Clinical Supervision Requirements in Idaho

Licensing Board Overview

Idaho regulates mental health professions through two primary boards under the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Social workers are governed by the State Board of Social Work Examiners, while counselors and marriage and family therapists are governed by the Idaho State Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists.

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Idaho)

Idaho's LCSW is governed by the State Board of Social Work Examiners, IDAPA 24.14.01. Candidates hold a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) credential while accruing supervised experience. An LMSW may provide psychotherapy only under the supervision of an LCSW, psychologist, or psychiatrist (Rule 200.02).

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 3,000 hours of clinical social work experience
• Direct treatment: 1,750 hours of direct client contact involving treatment
• Other clinical work: 1,250 hours of assessment, diagnosis, and other clinical social work, including indirect hours. Case management does not count
• Timeframe: Must be completed in no less than 2 years and no more than 5 years
• Supervision hours: At least 100 hours of in-person or live video face-to-face contact with the supervisor, with no more than 50 of them in group supervision
• Supervisor mix: At least 50% of supervision must come from an LCSW. The rest may come from a licensed clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, LCPC, or LMFT (Rule 100.03)
• Exam: ASWB Clinical Examination

Supervisor Qualifications

• An LCSW supervisor must have been licensed for at least 2 years, have completed 15 hours of clinical supervisor training, and have no discipline related to client care in the past 5 years (Rule 002.03)
• The supervisor must be licensed in the state where the supervised experience was obtained
• No supervisor registration is required. Idaho no longer registers clinical social work supervisors

LCPC: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (Idaho)

Idaho's LCPC is governed by the Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists, IDAPA 24.15.01. Candidates must hold a valid Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license while accruing hours (Idaho Code 54-3405A). In June 2026 the Board declined to count clinical supervision gained before LPC licensure toward the LCPC.

The LPC Step

• Supervised experience: 1,000 hours, at least 400 of them direct client contact
• Supervision: At least 1 hour of individual supervision for every 20 hours of direct client contact
• Graduate hours: A supervised practicum or internship may count toward the 1,000 hours (Rule 100.01.c)
• Intern registration: Post-graduate supervised practice requires registration as a counselor intern with a Board-approved supervisor, for no more than 4 years from registration unless good cause is shown (Rule 100.06)

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 2,000 hours of direct client contact experience
• Timeframe: Must be completed in no less than 2 years
• Supervision hours: 1 hour of clinical supervision for every 30 hours of direct client contact (about 67 hours for 2,000), with at least half of it individual rather than group
• LCPC oversight: 1,000 of the 2,000 direct hours must be supervised by an LCPC (Rule 100.02.a)
• Exam: NCMHCE (National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination)

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must be an LCPC, LMFT, LCSW, psychologist, or psychiatrist whose license is active and in good standing, and, where applicable, approved as a supervisor in the state where the supervisee practices (Rule 003.01)
• Half of the direct hours must be supervised by an LCPC

LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Idaho)

Idaho's LMFT is governed by the Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists, IDAPA 24.15.01. Candidates register as MFT interns while completing hours or awaiting exam results. After passing the exam, the credential is the Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT), who practices only under supervision.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 2,000 hours of direct client contact experience
• Relational hours: 1,000 of those direct hours must be with two or more people who share an ongoing relationship, seen together
• Timeframe: Must be completed in no less than 2 years
• Supervision hours: 200 hours of supervision, at least 100 of them individual. 100 hours must be supervised by an LMFT, and the other 100 by a supervisor with at least 2 years of experience practicing marriage and family therapy (Rule 100.04.c)
• Exam: AMFTRB National Examination

Supervisor Qualifications

• At least 100 supervision hours must come from an LMFT
• The remaining 100 hours may come from another supervisor who has at least 2 years of experience practicing marriage and family therapy

Idaho-Specific Details

Board-Approved Supervisors for Counselor and MFT Interns

Registered counselor and MFT interns must be supervised by a Board-approved supervisor. To be approved, you must be an LCPC or LMFT, complete 15 contact hours of supervisor training, and have no discipline in the 5 years before the request. You request supervisor privileges through DOPL Online Services. Since July 1, 2026, LPCs can no longer be approved supervisors (Rule 200.02.b). The social work board does not register or approve supervisors.

Pending LMFT Supervision Change

In August 2026 the Board adopted a pending rule (Docket 24-1501-2601) that would cut LMFT supervision to 100 hours, at least 50 of them individual, all provided by an LMFT who meets the supervisor qualifications. It needs approval by the 2027 Legislature. Until then, the current 200-hour rule applies.

Verification Forms

Counselor and MFT supervisors complete a verification form for each setting, then scan and email it to DOPL or return it to the applicant in a sealed envelope signed across the flap. Social work applicants file a separate Supervisor Report Form for each clinical supervisor, and each one must be notarized.

Virtual Supervision in Idaho

Social work rules count supervision by in-person or remote live electronic face-to-face contact, and board guidance refers to a HIPAA-approved digital connection. The counselor and MFT rules do not address video supervision, and the statute describes supervision as a face-to-face process, so counselors and MFTs should confirm with the board. No percentage limits on video supervision were found.

Key Idaho Board Contact Information

• State Board of Social Work Examiners: dopl.idaho.gov/swo
• Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists: dopl.idaho.gov/cou

How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in Idaho

Supervisor requirements in Idaho vary by discipline. Counselor and MFT interns need a Board-approved supervisor, while social work has no supervisor registration. Always confirm current standards with the respective board.

Becoming an LCSW Supervisor

• Hold an LCSW license for at least 2 years
• Complete 15 hours of clinical supervisor training. Supervisees file your training certificate with your Supervisor Report Form
• Have no discipline related to client care in the past 5 years

Becoming an LCPC Supervisor

• Hold an active LCPC license in good standing
• Complete 15 contact hours of supervisor training and have no discipline in the past 5 years
• Request supervisor privileges through DOPL Online Services

Becoming an LMFT Supervisor

• Hold an active LMFT license in good standing
• Complete 15 contact hours of supervisor training and have no discipline in the past 5 years
• Request supervisor privileges through DOPL Online Services

How Guidara Helps Idaho Supervisors

Guidara keeps hour logs, signed supervision notes, and timesheets for each supervisee, with timestamps and audit trails. At the end of supervision you can export PDF records of the hours and supervision you provided, to use when completing Idaho's verification or Supervisor Report forms. Guidara does not fill in or submit board forms, and the social work form still needs a notary.