Is Tennessee in the Counseling compact?

Yes. Tennessee is one of 34 member jurisdictions in the Counseling Compact (effective for the compact since 2023).

What if Tennessee doesn't recognize my license?

VAEIA 2022 / 50 U.S.C. § 4025a (effective Dec 23, 2024) requires Tennessee to recognize your valid out-of-state Licensed Professional Counselor license when you relocate due to military orders. If a board pushes back, cite the statute and the DOJ Servicemembers Initiative guidance. The DoD also reimburses up to $1,000 per PCS for relicensing fees.

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Counseling · TN

Can a Licensed Professional Counselor transfer a license to Tennessee as a military spouse?

Data as of May 2026|Source: Counseling Compact commission + DOJ Servicemembers Initiative

Published by the Honest MOS Editorial DeskVerified against DoD/.gov sourcesUpdated May 2026Editorial standards

✓ Yes — compact transfer

Yes. Tennessee is a member of the Counseling Compact, so a Licensed Professional Counselor holding a multistate/compact license can practice in TN without re-applying. Explicit military-spouse provision: practice on home-state license in any Compact state, plus expedited home-license process when moving.

Your counseling licensing board in Tennessee

Tennessee Board for Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapists (Tennessee Department of Health)

www.tn.gov/health/licensure/pct.html ↗☎ 615-741-5735

Tennessee military-spouse provision

The board provides an expedited licensure process for a counselor whose spouse is a military member transferred to Tennessee, using the Declaration of Eligibility for Expedited Licensure Process for a Spouse of Military Member (form PH-4280) under T.C.A. 63-1-145.

Official source ↗

About the Counseling Compact

For licensed professional counselors (LPC, LMHC, LCMHC). Member-state license is recognized in all other member states; military spouses can use home-state license in any compact state.

Official compact site ↗

All Counseling member states

34 jurisdictions. Tap any to check that destination for this profession.

AL AR CO CT DE FL GA ID IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MS MO MT NE NH NJ NC ND OH OK RI SC TN UT VT VA WA WV WY

All compacts for Tennessee →Counseling portability — all states →License portability checker →MyCAA: $4,000 for relicensing →