Clinical Supervision Requirements in Texas

Licensing Board Overview

The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) is the overarching regulatory agency for mental health licensing in Texas. BHEC has four member boards: the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners (TSBSWE), the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, and the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor (Texas)

Texas uses the LPC-Associate designation during the supervised period. You hold an LPC-Associate license and work under an LPC-S (LPC-Supervisor) until you meet the requirements for full LPC status. Texas does not offer reciprocity or temporary licensure for LPC.

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 3,000 hours of supervised experience (per BHEC LPC upgrade requirements)
• Supervision frequency: Minimum 4 hours of supervision per month while counseling (per §681.92(e)). No more than 50% of total supervision may be group supervision. A pending rule change would make this an average of 4 hours per month; the council votes on it on October 27, 2026.
• Supervisor limit: LPC-Associates may have up to 2 LPC-Supervisors at a time (per §681.91(e))
• Exams: NCE or NCMHCE (from NBCC) plus the Texas Jurisprudence exam
• Documentation: The Supervisory Agreement Form (SAF) is submitted with the LPC Associate application, and issuing the license approves it. To add or change a supervisor, a Supervisor Change Form must be approved before the new supervision begins. Each supervisor submits their own Supervised Experience Documentation Form (SEDF) within 30 days of the end of supervision or completion of the required hours. BHEC's online supervision module can replace uploading the form.

Supervisor Qualifications (LPC-S)

• Must have held a Texas LPC license in good standing for at least 60 months (per §681.72). The board may consider time licensed in another jurisdiction
• Must complete either a 40-clock-hour supervision training course or a for-credit, doctoral-level supervision course
• Must apply to BHEC for the LPC-S designation

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Texas)

Texas uses the LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) as the pre-clinical designation. The LMSW is a standalone license that gets reclassified to LCSW upon completion of supervised experience requirements. Experience requirements are in 22 TAC §781.401, and supervision rules are in §§781.402 to 781.405, which were rewritten effective March 18, 2026 (see BHEC's LMSW to LCSW requirements).

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 3,000 hours of supervised professional clinical experience over a period of at least 24 months
• Supervision hours: At least 100 hours of supervision over the course of the 3,000 hours, under an approved LCSW-S
• Exams: ASWB Clinical exam (specifically the Clinical level, not Advanced Generalist) plus the Texas Social Workers Jurisprudence exam (dated no earlier than 6 months before application)
• Additional requirements: NPDB self-query report and fingerprint background check
• Documentation: Clinical Supervision Plan for LCSW (signed by both at the start, kept, and submitted with the LCSW application) and a Clinical Supervision Verification Form (CSV Form) completed by each supervisor

Supervisor Qualifications (LCSW-S)

• Must hold an active Texas LCSW license in good standing with LCSW-S (Supervisor) designation
• Can supervise LMSWs accruing hours toward LCSW, LMSWs toward Independent Practice Recognition (IPR), or LBSWs toward IPR
• Must have practiced in the license category for 2 years and completed a 40-hour supervisor course (per §781.404), plus 6 hours of supervision CE each renewal

LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Texas)

Texas uses the LMFT Associate designation during the supervised period. The LMFT Associate license is valid for 5 years from issuance and is non-renewable (you must reapply if it expires). Requirements are defined in 22 TAC Part 35, Chapter 801 (see BHEC's LMFT Associate page).

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 3,000 hours over at least 2 years, including at least 1,500 hours of direct clinical services (per §801.142)
• Supervision: At least 200 hours from an LMFT-S, at least 100 of them individual, with at least 1 hour every week you provide services. A supervision hour is 50 minutes. LMFT Associates may have up to 2 LMFT Supervisors at a time
• Case diversity: At least 500 direct hours with couples or families. No more than 750 direct hours may be delivered through technology-assisted services
• Exams: AMFTRB exam (or California full LMFT exam) plus the MFT Jurisprudence exam, both required before applying for LMFT Associate
• Documentation: Supervisory Agreement Form (SAF) must be approved before the LMFT Associate license is issued. A separate SAF is due within 30 days of starting with any later supervisor. Each supervisor completes a Supervised Experience Verification Form (SEV Form) for the upgrade to full LMFT
• Hour carryover: Hours accrued during a previous LMFT Associate license generally carry over to a subsequent license

Supervisor Qualifications (LMFT-S)

• Must hold an active Texas LMFT license in good standing
• 3,000 hours of independent LMFT practice over a minimum of 3 years post-licensure
• Must complete one of: a 3-semester-hour graduate course in MFT supervision from an accredited institution, a 40-hour CE course in clinical supervision (per §801.143(m)), or the AAMFT Approved Fundamentals of Supervision course
• The AAMFT option in the rule is the Fundamentals of Supervision course, not the AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation

Texas-Specific Details

Associate License Designations

Texas uses different associate-level designations depending on the discipline. For counseling, the pre-licensed designation is LPC-Associate. For social work, the LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) serves as the pre-clinical license and is reclassified to LCSW upon meeting requirements. Texas also has LBSW and LMSW-IPR (Independent Practice Recognition) designations. For MFT, the designation is LMFT Associate, which is valid for 5 years and non-renewable.

BHEC Centralized Oversight

Unlike states with completely separate boards, Texas consolidates its four member boards under the Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC). Each discipline still has its own TAC chapter (681 for LPC, 781 for Social Work, 801 for MFT) and its own rules around supervision. But the practical effect is one application portal, shared administrative rules (22 TAC Part 41, Chapters 881-885 covering application processing, jurisprudence exams, etc.), and a single contact point at BHEC.

BHEC-Specified Forms

Texas is unusually form-driven. Each discipline has specific BHEC forms that must be completed at defined points in the supervision relationship:

• LPC: Supervisory Agreement Form (SAF), Supervisor Change Form, Supervised Experience Documentation Form (SEDF), and Practicum Documentation Form
• LCSW: Clinical Supervision Plan for LCSW and Clinical Supervision Verification Form (CSV Form)
• LMFT: Supervisory Agreement Form (SAF), Supervised Experience Verification Form (SEV Form), and Supervised Clinical Practicum and Experience Verification Form

All forms are downloadable from the BHEC website. Each supervisor completes their own verification form for the hours they supervised.

No Licensure Compacts (as of 2026)

Texas has not enacted either the Counseling Compact or the Social Work Interstate Compact. Legislation for the Social Work Compact (HB 3503 and SB 1726) was introduced in the 89th regular session but did not advance before the session ended in June 2025. The topic may be reconsidered at the 90th regular session starting January 2027.

LMFT Associate 5-Year Expiration

The LMFT Associate license expires after 5 years and cannot be renewed. If you haven't completed your supervised experience requirements by then, you must reapply. Hours accrued during a previous LMFT Associate license generally carry over. This creates a firm deadline to plan around. The LPC Associate license also expires 60 months after issue.

Documentation Requirements

Texas licensing boards expect thorough documentation of supervised clinical experience, with discipline-specific BHEC forms required at defined milestones:

• Agreements and plans: the LPC SAF goes in with the associate application. The LMFT SAF is due within 30 days of starting with each supervisor. The LCSW Clinical Supervision Plan is signed at the start, kept, and submitted with the LCSW application
• LPC records: the supervisor keeps a written record of each supervision meeting, including its date. An optional weekly hours log is available from BHEC
• LMFT records: the supervisor keeps a dated, signed record of each supervision conference showing cumulative experience hours, direct hours, and direct hours with couples or families
• LCSW records: signed supervision notes recording the content, duration, and date of each meeting, a log of hours, job descriptions, any employer approval of outside supervision, and written evaluations
• Supervisor verification forms (SEDF for LPC, CSV for LCSW, SEV for LMFT) submitted at completion, one per supervisor
• SEDF for LPC must be submitted within 30 days of the end of supervision or completion of the required hours

Virtual Supervision in Texas

Texas has embraced telehealth broadly, and BHEC maintains a Virtual Practice and Mobility FAQ covering out-of-state practice, virtual therapy standards, and AI-related guidance. Rules on virtual supervision differ by board. MFT supervision may be in person or by live video, and by telephone only if neither is accessible. Social work supervision may use audio or web technology that complies with HIPAA, and the formats must be described in the supervision plan. The LPC rules do not address it, so confirm with the board. Note that Texas licensure is based on the client's physical location, so out-of-state practitioners with Texas clients need a Texas license.

Key Texas Board Contact Information

• Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC): bhec.texas.gov (oversees LPC, LMFT, psychology, and social work licensing)
• Address: 1801 Congress Ave., Ste. 7.300, Austin, TX 78701
• Phone: (512) 305-7700
• Rules: LPC: 22 TAC Chapter 681 | Social Work: 22 TAC Chapter 781 | MFT: 22 TAC Chapter 801

How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in Texas

Texas licenses for mental health professionals are regulated by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC). If you're a licensed clinician looking to offer supervision, each discipline has its own pathway. Requirements change periodically, so confirm current standards with BHEC before applying.

Becoming an LPC Supervisor in Texas

• Licensure: Must have held a Texas LPC license in good standing for at least 60 months (per §681.72). Time licensed in another jurisdiction may count
• Supervision training: Must complete either a 40-clock-hour supervision training course, taught by an LPC-S, or a for-credit, doctoral-level supervision course
• Application: Must apply to BHEC for the LPC-S designation. The SAF goes in with the associate's application, and a supervisor added later needs an approved Supervisor Change Form before supervision begins
• Ongoing requirements: Minimum 4 hours of supervision per month, no more than half of it in group (per §681.92(e)). Associates limited to 2 supervisors at a time (per §681.91(e)). 6 hours of supervision CE each renewal

Becoming an LCSW Supervisor in Texas

• Licensure: Must hold an active Texas LCSW license in good standing
• Supervisor designation: Must apply for and receive the LCSW-S (Licensed Clinical Social Worker-Supervisor) designation through BHEC
• Scope: LCSW-S supervisors can supervise LMSWs accruing hours toward LCSW, LMSWs toward Independent Practice Recognition (IPR), or LBSWs toward IPR
• Clinical experience and training: 2 years of practice in the license category and a 40-hour supervisor course, completed within 90 days (per §781.404). 6 hours of supervision CE each renewal
• Forms: Clinical Supervision Plan for LCSW must be completed at the start of supervision. Clinical Supervision Verification Form (CSV Form) completed by each supervisor, within 30 days of the LMSW's request

Becoming an LMFT Supervisor in Texas

• Licensure: Must hold an active Texas LMFT license in good standing
• Clinical experience: 3,000 hours of independent LMFT practice over a minimum of 3 years post-licensure
• Supervision training (one of three options): A 3-semester-hour graduate course in MFT supervision from an accredited institution, a 40-hour CE course in clinical supervision (per §801.143(m)), or the AAMFT Approved Fundamentals of Supervision course
• Note: The AAMFT option is the Fundamentals of Supervision course. The AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation is not one of the listed routes
• Supervisor designation: Must apply for and receive the LMFT-S designation through BHEC
• Forms: Supervisory Agreement Form (SAF) must be approved before the LMFT Associate license is issued

Cross-Discipline Supervision

Texas generally requires supervisors to hold the same license type as the credential the supervisee is working toward. Verify current cross-discipline rules with BHEC.

How Guidara Helps Texas Supervisors

Texas requires specific BHEC forms at the start and end of every supervision relationship, with discipline-specific hour tracking throughout. Guidara handles the ongoing documentation: signed supervision notes with timestamps, hour tracking by category, and signed timesheets. It exports PDF records a supervisor can use when completing the SEDF, CSV, or SEV. Guidara does not fill or submit BHEC forms. Whether you're supervising an LPC-Associate, LMSW, or LMFT Associate, the records stay organized and audit-ready.