School Counselor / Maine
2026 data Maine board official source

Maine School Counselor License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

State-board requirements, fees, and renewal cycle drawn from official regulator records.

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Provides academic and social-emotional counseling to students.

What the Maine data shows for School Counselors

To practice as a school counselor in Maine, the state licensing board requires board-approved training, a passing score on State School Counselor Exam (Praxis or equivalent), and 1 year of supervised work experience. A criminal history background check is also part of the application. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. The regulation sits under Maine's professional licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Masters Degree in School Counseling".

Upfront cost is $42, with renewal running $39 on a 5-year cycle. Maintaining the license requires 150 hours of continuing education per 5-year cycle, an ongoing cost applicants often underestimate when budgeting the career.

For school counselors, the reciprocity picture is: State-specific reciprocity varies.

Licensing Ease Score

C
Licensing Ease Score
56/100
School Counselor · Maine

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training N/A
N/A
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee A+
$42
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden A+
$8/yr
$39 every 5 years
Continuing Education F
30.0 hrs/yr
150 hours every 5 years
Experience Required F
1 year
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in Maine

Education / Training Hours
Masters Degree in School Counseling
Not specified
Exam Requirement
State School Counselor Exam (Praxis or equivalent)
Required
Initial License Fee
$42
Renewal Fee
$39
Renewal Cycle
Every 5 years
Continuing Education
150 hrs/cycle
Criminal History Check
Required
Minimum Age
18 years
Work Experience Required
1 year

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for School Counselor All Maine licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Maine licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for School Counselor in Maine? ▼
Maine requires, passing an exam (State School Counselor Exam (Praxis or equivalent)), and an initial fee of $42. A criminal background check is also required.
How do I get certified as a School Counselor in Maine? ▼
Maine licenses school counselors who complete its requirements (1 year of experience) and a passing exam. Verify the latest details with the Maine licensing board.
Can I transfer my School Counselor license to Maine from another state? ▼
Here's how reciprocity typically plays out for school counselors: State-specific reciprocity varies. Many occupations are additionally covered by interstate licensing compacts that ease cross-state moves. Check with the Maine licensing board for how this applies to you.
Does Maine require a background check for School Counselor licensing? ▼
Background screening is part of the school counselor licensing process in Maine. The state licensing board determines which offenses disqualify an applicant and how appeals are handled.
What are the continuing education requirements for School Counselor in Maine? ▼
To stay licensed as a school counselor in Maine, plan on 150 hours of continuing education per 5-year renewal cycle; renewal itself runs $39.

Related Guides

What to do with this school counselor license

School Counselor in Maine, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a school counselor-wide, 50-state comparison.

  • See how Maine's school counselor requirements compare to every other state before relocating. School Counselor in every state
  • Confirm whether your out-of-state school counselor license transfers under an interstate compact before starting a new application. Reciprocity guide
  • See how Maine's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. Maine overview

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Maine licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.