Clinical Supervision Requirements in Michigan

Licensing Board Overview

Michigan licenses mental health professionals through the Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL), part of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists each have separate licensing boards under BPL: the Michigan Board of Counseling, the Michigan Board of Social Work and the Michigan Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Michigan has an important distinction from most other states: there is no LCSW license. The highest social work license in Michigan is the LMSW (Licensed Master's Social Worker), which carries either a clinical or a macro designation. Each designation has its own exam and is earned through supervised experience under a supervisor with the same designation. If you're coming from a state with an LCSW, this is a significant difference.

LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor

Michigan's LPC is the clinical-level counseling license. The supervised practice tier is the Limited Licensed Counselor (LLC). Hours count only after the limited license is issued.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Hours and duration: 3,000 hours of counseling practice over at least 2 years. With a doctoral degree, 1,500 hours over at least 1 year (R 338.1774)
• Setting: An organized education, business, health, private practice, or human services setting
• Supervision: At least 100 hours of regularly scheduled supervision (50 hours for doctoral applicants), in the supervisor's immediate physical presence or by 2-way real-time audiovisual technology. Telephone supervision does not count
• Limited license term: The LLC can be renewed for no more than 10 years, plus up to three 1-year hardship extensions (R 338.1777)
• Exam: NCE, NCMHCE or CRC exam

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Michigan LPC license in good standing throughout the period of supervision
• No board approval. The supervisor certifies their own qualifications on the experience form
• Supervision training of 2 semester hours of graduate credit or 30 contact hours of workshop training, plus 5 years of post-master's practice (3 years if you first supervised before May 5, 2022). The CCE Approved Clinical Supervisor credential is an alternative (R 338.1781)
• Must be available on a regularly scheduled basis to review the supervisee's practice and records, with continuous availability for direct communication

LMSW: Licensed Master's Social Worker

Michigan's LMSW is the highest social work license in the state. There is no separate LCSW. The supervised tier is the Limited Licensed Master's Social Worker (LLMSW), and experience counts only while you hold a Michigan LLMSW.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Hours and duration: 4,000 hours of post-degree experience over at least 2 years (R 338.2949)
• Weekly and yearly limits: An average of at least 16 and no more than 40 hours a week, and no more than 2,080 hours in any 12-month period
• Supervision: At least 4 hours of supervisory review a month, with at least 2 of those hours individual, in person or by a telecommunications method with live, simultaneous contact
• Limited license term: The LLMSW can be renewed no more than 6 times, with no extensions
• Exam: ASWB Clinical exam for the clinical designation, or ASWB Advanced Generalist for the macro designation. Michigan does not accept the ASWB Master's exam

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Michigan LMSW license with the same designation you are seeking (clinical for clinical, macro for macro), in good standing throughout the supervision
• If your limited license was issued on or after March 31, 2021, your supervisor must be licensed in Michigan
• No years-of-experience requirement and no board approval

LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Michigan's LMFT requires post-graduate supervised experience in marriage and family therapy. The supervised tier is the Limited Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LLMFT), which needs the degree plus a 300-hour supervised practicum.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Direct client contact: 1,000 hours of post-degree direct client contact in marriage and family therapy (MCL 333.16909)
• Supervision hours: At least 200 hours, at a ratio of at least 1 hour of supervision per 5 hours of experience, given at the same time as the 1,000 hours
• Individual supervision: At least 100 hours must be individual, which allows no more than 1 other supervisee present
• Group supervision: The rest may be group supervision with no more than 6 supervisees and 1 supervisor
• Relational content: At least half of the 1,000 hours must be with families, couples, or subsystems of families physically present in the therapy room
• Limited license term: The LLMFT may not be renewed more than 5 times

Supervisor Qualifications

• For the 1,000 post-degree hours, the supervisor must be a fully licensed marriage and family therapist
• No supervision training or years-of-experience requirement applies to the 1,000 hours
• AAMFT Approved Supervisor status matters only for the pre-degree 300-hour practicum

Michigan-Specific Details

No LCSW License

This is the biggest thing to know about Michigan. The state does not have a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential. The LMSW is the terminal social work license, with a clinical or macro designation. Once you hold the LMSW with a clinical designation, Michigan does not require ongoing supervision for your practice. If you're relocating from another state where you held an LCSW, you would apply for the LMSW. Michigan's approach is unusual and can cause confusion for social workers moving between states.

Limited License System

Michigan uses "limited license" designations for pre-licensed professionals: the Limited Licensed Counselor (LLC), the Limited Licensed Master's Social Worker (LLMSW) and the Limited Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LLMFT). The limited license allows you to practice under supervision while accumulating hours. Each one has a cap on renewals, so plan your hours around it. Bills pending in 2026 (HB 4981 and SB 1108) would rename the LLC to "limited licensed professional counselor."

Documentation Requirements

• No supervision agreement is required in any track. For LPC, the supervisor must give the supervisee a written statement of their supervising qualifications before supervision begins (R 338.1781)
• The LLC's professional disclosure statement must name the supervising LPC and include the supervisor's signed statement of qualifications. There is one per practice location, and changes, such as a new supervisor, must be filed within 30 days (R 338.1772, effective January 15, 2026)
• No supervision log is required. LPC supervisors must keep ongoing documentation, including performance and clinical notes, for each supervisee
• Hour tracking for direct client contact and supervision hours
• If you have more than one supervisor, each one completes a separate verification form for the experience under their own supervision. No supervisor signs for hours another supervisor oversaw
• No board approval of a supervisor or supervision plan, and no notice to the board when supervision starts or changes, apart from the LPC disclosure statement
• We found no retention period for supervision records. The 7-year rule in MCL 333.16213 covers patient records. Confirm with LARA
• LARA's forms and guides say nothing about electronic signatures. Confirm with LARA before relying on an e-signed verification form

Virtual Supervision in Michigan

The rules differ by license. For LPC, supervision counts in the supervisor's immediate physical presence or by 2-way real-time audiovisual technology, so video counts and telephone does not. For LMSW, individual supervision may be in person or by a telecommunications method that provides live, simultaneous contact.

For LMFT, the statute still requires face-to-face supervision, and relational hours must have family members physically present in the therapy room. Two pending bills would allow video for MFT supervision and relational hours: HB 4905 passed the House on June 25, 2026, and SB 707 passed the Senate on June 17, 2026. Until one is enacted, confirm with LARA before relying on video for LMFT hours.

Key Michigan Board Contact Information

• Michigan Board of Counseling (LLC, LPC): michigan.gov
• Michigan Board of Social Work (LLMSW, LMSW): michigan.gov
• Michigan Board of Marriage and Family Therapy (LLMFT, LMFT): michigan.gov

How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in Michigan

Michigan's Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL), under the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), regulates mental health licensing and supervision. Note that Michigan does not have an LCSW designation. Always verify current requirements directly with LARA.

Becoming an LPC Supervisor in Michigan

• Licensure: Must hold an active Michigan LPC license in good standing. Per MCL 333.18106 and the Michigan Administrative Code, only an LPC (not an LLC) may supervise limited licensed counselors
• Supervision training required: Per MCL 333.18106 (effective January 27, 2020), an LPC "shall not supervise a limited licensed counselor without completing training in supervision as required by rules promulgated by the department." R 338.1781 sets this at 2 semester hours of graduate credit or 30 contact hours of workshop training covering 9 topics
• Experience: 5 years of post-master's practice if you first supervise on or after May 5, 2022 (3 years if earlier). Holding the CCE Approved Clinical Supervisor credential is an alternative
• No formal supervisor designation: Michigan does not issue a separate supervisor credential, and LARA does not approve supervisors. An LPC who meets the rule may supervise
• Supervision modality: The 100 supervision hours count in person or by 2-way real-time audiovisual technology

Becoming an LMSW Supervisor in Michigan

• Licensure: Must hold an active Michigan LMSW (Licensed Master's Social Worker) license in good standing, with the same clinical or macro designation the supervisee is seeking. Michigan uses LMSW rather than LCSW
• Who qualifies: Per MCL 333.18509, an LMSW may supervise limited licensed social workers. Before July 1, 2008, the requirement was a person with a master's or doctoral degree in social work and at least 2 years of practice
• No formal supervisor designation: Being a Licensed Master's Social Worker with the matching designation is sufficient. Neither the statute nor the social work rules mandate supervisor training

Becoming an LMFT Supervisor in Michigan

• Licensure: Must hold an active Michigan LMFT license in good standing
• Cross-discipline allowed for practicum hours: Per MCL 333.16909(1)(b)(iii), supervisors for the 300-hour practicum must hold a master's degree and may be an LMFT, LMSW, LPC, physician in a mental health setting, fully licensed psychologist, or AAMFT approved supervisor or supervisor-in-training. For the 1,000-hour post-degree experience, the supervisor must be an LMFT
• Supervisee limits: For the 1,000-hour requirement, at least 100 hours of supervision must be individual (no more than 1 other supervisee present). Group supervision is capped at 6 supervisees per supervisor
• Supervision ratio: At least 1 hour of supervision for every 5 hours of direct client contact. All supervision must be face-to-face under current law

Michigan-Specific Considerations

• Limited license system: Michigan uses a "limited license" system for pre-licensed professionals (LLC, LLMSW, LLMFT). Supervisors must understand the scope and limitations of the limited license
• No LCSW: Michigan does not have a separate LCSW credential. Social workers are licensed as LMSW (or LLMSW at the limited level)
• Administrative rules: Michigan statutes defer many supervision details to the administrative code: R 338.1751 to 338.1781 for counselors (amended January 15, 2026), R 338.2921 to 338.2965 for social work, and R 338.7201 to 338.7219 for MFT
• Pending bills: SB 707 would change MFT licensure from January 1, 2028 to 3,000 hours over at least 24 months with 100 hours of supervision, and allow video. HB 4904 and SB 1107 would repeal the counselor disclosure statement. Bills not enacted by December 31, 2026 die when the legislative term ends
• Interstate compacts: Michigan is not a member of the Counseling Compact or the Social Work Licensure Compact. HB 4591, which would join the Counseling Compact, passed the House on October 29, 2025 and is in the Senate

How Guidara Helps Michigan Supervisors

Michigan's unique licensing structure, including the absence of an LCSW and the limited license system, means supervisors need flexible tools that can adapt to different credential tracks. Guidara keeps hour logs, signed supervision notes and timesheets for each supervisee, whatever the license type. It exports PDF records you can use when completing LARA's supervisor verification forms. Both supervisors and supervisees can see the hours logged so far.