Florida School Counselor Certification
To earn Florida school counselor certification, you need a master’s in school counseling (or a related counseling field under Plan Two) with a 600-hour supervised internship. You’ll also need a passing FTCE School Counseling PK-12 score (or a qualifying alternative credential) and district fingerprinting. Since July 1, 2026, the General Knowledge and Professional Education tests aren’t required for state certification.
Florida Links
Florida now offers three plans for school counselor certification, and the one you use depends on what your master’s is in and whether you’re already teaching. The testing rules changed in 2026, too. A state law that took effect July 1 dropped two exams most applicants used to take, so older advice you find online may be out of date.
Initial Florida School Counselor Certification
Florida certifies school counselors through the Bureau of Educator Certification at the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). School counseling is a PK-12 specialty, and Rule 6A-4.0181 sets out three plans for meeting the education requirements.
These education, examination, internship and certification requirements apply to Florida. Other states set their own school counselor credentialing requirements, examinations, and licensing or certification authorities.
Plan One: School Counseling Degree
Plan One is the standard path. You’ll need a master’s degree or higher with a graduate major in school counseling or guidance and counseling. Your program must include at least 600 clock hours of supervised internship with school-aged students in a pre-K, elementary or secondary school. If you’re still comparing programs, choose one that meets Florida’s degree and supervised internship requirements so your degree lines up with Plan One from the start. Our guide to school counseling master’s programs is a good place to compare options.
Plan Two: Counseling Degree in a Related Field
Plan Two is for counselors whose master’s is in a counseling field other than school counseling, such as clinical mental health or marriage and family counseling. You’ll need:
- A master’s degree or higher with a graduate major in counseling (other than school counseling or guidance and counseling)
- At least 600 clock hours of supervised internship with school-aged children and their families
- At least nine semester hours of graduate credit covering four areas: student appraisal and evaluation methods, college and career planning, principles and administration of a comprehensive school counseling program, and consultation skills for working with agencies, teachers and parents
- Verification from your employing district that a school counselor with a professional certificate will mentor you during your first two years on the job
One distinction trips people up here. A Florida mental health counseling license and school counselor certification are separate credentials issued by separate state agencies. Your clinical license doesn’t certify you to work in a school, but your clinical master’s can count toward Plan Two. If you’re still finishing your degree, the guide to becoming a Florida school counselor walks through the education and internship steps in order.
Plan Three: Experienced Florida Teachers
Plan Three was added when the rule was amended in December 2025. It accepts a master’s in school counseling with 300 clock hours of supervised internship, half the usual requirement, if you meet all three of these conditions:
- You’re a current full-time teacher
- You’ve taught for at least five school years
- You earned an effective or highly effective evaluation rating for your most recent three years in a Florida public school
Your current or former employer has to verify all three.
Do You Need Teaching Experience?
Not for Plans One or Two. Florida doesn’t require classroom experience for school counselor certification. Plan Three is the one place teaching experience changes your path, and it works in your favor.
Here’s how that plays out. Dana has taught fourth grade in a Florida public school for eight years, with effective ratings every year, and she’s just started a school counseling master’s. She qualifies for Plan Three, so her internship requirement drops to 300 hours. Marcus finished a clinical mental health counseling master’s two years ago and has never taught. He’ll use Plan Two, adding nine graduate credits of school-focused coursework, and the district that hires him will assign him a mentor for his first two years.
Background Check and Certificate Issuance
Background screening runs through your employing school district. You’ll be fingerprinted after you’re hired. Doing it on your own beforehand may mean repeating it, and paying again, through your district.
Certification isn’t automatic when you graduate, and your program won’t apply on your behalf. You apply directly to the Bureau. Once you’re hired and cleared, you can work under a nonrenewable Temporary Certificate while you finish any remaining requirements. The five-year Professional Certificate is issued when everything listed on your Statement of Eligibility is complete.
Examination Requirements
Applicants following Florida’s examination-based pathway generally must pass the FTCE School Counseling PK-12 exam (test code 018). FLDOE’s certification examination reference still lists the subject as Guidance and Counseling (PK-12). Both names refer to the same examination area. If you hold a qualifying out-of-state or national credential, you may be able to show subject knowledge another way. Check your Statement of Eligibility before you register.
The exam is computer-based, with about 80 multiple-choice questions and 2 hours and 30 minutes of testing time. You’ll need a scaled score of at least 200, and the test fee is $150. The FLDOE FTCE page has registration and test center details.
The subject area exam is now the only FTCE test the state requires for school counselor certification. House Bill 753, which took effect July 1, 2026, exempts people seeking a school counseling certificate from Florida’s general knowledge and professional education requirements. Most applicants used to meet those by passing the FTCE General Knowledge Test and Professional Education Test.
The law doesn’t stop a district from requiring those tests as a condition of employment, so check with the districts you’re applying to before you skip them. If your Statement of Eligibility was issued before July 2026 and still lists either test, call the Bureau at 800-445-6739 to ask how the change affects you.
Application Process
You’ll apply online through the FLDOE certification system. Here’s what you’ll need:
- A completed application (form CG-10), submitted online at flcertify.fldoe.org
- The $75 initial certification application fee per subject. Qualifying applicants, such as eligible military members, veterans and their spouses, may receive a statutory fee waiver. Online payment is by VISA or MasterCard. By mail, you can pay with a cashier’s check, personal check or money order.
- Official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended, including any transfer credits that counted toward your degree
- Copies of any active or expired educator certificates you hold from other states
Once your materials are reviewed, the Bureau issues an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility (SOE) if you qualify. It lists every requirement you still need to complete before your Professional Certificate can be issued, and it carries an expiration date. You’ll need to be hired and fingerprinted before your SOE expires.
If you’d rather apply on paper, you can request materials from any Florida public school district office. The FLDOE application page also explains how to track your record once you’ve applied.
For questions, call the Bureau of Educator Certification at 800-445-6739 or use the contact form on the FLDOE website. For an in-person appointment, call 850-245-9796 during business hours. The Bureau’s office is at:
Bureau of Educator CertificationRoom 201, Turlington Building
325 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Florida School Counselor Certification Renewal
Your Professional Certificate is valid for five years. To renew it, you’ll need six semester hours of college credit earned during the validity period. At least one of those semester hours must be in teaching students with disabilities. Credits must come from an accredited institution, and you’ll need a grade of C or higher in each course.
You don’t have to cover all six hours with coursework. A passing score on an approved Florida subject area exam can count toward renewal. Many districts also run approved in-service programs, where 120 in-service points, including 20 in teaching students with disabilities, satisfy the full requirement. Equivalencies change, so check the FLDOE renewal requirements page for the current rules before you plan your credits.
Submit your renewal application and the $75 fee online through flcertify.fldoe.org during the final year of your certificate, before it expires. If you work in a Florida public school district, your district certification office usually handles renewal, and you may not pay the Bureau directly. For renewal questions, call the Bureau at 850-245-9796 during business hours.
National Board Certification
If you hold a valid certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), it may satisfy some Florida certification or renewal requirements. Contact the Bureau to confirm how it applies to your certificate.
Certification Through Reciprocity
If you’re certified in another U.S. state or territory, FLDOE may accept that certificate as a route to Florida certification, but it reviews each one first. Your certificate needs to be valid and standard, not temporary or provisional. It also needs to match a Florida certification subject and be issued at a training level equal to or higher than Florida’s.
Include copies of the front and back of your out-of-state certificate with your application, along with your full counseling experience history. The $75 per-subject application fee applies, submitted online through the FLDOE portal. If you’re not sure your credentials qualify, call the Bureau at 850-245-9796.
Florida School Counseling Certification Resources
- Florida School Counselor Association
- FSCA FL DOE Certification Resources
- American School Counselor Association
- National Board for Certified Counselors
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need to take the Professional Education Test for Florida school counselor certification?
Not for state certification. House Bill 753 took effect July 1, 2026, and exempts school counselor applicants from Florida’s general knowledge and professional education requirements. A district can still require those tests as a condition of employment, so check with the districts where you plan to apply.
What exam do I need to pass for Florida school counselor certification?
Applicants following Florida’s examination-based pathway generally must pass the FTCE School Counseling PK-12 exam, test code 018. FLDOE’s certification examination reference still lists it as Guidance and Counseling (PK-12), and both names refer to the same exam. Applicants with a qualifying out-of-state or national credential may be able to meet the subject knowledge requirement another way. As of July 1, 2026, the School Counseling PK-12 exam is the only FTCE test the state requires for school counselor certification.
How long does a Florida school counselor certificate last?
The Florida Professional Certificate is valid for five years and is renewable. To renew, you’ll need six semester hours of college credit during the validity period, including at least one hour in teaching students with disabilities. Subject area exams and approved in-service points can count toward that total.
Can I transfer my school counselor certification from another state to Florida?
Often, but it isn’t automatic. FLDOE reviews every out-of-state certificate before accepting it as a route to Florida certification. Yours needs to be a valid standard certificate, comparable in subject to a Florida certification and issued at an equivalent or higher training level. Temporary or provisional credentials don’t qualify. The application fee is $75 per subject.
What happens after I apply for Florida school counselor certification?
The Bureau of Educator Certification reviews your materials and, if you’re eligible, issues an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility. It lists every remaining step to your Professional Certificate and carries an expiration date. You’ll need to be hired and fingerprinted by your district before it expires.
- Three plans, not two: Plan One is for school counseling graduates, Plan Two is for related counseling degrees with extra coursework and a mentor, and Plan Three gives experienced Florida teachers a 300-hour internship route.
- One state exam for most applicants: On Florida’s examination-based pathway, the FTCE School Counseling PK-12 (018), also listed as Guidance and Counseling, is generally the only test the state requires as of July 1, 2026. Districts can still require others for employment.
- Certification isn’t automatic: You apply to the Bureau yourself, and you’ll need to be hired and fingerprinted before your Statement of Eligibility expires.
- Five-year certificate: Renewal takes six semester hours or the equivalent, including one hour in teaching students with disabilities.
- Reciprocity is possible: Florida may recognize a valid, comparable standard educator certificate from another U.S. state or territory as a pathway to Florida certification, subject to FLDOE review.
Whether you’re choosing a master’s for Plan One or adding the coursework Plan Two requires, pick a program built around Florida’s certification rules before you enroll.
