NCE (National Counselor Examination)
The NCE is NBCC's 200-question counseling exam (160 scored), required for licensure in many states: 225 minutes of exam time in a 4 hour 15 minute session. A new 170-question version, scored 100–500 with 360 to pass, starts on July 1, 2027.
Made by National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Who: Counseling graduates applying for a state license or the NCC credential. Checked on the owner's own pages, 21 Oct 2026.
Who takes it
- Required for counselor licensure in many states and one of two exam options for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential.
NBCC NCE
About the National Counselor Examination (NCE)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Take it as part of an NCC application or on its own for a state license; questions about state requirements go to the state licensing board.
NBCC
NCE Handbook for State Licensure (PDF)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Format and sections
The current NCE: 200 multiple-choice questions (160 scored, 40 unscored field-test items) aligned to the eight CACREP domains. NBCC
View source
| Part of the session | Time |
|---|---|
| Test administration and confidentiality agreement | 5 min |
| Tutorial (with a sample case study) | 10 min |
| Examination | 225 min |
| Scheduled break after question 100 | 15 min |
| Total session | 255 min (4 h 15 min) |
- From July 1, 2027: 170 multiple-choice questions with three answer choices each (30 unscored field-test items) in 225 minutes.
NBCC
NCE Exam Specifications, effective 1 July 2027 (PDF)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Scoring
- Now: 160 scored questions decide whether you reach the passing score set for your form.
NBCC
NCE Handbook for State Licensure (PDF)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- From July 1, 2027: scaled scores from 100 to 500, with 360 to pass on every form.
NBCC
NCE Exam Specifications, effective 1 July 2027 (PDF)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- After a failed attempt you can retake after a 30-day wait.
NBCC
NCE Handbook for State Licensure (PDF)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Fees and fee waivers
- NBCC's state-licensure handbook says fees are paid by card (or check with a paper form), cannot be refunded or transferred, and are lost if you do not test in your approved window. It does not print the amount.
NBCC
NCE Handbook for State Licensure (PDF)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Test dates
- No national dates: you book during a month-long test authorization window; NBCC has an extension request policy.
NBCC
NCE Handbook for State Licensure (PDF)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Official practice
- Sample NCE questions are in Appendix B of the handbook.
NBCC
NCE Handbook for State Licensure (PDF)National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Used by these careers and colleges
Careers on this site whose step-by-step roadmap includes this exam, and the license it leads to.
The license at the end of this route
Careers that need it
Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- About the National Counselor Examination (NCE) · National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) checked 2026-10-21
- NCE Handbook for State Licensure (PDF) · National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) checked 2026-10-21
- NCE Exam Specifications, effective 1 July 2027 (PDF) · National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) checked 2026-10-21