NBCC Exam Registration: NCE and NCMHCE

Online NBCC exam registration starts in Credentialing Gateway; you book a Pearson appointment after approval. The route you register through depends on why you're testing, so pick yours first.

Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team · Last verified November 4, 2026 — registration and scheduling instructions.

Here, NBCC means the National Board for Certified Counselors. It owns the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). Its affiliate, the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE), administers the examinations on its behalf; Pearson handles appointments and test delivery. Your state board sets the requirements for your state license. (NBCC registration; state licensure)

Two things people mix up: passing the exam doesn't license you, and the NCC is a national credential, not a state license. Your state board still decides on your license. (NBCC applicant FAQ: certification and state licensure)

Register for a state license

1. Confirm the examination and approval process. Open your state in the State Board Directory and check the board's current instructions. Some states require the NCE, some the NCMHCE, some both, and some permit a choice. Complete any board application or approval required before exam registration. Follow your own board's instructions. Don't assume another state's order of steps applies to you.
2. Open the correct registration. Log in to the Credentialing Gateway and use the state-licensure examination route. Select the intended state and exam, provide the requested information, and check your registered name against your identification.
3. Include any accommodation request and review the charge. Check the requested documents, the fee for your application, and the applicable terms before submitting. Accommodations have to be approved before you schedule.
4. Wait for authorization. Once registration is processed and you are approved, your Authorization to Test information provides your candidate ID and permitted testing dates. A payment receipt is not an appointment. Continue to the scheduling steps when authorized.

Sources: NBCC state requirements; NCE state handbook, pp. 9–11 (PDF); NCMHCE state handbook, pp. 9–11 (PDF); CCE scheduling instructions.

Register through the NCC application

Use this route if you're applying for NCC certification. Either the NCE or NCMHCE can meet its examination requirement; the credential also has education, conduct, and other eligibility requirements. (NCC eligibility policy, section D (PDF))

1. Review the NCC requirements on NBCC's NCC page. If you'll also use the score for a license, confirm which exam your state accepts first.
2. Open your NCC application in the Credentialing Gateway. If you already have an account, use it. Don't start a second paid application to get around an account problem.
3. Complete the appropriate application and exam-registration steps. Check whether examination registration is included, supply the requested materials, and request accommodations if needed.
4. Watch for your authorization or approval notice. Use its dates and scheduling instructions. The approved NCC application provides the link to Pearson.

Sources: NBCC national-certification scheduling; NCE certification handbook, pp. 9–11 (PDF).

Students in participating programs

If your counseling program participates, you can start the NCC application before you graduate. Your campus coordinator has the instructions; if your school doesn't have one, email campusinquiry@nbcc.org. Confirm the program's current application process and fee. You can't call yourself certified until you graduate and meet every requirement. (NBCC Student Information)

Applying for CCMHC? The NCMHCE also fulfills the examination requirement for the Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor credential. Use that specialty application's instructions; its Pearson scheduling link is under Specialty Options. (NCMHCE certification handbook, pp. 9–11 (PDF))

Testing for military health-system recognition? Check NBCC's separate military route and its eligibility conditions before choosing an application.

Before you submit: five checks

Use this checklist to keep your registration steps in order.

• Purpose and jurisdiction: I know whether this application is for state licensure or national certification, and which state's requirements apply if I am seeking a license.
• Exam and prerequisites: I have confirmed the required examination and completed any board or university step that must come first.
• Account and name: I can access the appropriate Gateway record, and my registered first and last name match the identification I will use.
• Documents and accommodations: I have checked the requested documents and included any accommodation request. I will wait for written accommodation approval before booking.
• Fee and terms: I have checked what this application's fee covers and read its refund, expiration, and appointment-change rules.

For name and accommodation requirements, see NBCC's examination administration instructions. The application and board instructions provide the document list for your route.

After approval: schedule with Pearson

Have your authorization details and candidate ID ready.

State licensure: Log in to the Credentialing Gateway, select the State Licensure tile marked Approved to Sit, and choose Go to Pearson. Select the approved examination and an available appointment within your authorized dates. (CCE scheduling instructions)

NCC: Log in at my.nbcc.org, open your NCC application, choose Go to Pearson, and select the preapproved exam. (NBCC scheduling)

By phone: Call Pearson at 866-904-4432, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Central Time, Monday–Friday, excluding holidays. Have your candidate ID and preferred date, time, and location ready. Candidates with approved accommodations use 800-466-0450, option 3. (Pearson contact information; NBCC accommodations instructions)

Accommodations: get approval before booking

Request accommodations when you register, using the appropriate state-licensure or certification process. Check the official accommodations page for the correct form and documentation instructions; state applicants should also follow their board's submission requirements. Questions go to accommodations@cce-global.org.

Wait for written approval, then book by phone. Scheduling first can cost you the accommodation, the appointment, or both. Confirm the approved delivery arrangement: some accommodations are available online, while others require a test center. (NBCC examination administration: Accommodations; NCMHCE certification handbook, pp. 11–12 (PDF))

Choose a delivery method you can use

For a test center, check the location and reporting instructions. NBCC requires two original, unexpired IDs, including a government-issued primary ID with your name, photo, and signature. Review the complete test-center identification rules before booking.

For OnVUE online testing, review the current technology, room, ID, and testing rules. Run the system test on the same computer and network you will use on exam day. You need a suitable private space and must remain in camera view except during a permitted break. Online ID rules differ from test-center rules.

Choose a center if you cannot meet the online requirements or your approved accommodation cannot be delivered online. If you need additional breaks, confirm the arrangement before booking; NBCC's NCMHCE handbook urges candidates needing breaks beyond the scheduled online break to test in person. (NCMHCE state handbook, p. 20 (PDF))

Keep your appointment confirmation. Check the exam, date, time zone, delivery method or center, and approved accommodations. Follow its reporting time; Pearson's OnVUE instructions say to begin check-in 30 minutes before the appointment. (NCMHCE certification handbook, p. 11 (PDF); Pearson OnVUE: Arrive on Time)

Complete the checklist after approval:

• Authorization saved: I have recorded the allowed testing dates and any earlier board deadline. I will match preparation to the exam version used on my appointment date.
• Delivery checked: My chosen test center or online setup meets the ID, technology, and approved-accommodation requirements.
• Appointment confirmed: My Pearson confirmation matches the exam, date, time zone, location or online delivery, and approved accommodations I intended.

How much does NBCC exam registration cost?

Check the charge for the application you are submitting. Fees depend on whether you're applying for certification or registering for a state-licensure examination.

These are application or examination charges, not the full cost of obtaining or maintaining a license or credential. Check any separate board charges. The relevant handbooks describe application/examination fees as nonrefundable and nontransferable. (NCE state handbook, p. 10 (PDF); NCMHCE certification handbook, p. 10 (PDF))

Which dates control your registration?

There are three separate milestones, and only the last one is a test date:

1. Registration submitted. You've sent your information and payment. You have no appointment yet.
2. Authorization issued. Your authorization gives the dates you may test. State candidates have up to six months, shortened if their board's approval ends sooner. National-certification candidates have a six-month window; national-certification testing is offered throughout the year.
3. Appointment confirmed. Pearson's confirmation shows your booked date and time, which must fit your authorized dates.

Don't count your window from your payment date. Use the dates in your authorization email. A six-month window is your permitted testing period, not a six-month national testing season. (NCE state handbook, p. 9 (PDF); NCMHCE state handbook, p. 9 (PDF); national-certification scheduling)

Rescheduling, cancellation, and expiration

Cancel or reschedule with Pearson at least 24 hours before your appointment. Rescheduling costs $50. The new date must still fall inside your window. Cancelling doesn't extend the window. Candidates with approved accommodations must arrange changes with Pearson by phone. (Pearson NBCC cancellation and rescheduling policy)

Missing your appointment or failing to test within the authorized window can mean losing your registration fees and paying to register again. If an emergency prevents testing, contact CCE for a state registration or NBCC for a certification application promptly; follow the documentation instructions. An exception is not automatic. (NCE state handbook, pp. 9–12 (PDF); NCE certification handbook, pp. 9–13 (PDF))

If you need more time

• State licensure: Send a written request to extensionrequest@cce-global.org before your window expires. Requests after expiration are not considered. (NCMHCE state handbook, p. 9 (PDF))
• NCC or CCMHC: Contact certification@nbcc.org. The national handbooks require the request at least seven days before the window's last day. Supporting circumstances and documentation are required, and an extension is not guaranteed. (NCE certification handbook, p. 9 (PDF); NCMHCE certification handbook, p. 9 (PDF); extension policy, sections C–D (PDF))

Stuck? Who to contact

Contact sources: Pearson's NBCC page, NBCC applicant FAQ, and NBCC examination administration.

I used ProCounselor and can't find my application

Credentialing Gateway replaced ProCounselor. If you have not linked your former record, follow NBCC's account-access instructions, using the access code or verification questions. If you already have a Gateway account for a CCE credential, use that account. Contact the relevant support team if your application is missing; university applicants can also ask their campus coordinator.

I already passed an NBCC exam. Do I have to test again?

Ask the board or program you're applying to whether your existing result counts. Also ask whether it already has your official score. If another report is needed, follow the score-verification instructions for the relevant Gateway record. NCC applicants can request reporting under NCC Options; do not assume the score automatically reaches every board. (NBCC applicant FAQ: Examination Scores)

I need to register again after an unsuccessful attempt

Use the reregistration instructions for your existing state or certification route. Confirm the permitted retest date, any renewed board approval, and the applicable charge before booking. A waiting period before retesting is separate from when you may submit a new registration. Request accommodations again with each new registration. (NCE state handbook, p. 10 (PDF); NCMHCE certification handbook, pp. 9–10 (PDF))

Can I register on paper?

For a state-licensure examination, email paperreg@cce-global.org for the current form and payment instructions. The state handbooks say paper registration may add four weeks of processing. (NCE state handbook, p. 9 (PDF); NCMHCE state handbook, p. 9 (PDF))

I received an unexpected request for exam payment

NBCC says it does not directly solicit examination payments or sensitive information by email or text. Open the official Gateway independently rather than following an unexpected payment link. Ask scamalert@nbcc.org to verify a questionable message. (NBCC Scam Alert)

Match preparation to your examination date

NBCC's forthcoming NCE specifications (PDF) and NCMHCE specifications (PDF) both take effect July 1, 2027.

If your authorized window crosses that date, check which specifications apply to the appointment you choose. Your registration or payment date does not select an exam version. The official NCE page and official NCMHCE page separate current materials from the forthcoming specifications and carry transition updates.

Sources and verification

The instructions above link to the relevant official pages. The four route-specific handbooks are:

• NCE — state licensure handbook (PDF), revised September 24, 2024.
• NCMHCE — state licensure handbook (PDF), revised November 20, 2025.
• NCE — national-certification handbook (PDF), revised September 24, 2024.
• NCMHCE — national-certification handbook (PDF), revised October 16, 2025.

Last verified: November 4, 2026. We checked the linked public sources for registration routes, published fees, authorization windows, appointment changes, accommodation instructions, and announced exam-version dates. No registration, payment, or appointment booking was completed as part of these checks. Confirm your application's exact fee and available appointments in the official process.

This page was developed with AI assistance and source checking, following Castleport's editorial methodology. Source checking does not establish professional subject-matter review.

Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Exam and credential names are used for identification; trademarks belong to their respective owners.