Addiction Counselor Requirements in the District of Columbia
To become an addiction counselor in DC, you’ll earn a Certified Addiction Counselor I (CAC I) with an associate degree, 30 hours of addiction coursework, and 500 supervised hours, or a CAC II with a bachelor’s degree, 42 hours of coursework, and 180 supervised hours. Both require a NAADAC exam, the DC Jurisprudence Exam, and a background check.
From Anacostia and Congress Heights in Southeast DC to Trinidad and Ivy City in Northeast, addiction counselors work on the front lines of the District’s overdose crisis. Fentanyl has been the most common opioid found in DC overdose deaths since 2017, according to the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Opioid deaths fell by about a third in 2024, but city data still counted 342 fatal opioid overdoses that year. If you know this pain personally, or you’re ready to help your neighbors through it, becoming a certified addiction counselor in DC starts with understanding what the District expects from you.
The Board of Professional Counseling sets DC addiction counselor requirements and oversees the certification process at two levels. The one you’ll pursue depends mostly on the degree you hold or plan to earn.
DC Addiction Counselor Certification Overview
DC offers two certification levels for addiction counselors. They’re separate entry routes, not a ladder. CAC I fits people with an associate degree, and CAC II fits people with a bachelor’s degree.
| Certification Level | Education Required | Addiction Coursework | Supervised Hours | National Exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAC I | Associate degree in a health or human services field | 30 hours (3 hours in each of 10 areas) | 500 hours (40+ in each of 12 areas) | NAADAC NCAC I |
| CAC II | Bachelor’s degree in a health or human services field | 42 hours across 12 areas | 180 hours (at least 120 covering all 12 core functions) | NAADAC NCAC II |
Both levels also require passing the DC Jurisprudence Examination, completing a criminal background check, and applying online through DC Health.
How to Become an Addiction Counselor in DC
Here’s the path from start to certification:
- Choose your level. If you have or are earning an associate degree, you’ll aim for CAC I. With a bachelor’s degree, you’ll aim for CAC II.
- Finish your degree and the required addiction coursework. You can complete the 30 hours (CAC I) or 42 hours (CAC II) inside your degree program or through NAADAC-approved training.
- Complete your supervised experience. Once you’ve graduated, you can work in addiction treatment under general supervision while you log these hours, as long as you and your supervisor each notify the Board within two weeks.
- Apply online through DC Health. You’ll pay the application fee and schedule your fingerprinting.
- Pass your exams. Once the Board approves your eligibility, you’ll take the NAADAC exam for your level and the DC Jurisprudence Exam.
- Get certified and keep growing. You’ll practice under supervision and renew on a birth-month cycle, usually every two years.
CAC I Education and Training Requirements
To become a CAC I, you’ll need an associate degree in addiction counseling or a related health or human services field, such as aging studies, criminal justice, health education, mental health, or registered nursing. Your school must be accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
You’ll also need 30 hours of addiction-specific coursework, with three hours in each of these 10 areas:
- Human behavior and family system dynamics
- Signs and symptoms of substance abuse
- Recovery process, stages of change, relapse prevention, treatment approaches, group dynamics, support groups, motivational interviewing, and models and theories of addiction
- Ethics, rules, and regulations
- Professional identity in substance abuse services
- Crisis intervention
- Cultural factors and competencies in addiction
- Co-occurring disorders and interdisciplinary treatment
- Diagnostic and screening criteria
- Psychopharmacology resources
If your degree didn’t cover these topics, you can take them through a NAADAC-approved program or an accredited college. The regulation says “hours” without specifying credit or clock hours, and DC Health accepts NAADAC-approved trainings, so confirm with the Board before you enroll. Many students find that online addiction counseling programs offer the flexibility they need to finish these hours while working.
CAC I Supervised Experience Requirements
You’ll need at least 500 hours of supervised experience, including at least 40 hours in each of these 12 areas:
- Human behavior and family systems
- Signs and symptoms of substance abuse
- Recovery process, treatment approaches, and models of addiction
- Ethics, rules, and regulations
- Professional identity
- Crisis intervention
- Substance abuse counseling, treatment planning, and research
- Individual and group counseling skills, including motivational interviewing
- Cultural factors and competencies
- Co-occurring disorders and interdisciplinary treatment
- Diagnostic and screening criteria
- Psychopharmacology resources
CAC I Examination Requirement
You’ll need to pass the NAADAC National Certified Addiction Counselor Level I (NCAC I) exam. DC uses the exam only, so you don’t need NAADAC’s separate national NCAC I credential. The Board gives you the code you need to register.
CAC II Education and Training Requirements
To earn a CAC II, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in a health or human services field, such as registered nursing, aging studies, criminal justice, health education, or mental health.
Your addiction coursework totals 42 hours. It covers the same 10 areas as CAC I, plus substance abuse treatment planning and research, and individual and group counseling skills with motivational interviewing. The recovery process and models of addiction area counts for nine hours instead of three.
CAC II isn’t a step up from CAC I. It’s a separate route for people with a bachelor’s degree, which is why its supervised-hour requirement is lower.
CAC II Supervised Experience Requirements
You’ll need at least 180 hours of supervised experience. At least 120 of those hours must include at least 10 hours in each of these 12 core functions:
- Screening: determining whether a client fits a program
- Intake: handling admission paperwork and initial assessment
- Orientation: explaining rules, goals, services, costs, and client rights
- Assessment: evaluating each client’s strengths, needs, and challenges
- Treatment planning: setting priorities, goals, and treatment methods with the client
- Counseling: using individual and group counseling skills
- Case management: coordinating services, agencies, and resources
- Crisis intervention: responding to acute emotional, mental, or physical distress
- Client education: sharing information about substance use and available help
- Referral: connecting clients with specialists and community resources
- Reporting and record keeping: documenting assessments, progress, and discharge
- Consultation: working with other professionals to give clients complete care
CAC II Examination Requirement
You’ll need to pass the NAADAC NCAC II exam, which tests your competency across all 12 core functions.
Supervision Rules for DC Addiction Counselors
Supervision isn’t something you finish and leave behind in DC. It shapes your work before and after certification.
Who Can Supervise You
Your supervisor must be an advanced practice addiction counselor, or a licensed professional counselor, licensed clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed marriage and family therapist, physician, or registered nurse. They must also hold one of the following:
- A NAADAC or NBCC national substance abuse counseling certification
- A current CAC II
- One year of substance abuse counseling experience plus 100 hours of addiction training
A supervisor can’t be a close friend or relative, and they must document your sessions.
Working Before You’re Certified
If you’ve finished your associate or bachelor’s degree, you can practice addiction counseling without certification while you gain supervised experience or while your initial application is pending. This happens under general supervision, meaning your supervisor is available in person, or by phone or another device if they’re in the same building. You and your supervisor must each file a supervised practice form with the Board within two weeks of starting. If you’ve been denied certification or disciplined in DC or another jurisdiction, you’ll need the Board’s written approval before practicing this way.
Practicing After Certification
Once you’re certified, you’ll work under direct supervision, meaning your supervisor is physically present or close by, such as on the same floor, and available when you or a client needs them. DC makes one exception. If your agency has several locations and there isn’t a supervisor at each site, supervision can happen by phone or video, as long as your supervisor meets with you for one hour each week. You’ll introduce yourself as an addiction counselor under the supervision of your supervisor, by name and license number. If you don’t hold another license, you can’t provide psychotherapy or diagnose other mental health conditions.
The Jurisprudence Examination
Candidates at both levels must pass the District of Columbia Jurisprudence Examination. It covers DC laws and regulations for addiction counseling and the NAADAC Code of Ethics. If you’re renewing, reactivating, or reinstating and haven’t taken it before, you’ll need it too.
The Board offers the exam at least three times a year. You can retake it if needed, but after three failed attempts you’ll have to complete a Board-approved refresher course before trying again. DC Health posts general study material, and it’s worth reviewing the Chapter 87 regulations and the NAADAC Code of Ethics as well.
Criminal Background Checks
All applicants complete a criminal background check as part of the online application. You’ll pay the $50 fee online and schedule fingerprinting at a collection site near you. Older DC Health checklists said a fingerprint check from the past two years could be reused, but DC Health’s current checklist says to complete a new one with your application, so plan on it.
The Application Process
You’ll apply through the DC Health online portal. Supervision and coursework forms are on DC Health’s CAC I and CAC II application page.
Once the Board approves your application, you’ll get notice that you’re eligible to take your exams. If you’ve already passed the NAADAC exam, call NAADAC at 1-800-548-0497 and ask them to send your scores to the DC Board.
Fees (per DC Health’s current checklist):
- Application fee: $240 (DC Health lists this as the application and license fee)
- Criminal background check: $50
- NAADAC exam fee: paid separately to NAADAC
Fees can change, so confirm the current amounts before you apply. Send application documents, such as transcripts and supervision forms, to [email protected]. For general Board questions, email [email protected] or call the DC Health Processing Center at (877) 672-2174.
Out-of-State Counselor Endorsement
If you hold a valid, unrestricted addiction counselor certification from another U.S. jurisdiction, you can apply for DC certification by endorsement. DC accepts the NAADAC exam or another state-approved exam. You’ll still need to pass the DC Jurisprudence Examination.
DC has joined the Counseling Compact, but it covers licensed professional counselors only. It doesn’t apply to CAC I or CAC II.
Internationally Educated Addiction Counselors
If you studied outside the U.S., you’re eligible if your program was accredited in your home country, or if a Board-approved credential evaluation service finds your education substantially equivalent to DC’s requirements. DC Health’s checklist says foreign-language transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES).
Documents that aren’t in English must be translated by a service acceptable to the Board, and the translator must sign an attestation of accuracy. The Board may also ask to interview you to confirm that your education and training meet DC’s standards.
DC Addiction Counselor Salary and Job Outlook
Here’s how pay for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in DC compares with the Washington metro area and the nation, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data:
| Location | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $43,060 | $46,920 | $60,450 | $83,570 | $107,980 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Metro | $46,520 | $50,870 | $65,270 | $83,370 | $104,170 |
| United States | $38,940 | $47,100 | $59,350 | $76,530 | $97,590 |
DC counselors earn a mean wage of $69,180, about $4,740 more than the national mean of $64,440. The gap is smaller at the middle of the range, with a median of $60,450 in DC against $59,350 nationally. It’s widest at the top, where experienced DC counselors at the 90th percentile earn $107,980. If you’re open to working anywhere in the metro area, including nearby Maryland and Virginia, the median rises to $65,270.
If you’re starting out as a peer recovery specialist, social and human service assistants in DC earn a median of $59,460.
| Location | 2024 Jobs | 2034 Projected | Growth | Annual Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 1,000 | 1,120 | 12.1% | 90 |
| United States | 483,500 | 564,600 | 16.8% | 48,300 |
DC’s projected growth is slower than the national rate, but the District still expects about 90 openings a year as the field grows and counselors retire or change careers.
Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements
DC certifications now expire on the last day of your birth month, a change that took effect June 16, 2024. In most cases, you’ll renew every two years through the DC Health portal. Under the regulation, continuing education doesn’t apply to your first renewal, but confirm this with the Board when your renewal notice arrives.
If the switch to birth-month renewal gave you a shorter transitional term, DC Health accepts half the usual CE hours for that cycle. You’ll still need the full 2 hours of LGBTQ cultural competency and the full public health priority requirement.
After that, you’ll need 40 hours of approved continuing education each two-year cycle, including:
- 6 hours of ethics
- Trauma counseling hours (the regulation requires 3, while DC Health’s renewal guidance lists 4, so plan on 4)
- 2 hours of LGBTQ cultural competency
- At least 10% of your hours (4 hours) on DC’s public health priorities, which include substance use disorders and suicide prevention
Approved sources include accredited college courses and training approved by NAADAC, NBCC, NASW, ASWB, APA, ACA, or AMHCA. In-service training counts for up to five hours a year. Keep your certificates for at least four years, since the Board may audit renewals. The Association of Addiction Professionals of the District of Columbia (AAPDC) is a good local source for continuing education and networking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between CAC I and CAC II in Washington, DC?
Can I practice as an addiction counselor in DC while completing my certification requirements?
How long does it take to become certified as an addiction counselor in DC?
Will DC accept my addiction counselor certification from another state?
Do I need to complete continuing education to maintain my DC addiction counselor certification?
What can I do with a CAC I or CAC II certification in terms of career advancement?
Key Takeaways
- DC offers two addiction counselor certifications: CAC I (associate degree, 30 coursework hours, 500 supervised hours) and CAC II (bachelor’s degree, 42 coursework hours, 180 supervised hours).
- Both levels require a NAADAC exam, the DC Jurisprudence Examination, and a criminal background check.
- Graduates can start working under supervision before certification, and certified counselors continue to practice under supervision.
- Applying costs $240 plus a $50 background check, with the NAADAC exam fee paid separately.
- DC counselors earn a mean wage of $69,180 and a median of $60,450, with experienced counselors reaching $107,980.
- You’ll renew by birth month, usually every two years, and complete 40 hours of continuing education after your first renewal.
Ready to Start Your Journey as a DC Addiction Counselor?
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Salary figures for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, Social and Human Services Assistants (Peer Recovery Specialists), and Psychiatric Technicians and Aides (Substance Use Disorder Technicians) come from May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics city, state, and national data. 2024-34 job growth projections come from ProjectionsCentral state and national data. These figures are not school-specific, and conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.