New Hampshire LADC Requirements: How to Become an LADC or MLADC
To become a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) in New Hampshire, you need an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, 300 hours of alcohol and drug education, 300 practicum hours, 4,000 to 6,000 supervised hours, and a passing IC&RC exam. The Master LADC (MLADC) requires a 60-credit master’s and 3,000 hours.
There’s a good chance you’re here because you know the weight of addiction. Maybe you’ve carried it yourself, or you’ve watched someone you love live under it. That experience is what draws many people into this field. You understand what’s at stake.
New Hampshire’s licensing structure recognizes that counselors come into this work from different starting points. You can qualify for the LADC with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, or go straight for the MLADC with a master’s. The Board of Licensing for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Professionals issues both licenses through the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC). IC&RC provides the exams, but it doesn’t issue state licenses. These requirements apply specifically to New Hampshire. Other states may use different license titles, licensing boards, education requirements, supervised experience requirements, and approved examinations.
This guide walks through each step as the rules stand in 2026: education, practical training, supervised hours, exams, fees, timeline, pay, and what to do if you’re already licensed in another state.
LADC vs MLADC: Understanding the Two License Levels
New Hampshire licenses alcohol and drug counselors at two levels. Your degree determines which one you can apply for, and your license determines what you can do in practice.
| Requirement | LADC | MLADC |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | Associate’s in substance use counseling or addiction studies, or a bachelor’s in a related field | 60-credit master’s in a related field |
| Alcohol and Drug Education | 300 hours | 300 hours (24 within the last 12 months) |
| Practical Training | 300 hours | 300 hours |
| Supervised Work Experience | 6,000 hours (associate’s) or 4,000 hours (bachelor’s) | 3,000 hours after your master’s |
| Exam for Initial Licensure | IC&RC ADC exam | IC&RC AADC exam |
| Practice Authority | Practices under clinical supervision and can diagnose substance use disorders | Diagnoses and treats substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders, and can supervise others |
Many counselors start with the LADC while working toward a master’s degree. If you hold a current New Hampshire LADC, up to 1,500 hours of clinically supervised work experience you built as an LADC can count toward the MLADC’s 3,000 hours, so it’s a real stepping stone rather than a detour.
Education Requirements
LADC Education Requirements
New Hampshire offers two degree routes to becoming an LADC. You can earn an associate degree in substance use counseling, addiction studies, or an equivalent program. Or you can hold a bachelor’s degree in one of these fields:
- Clinical Mental Health – Assessment and therapeutic skills
- Social Work – Systems perspective and case management
- Psychology – Human behavior and mental health
- Substance Use Counseling or Addiction Studies – Direct preparation for the field
- Human Services – Broad behavioral health foundation
Your route affects how many supervised hours you’ll need later, so it’s worth deciding early. If your degree doesn’t include enough addiction-specific content, you can fill the gap through online addiction counseling programs, within the online limits covered below.
MLADC Education Requirements
The MLADC requires a master’s degree of at least 60 credits, or an advanced-standing master’s, in one of these fields or an equivalent:
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling – Comprehensive clinical training
- Clinical Psychology – Diagnosis and treatment focus
- Substance Use Treatment – Specialized focus on addiction
- Social Work – Clinical social work with an addiction focus
- Human Services – Applied behavioral health practice
Your program also needs to include a clinical internship and coursework in assessing, diagnosing, and treating substance use and mental health disorders. If your master’s has fewer than 60 credits, you can still qualify. You’ll add graduate credits in substance use or co-occurring disorders until you reach 60.
Required Coursework and Practical Training
Alcohol and Drug Education
Both license levels require 300 hours of alcohol and other drug education. The board isn’t only counting hours. It wants coverage of specific topics, so plan your courses around them.
Required minimums within the 300 hours:
- At least 6 hours in confidentiality
- At least 6 hours in the 12 core functions of addiction counseling
- At least 6 hours in ethics
- At least 6 hours in HIV/AIDS
- At least 6 hours in suicide prevention
- The remaining 270 hours across the board’s 18 categories of competence
Watch the online limit: no more than 25% of these hours can be taken online. Live, interactive online courses and courses in an online degree program are exceptions.
MLADC applicants have one extra rule. At least 24 of the 300 hours have to fall within the 12 months before you apply.
Practical Training
Both levels require 300 hours of supervised practical training, with at least 10 hours in each of the 12 core functions. That’s where you practice screening, intake, assessment, counseling, case management, documentation, and more under a qualified supervisor.
For the LADC, you can complete these hours in a college internship or practicum, or at your work experience site. For the MLADC, you complete the 300 hours after graduation as part of your supervised experience. Your training supervisor has to be licensed or approved by the board.
Supervised Experience Requirements
Supervised experience turns classroom knowledge into clinical skill. It’s also the biggest time commitment on either path.
LADC Supervised Hours: 6,000 or 4,000
How many hours you need depends on your degree:
- With an associate’s degree: 6,000 hours, about three years of full-time work
- With a bachelor’s degree: 4,000 hours, about two years of full-time work
Before your hours start counting: you’ll need a Supervision Agreement approved by the board. Don’t skip this step. Hours you work before the agreement is in place may not count.
Who can supervise LADC candidates and LADCs:
- An MLADC with at least one year of practice since licensure
- An LADC with at least two years of practice since licensure
- A Licensed Clinical Supervisor (LCS)
- Someone the board approves through its supervisor application
Once you’re licensed as an LADC, you’ll continue receiving at least one hour of clinical supervision per week while you practice.
MLADC Supervised Hours: 3,000
The MLADC requires 3,000 hours of supervised experience after your master’s degree, with at least 4 hours of clinical supervision for each month you provide client services.
Good news if you’re already an LADC: up to 1,500 hours of clinically supervised work experience you built as an LADC can count toward the 3,000. A current license issued under RSA 330-A, such as a clinical mental health counselor or clinical social worker license, can substitute for up to 1,500 hours instead. If the board allows less than the full 1,500 hours, it must tell you why.
IC&RC Examinations
State law requires you to pass the testing procedures of a nationally recognized credentialing entity chosen by the board. For initial licensure, the board’s rules name the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) exams: the ADC for the LADC and the AADC for the MLADC. There’s no separate state law exam or oral case presentation. If you’re already licensed in another state, the endorsement path accepts a wider set of exams, covered below.
Passing the exam is one step, not a license. Applicants must meet New Hampshire’s education, experience, examination, and application requirements and receive the appropriate state license before practicing in a role requiring that license.
ADC Examination (for LADC)
LADC candidates take the Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam:
- 150 multiple-choice questions (125 scored, plus 25 unscored test questions)
- 3-hour time limit
- Scaled passing score of 500 on a 200 to 800 scale
- Four domains: Scientific Principles of Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders (25%), Evidence-Based Screening and Assessment (20%), Evidence-Based Treatment, Counseling, and Referral (30%), and Professional, Ethical, and Legal Responsibilities (25%)
AADC Examination (for MLADC)
MLADC candidates take the Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) exam. It uses the same 150-question, 3-hour format and the same scaled passing score of 500. Its content focuses on advanced clinical work: screening, assessment, and engagement; treatment planning and collaboration; counseling and education; and professional and ethical responsibilities.
Preparing and Retaking
Because the exam is scaled, you won’t see a simple percentage cutoff. Your goal is a scaled score of 500 or higher. If you don’t pass, you’ll wait 90 days before retesting.
You’ll pay the exam fee to the testing organization when you register. Check OPLC’s exam instructions for the current amount and the registration steps.
Application Process
Once you complete your education, training, experience, and exam, you’ll apply through OPLC.
Step 1: Gather Required Documentation
Your application packet includes:
- The completed application form
- Official transcripts, sent directly from your school
- Certificates showing your 300 hours of alcohol and drug education, with an Education and Training Summary Form
- A Supervised Practical Training Report Form
- Supervised Work Experience Report Forms, sent directly by your supervisors
- Verification of Employment forms and your Supervision Agreement
- An Applicant Evaluation Form
- Proof that you passed the IC&RC exam, sent directly from IC&RC
- Verification of any license you hold in another state
Professional references are no longer part of the application. The board removed that requirement in 2023.
Step 2: Complete the Criminal Background Check
New Hampshire requires a state and FBI fingerprint background check through the New Hampshire State Police. In-state applicants can use a Live Scan site. If you’re out of state, you’ll mail in a fingerprint card.
A criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify you. The board reviews each case individually. If you’re concerned about your background, contact OPLC before you apply.
Step 3: Application Review
OPLC will tell you within 30 days if anything is missing. Once your application is complete, the board decides within 60 days. Respond quickly to requests, because an application that remains incomplete for 120 days is denied.
Step 4: Receive and Renew Your License
Once you’re approved, your license is valid for two years. To renew, you’ll complete 48 hours of continuing education each cycle, including 6 hours in ethics and 6 in suicide prevention. No more than 12 of those hours can be taken online.
How Long Does It Take?
Your timeline depends on your degree. The estimates below assume full-time work of about 2,000 hours a year. Part-time work stretches them proportionally.
LADC Timeline (Associate Degree Path)
About five years in total
- Associate degree: about 2 years
- Supervised experience: about 3 years for 6,000 hours
- Practical training: can be done at your work site, so it doesn’t have to add time
LADC Timeline (Bachelor’s Degree Path)
About two years after you finish your degree
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in a related field, you’ll need:
- Any missing alcohol and drug education to reach 300 hours
- 300 hours of practical training, if it wasn’t part of your degree
- 4,000 supervised hours, about 2 years full-time
MLADC Timeline
About 18 months after you finish your master’s
- Master’s degree: usually 2 to 3 years for a 60-credit program
- Supervised experience: 3,000 hours, about 18 months full-time
- Faster with an LADC: up to 1,500 hours of LADC work experience can count
We know you’re not in this for the money or the timeline. But understanding the commitment helps you plan your life, your finances, and your family responsibilities while you’re building toward licensure.
What Does It Cost?
Your biggest cost is your degree, and that varies widely by school and format. Compare programs directly, since published tuition is the only reliable figure. Licensing itself costs much less.
| Licensing Cost | LADC | MLADC |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $138 | $261 |
| Renewal fee (every 2 years) | $138 | $261 |
| Criminal background check | About $50 | About $50 |
| IC&RC exam | Set by the testing organization | Set by the testing organization |
The application and renewal fees each include a $28 Professional Health Program fee. Continuing education costs vary by provider, and some approved courses are free.
Career Outcomes and Salary
Your license level shapes both your day-to-day work and your growth potential.
LADC Career Outcomes
As an LADC, you might work in:
- Outpatient treatment programs – Community-based counseling centers
- Residential treatment facilities – Inpatient and long-term care programs
- Hospital-based programs – Medical detox and psychiatric units
- Community mental health centers – Integrated behavioral health services
- Correctional facilities – Jail and prison-based treatment programs
- Employee assistance programs – Workplace-based counseling services
LADCs practice under clinical supervision. You can diagnose substance use disorders, but treating co-occurring mental health disorders generally falls to the MLADC and other mental health licenses. After two years as an LADC, you can supervise other LADCs.
MLADC Career Outcomes
The MLADC opens a wider scope. MLADCs can diagnose and treat substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders, and they can practice independently as long as they maintain clinical supervision or peer collaboration. Common roles include:
- Private practice – Build your own caseload and specialty
- Clinical supervision – Supervise LADC candidates and LADCs
- Program director positions – Lead treatment programs
- Co-occurring disorders treatment – Integrated care for clients with both substance use and mental health needs
- Consultation and training – Support agencies and teams
- Academic positions – Teach in addiction counseling programs
A 2026 state law also phases out New Hampshire’s separate Licensed Clinical Supervisor (LCS) license on July 1, 2030, which may change how supervision is organized in the years ahead. If you’re earlier in your path, the Certified Recovery Support Worker (CRSW) credential is another entry point, built on 46 hours of education, 500 hours of experience, and the IC&RC Peer Recovery exam.
Salary Information
Pay in New Hampshire varies by role, setting, and experience. Here’s how annual wages spread across the counselor workforce and two related occupations:
| Occupation and Area | 10th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors (New Hampshire) | $38,480 | $54,840 | $69,420 | $81,050 |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors (Manchester-Nashua) | $37,820 | $51,470 | $62,490 | $76,550 |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors (United States) | $38,940 | $59,350 | $76,530 | $97,590 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants, a proxy for peer recovery specialists (New Hampshire) | $37,700 | $46,950 | $53,300 | $58,210 |
| Psychiatric Technicians, a proxy for substance use disorder technicians (New Hampshire) | $44,180 | $44,660 | $50,260 | $60,530 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 state, metro, and national estimates for SOC 21-1018, 21-1093, and 29-2053. BLS doesn’t publish wages specifically for CRSWs or substance use disorder technicians, so the last two rows use the closest BLS categories. They’re occupational estimates, not wages reported for those exact roles.
The statewide median for counselors is $54,840. The Manchester-Nashua median of $51,470 is slightly lower, so don’t assume the state’s largest metro pays more. BLS wage percentiles describe earnings across the occupation and do not separately identify earnings by license level, supervisory responsibility, or private-practice status.
Demand is growing too. ProjectionsCentral’s 2024-34 projections show counselor jobs in New Hampshire rising from 3,310 to 3,860, a 16.4% increase with about 330 openings a year. That’s close to its national projection of 16.8%.
Out-of-State Counselors: Licensure by Endorsement
If you’re licensed in another state, New Hampshire offers licensure by endorsement. A board rule that took effect July 14, 2026 (Alc 308.01) points endorsement applicants to OPLC’s substantial-equivalency standards in Plc 313.15, which took effect in May 2024. That can spare you from repeating every requirement from scratch.
Exams Accepted for Endorsement
Unlike initial licensure, endorsement accepts several national exams:
- LADC: IC&RC ADC or AADC, NAADAC NCAC II or MAC, or CATC Level II or above
- MLADC: IC&RC AADC, NAADAC MAC, CATC Level IV or V, or the NBCC EMAC
Accepted examinations and substantial-equivalency requirements depend on the license level and applicable New Hampshire endorsement rules. These alternatives apply to endorsement only. If you’re applying for your first license, you’ll take the IC&RC exam for your level.
How Endorsement Works
To apply by endorsement, you’ll generally:
- Hold an active license in good standing in another state
- Submit verification from every state where you’re licensed
- Complete New Hampshire’s application and criminal background check
- Pay the application fee for your license level
OPLC also offers a temporary license in some cases, which can let you start working while your full application is reviewed.
The board reviews each application individually. For current forms and procedures, visit the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification website or call (603) 271-2152.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as an addiction counselor while completing my supervised hours?
What’s the main difference between LADC and MLADC in terms of what I can do?
How hard is the IC&RC exam, and how is it scored?
Can I use an out-of-state degree to qualify for New Hampshire licensure?
Will a criminal record prevent me from becoming licensed?
Can I get licensed if I’m in recovery myself?
How do I find a qualified supervisor for my supervised hours?
What happens to my license if I move to another state?
Key Takeaways
- New Hampshire licenses alcohol and drug counselors at two levels: the LADC (associate’s or bachelor’s degree) and the MLADC (60-credit master’s).
- Both levels require 300 hours of alcohol and drug education and 300 hours of practical training, with no more than 25% of education hours online.
- The LADC requires 6,000 supervised hours with an associate’s degree or 4,000 with a bachelor’s degree. The MLADC requires 3,000 hours after your master’s, and up to 1,500 LADC hours can count.
- For initial licensure, New Hampshire requires the IC&RC ADC exam for the LADC and the AADC for the MLADC. Both are scored on a scale where 500 is the passing score.
- License fees are $138 for the LADC and $261 for the MLADC, and renewal every two years requires 48 hours of continuing education.
- New Hampshire counselors earn a median of $54,840 (BLS), and ProjectionsCentral projects 16.4% job growth from 2024 to 2034.
- Counselors licensed in another state can apply through licensure by endorsement, which accepts several national exams, and may be eligible for a temporary license.
- A criminal record or personal recovery history doesn’t automatically disqualify you. The board reviews each situation individually.
Ready to Start Your Path to LADC or MLADC Licensure?
Find addiction counseling programs that meet New Hampshire’s education requirements, and compare degree options, costs, and timelines to match your goals.
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.