The short answer
Hawaii requires 3,000 hours of post-graduate mental health counseling experience, including 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision, completed over no less than two and no more than four years. Supervision can be individual, group, or a mix, and your supervisor must hold a qualifying license.
The requirements at a glance
| Requirement | What Hawaiʻi asks for |
| --- | --- |
| Post-graduate experience | 3,000 hours of mental health counseling |
| Clinical supervision | 100 hours, face to face |
| Time window | No less than 2 years, no more than 4 |
| Supervision format | Individual, group, or a combination |
| Exam | National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCE) |
| Governing law | HRS Chapter 453D, administered by the DCCA |
These come from the Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Mental Health Counselor licensing program. Always confirm against the current DCCA application instructions before you file, since requirements can change: DCCA Mental Health Counselor program.
What the 3,000 hours mean in practice
The 3,000 hours are accumulated in real clinical work after your qualifying master’s degree, most commonly in community mental health, agency, or group practice roles. Working full time, most counselors reach 3,000 hours in about two years, which is also the minimum the state allows. Working part time, plan for three to four years, and watch the four-year ceiling: hours must be completed within the window.
The 100 supervision hours
Alongside the experience hours, you need 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision from a qualified supervisor. Hawaiʻi does not impose a strict individual-to-group ratio for LMHC candidates, so you can build your 100 hours from:
- Individual supervision, one on one with your supervisor
- Group supervision, learning alongside a small group of peers
- Any combination of the two
That flexibility matters for cost and pacing. Many candidates anchor their month with individual sessions and add group sessions for breadth and affordability.
Who can supervise you
Qualifying supervisors include licensed mental health counselors, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric or mental health APRNs. Your supervisor signs off your hours when you apply, so choose someone who keeps careful records and understands Hawaiʻi’s paperwork. Every Island Clinical Supervision supervisor is license-verified with the DCCA every six months.
The exam and application
Before licensure you must pass the NCE, administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors. The application itself asks for documentation of your graduate coursework, practicum verification, and notarized supervisor verification forms. The most common delays are avoidable paperwork problems, which we cover in Common Mistakes That Delay Licensure in Hawaiʻi.
Keeping your hours defensible
The board expects a clear record: dates, durations, format, and supervisor sign-off. A shoebox of notes four years later is how licensure gets delayed. Track hours as you go, get sign-off as you go, and keep the record somewhere it cannot be lost. That record-keeping is built into the ICS platform: every supervision session lands in your log automatically, your supervisor signs off inside the app, and the board-ready export is one tap.
Common questions
How many supervision hours do I need for LMHC licensure in Hawaii?+
100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision, completed alongside 3,000 hours of post-graduate mental health counseling experience, over no less than two and no more than four years.
Can my LMHC supervision be done in a group?+
Yes. Hawaii does not set a strict individual-to-group ratio for LMHC candidates, so your 100 hours can be individual, group, or a combination.
Can LMHC supervision be done online in Hawaii?+
Yes, supervision via live video is accepted, which is how Island Clinical Supervision serves candidates on every island.
Who can supervise an LMHC candidate in Hawaii?+
Licensed mental health counselors, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric APRNs.
What exam does Hawaii require for LMHC licensure?+
The National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCE), administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Working toward your LMHC in Hawaiʻi?
Island Clinical Supervision pairs you with a licensed supervisor, tracks every hour, and handles the logistics, so your energy goes to the clinical work.
See LMHC supervision options