit)

Virtual Supervision in Georgia

Georgia allows virtual supervision. The board permits technology-assisted supervision (videoconferencing) as part of the supervised experience. Some supervision must still be conducted face-to-face. Supervisors providing technology-assisted supervision are expected to have at least 9 hours of continuing education specifically related to technology-assisted supervision and counseling. Check with the board for the latest guidance on ratios and limitations.

Key Georgia Board Contact Information

• Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists: sos.ga.gov
• Administrative Rules: rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/135

How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in Georgia

Georgia's Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists oversees supervision requirements for all three disciplines. Requirements are defined in the Board's administrative rules (Chapter 135). Always verify current standards with the board.

Becoming an LPC Supervisor in Georgia

• Licensure: Must hold an active Georgia LPC license in good standing (not an LAPC)
• Clinical experience: Post-licensure experience varies by degree level: 3 years for a master's degree, 2 years for a specialist degree, or 1 year for a doctoral degree, per Rule 135-5-.02(a)(5)
• Supervisor credential required: Must hold the NBCC Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential or the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS) credential to supervise APCs (effective after September 30, 2018)
• Supervisee limits: Maximum 2 supervisees in individual supervision, maximum 6 in group supervision

Becoming an LCSW Supervisor in Georgia

• Licensure: Must hold an active Georgia LCSW license in good standing (or LPC, LMFT, licensed psychologist, or psychiatrist)
• Clinical experience: A minimum of 2 years and 2,000 clock hours of practice post-licensure, per Rule 135-5-.04(5)(e)
• Supervision training: No specific supervisor training hours are mandated beyond licensure and clinical practice experience
• No formal supervisor designation: Georgia does not require a separate supervisor credential for LCSW supervision
• Supervisee limits: Maximum 2 supervisees in individual supervision, maximum 6 in group supervision

Becoming an LMFT Supervisor in Georgia

• Licensure: Must hold an active Georgia LMFT license in good standing
• Clinical experience: A minimum of 3 years of full-time post-licensure experience as an LMFT, per Rule 135-5-.06(1)(c)
• Supervision credential required: Must hold the Board Approved Marriage and Family Therapy Supervisor designation. This requires: 180 hours of providing MFT supervision to at least 2 supervisees over 2 to 5 years, plus 36 hours of supervision-of-supervision (at least 24 hours individual) from an AAMFT Approved Supervisor or Georgia Board Approved MFT Supervisor. Alternative: hold the AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential
• Application: Must submit a formal application to the Composite Board for the Board Approved MFT Supervisor designation
• Supervisee limits: Maximum 2 supervisees in individual supervision, maximum 6 in group supervision

Georgia-Specific Considerations

• Associate-level registration: Georgia uses an associate system (APC, LMSW, AMFT). Supervisees must hold an active associate license before accruing supervised hours
• Supervisor-to-supervisee ratio: All disciplines follow the same ratio: maximum 2 individual, maximum 6 group
• Cross-discipline: LCSW supervision allows other qualifying license types (LPC, LMFT, psychologist, psychiatrist). LPC and LMFT supervision generally require same-discipline supervisors. Confirm current rules with the Composite Board
• Continuing education: All license types require 35 hours of CE per 2-year renewal cycle, including 5 hours of ethics (must be live/synchronous), per Rule 135-9-.01

How Guidara Helps Georgia Supervisors

Georgia's tiered system and strict time windows mean supervisors and supervisees need to stay on top of their documentation from day one. Guidara tracks your hours by category with running totals, captures electronic signatures after each supervision meeting, and organizes everything so nothing falls through the cracks over a multi-year supervisory relationship. When it's time to submit verification to the Composite Board, your records are already in order.