Is Wisconsin in the Counseling compact?

No. As of the latest data, Wisconsin is not a member of the Counseling Compact. Verify on the official commission site, as states join frequently.

What if Wisconsin doesn't recognize my license?

VAEIA 2022 / 50 U.S.C. § 4025a (effective Dec 23, 2024) requires Wisconsin 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 · WI

Can a Licensed Professional Counselor transfer a license to Wisconsin 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

⚠ VAEIA federal backstop

Not through the compact — Wisconsin is not currently a Counseling compact member. A military-spouse Licensed Professional Counselor relies on VAEIA 2022 / 50 U.S.C. § 4025a, which requires Wisconsin to recognize a valid out-of-state license upon relocation for military orders.

Your counseling licensing board in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling, and Social Work Examining Board)

dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Professions/LPC/Default.aspx ↗☎ 608-266-2112

Wisconsin military-spouse provision

Under Wis. Stat. 440.09, the Professional Counseling section grants a reciprocal Professional Counselor credential to the spouse of a service member or former service member who holds a current substantially equivalent counselor credential in another state, without requiring the spouse to meet all standard initial requirements.

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