Cost · fees as of Oct 30, 2026
NCMHCE cost: the exam fee and the bill around it
The exam fee is not one national figure: the Virginia board lists $275, while Florida lists $350 for a first attempt (checked October 2026). Either way, it is the smallest part of what the clinical license costs: a retake is billed in full again, two-step states charge for two exams, and your board bills separately for the application and the license.
Start the NCMHCE practice test Exam facts
Updated Oct 30, 2026 · Not affiliated with NBCC, CCE, AMFTRB, CRCC, ACA or AAMFT.
- exam fee, Virginia$275
- other feesReschedule $50
- retake waitAfter 30 days
- NBCC Foundation guide$34.95 study guide
The numbers
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $275Paid to NBCC/CCE, not to the state; the NBCC handbook does not print the fee. The Virginia board lists $275; the Florida board lists $350 for a first attempt and $275 for a retake; older NBCC state forms showed other amounts, so check your board. Through the NCC or CCMHC route the exam is included in the $375 application.as of Oct 30, 2026 · Virginia board figure; Florida lists $350 for a first attempt | Virginia Board of Counseling: examination information · Florida Board 491: Licensed Mental Health Counselor · NBCC: NCMHCE Candidate Handbook for State Licensure, rev. Nov 20, 2025 (PDF) [1][2][3] | |
| Other fees | Reschedule $50 (at least 24 hours ahead); score verification refund processing $30; state board fees are separate | NBCC: NCMHCE Candidate Handbook for State Licensure, rev. Nov 20, 2025 (PDF) [3] | |
| Retakes | After a 30-day wait, with a new registration and fee; your state board sets the attempt limitNCC and CCMHC route: up to 3 attempts within 2 years per application. Some boards require a longer wait. | NBCC: NCMHCE Candidate Handbook for State Licensure, rev. Nov 20, 2025 (PDF) · NBCC: NCMHCE Candidate Handbook for National Certification, rev. Oct 16, 2025 (PDF) [3][4] | |
| Official prep material | NBCC Foundation NCMHCE study guide, $34.95, with six practice case studies | NBCC: examination preparation [5] |
Facts checked Oct 30, 2026 against the testing organizations; sources are listed under Source notes. Fees change without notice; confirm the current amount when your authorization arrives.
Which route you pay through
State route. You pay your board's application fee, then the exam fee to CCE once the board approves you (Texas and Florida let you register without prior approval). A state license requires this route.
National route. If you apply for a national certification with this exam, the exam is bundled into the certification application: $375 in total. That only saves money if you want the credential anyway; it does not replace the board application. Requirements and renewal: NCC (National Certified Counselor).
What a retake adds
A fail does not carry anything over: you register again and pay the full fee.
- First attempt (Virginia fee)$275
- Retake, at least 30 days later$275
- One reschedule, at least 24 hours ahead$50
- Exam-related fees before any board fee$600
At Florida's figures ($350 first, $275 retake) the same three items come to $675. Your board may cap the number of attempts.
Outcome data is thin: NBCC publishes no pass rate, and the one official figure is a Florida board table that combines first and repeat attempts. Read it as a reason to plan for one retake, not as your personal odds: passing score and pass rates.
Fees outside NBCC
Boards set their own charges, and some add a state requirement with its own price tag. Two examples from our state cards: Florida asks for an 8-hour Laws & Rules course and California for its CA Law & Ethics exam before the clinical exam. Add the application fee, the initial license fee and, where the state has one, the fee for registering as an associate during supervised practice.
In the 11 states that license in two steps you pay for the NCE first and for this exam later, so the exam line of your budget doubles. State by state: license requirements by state.
Prep costs
The NBCC Foundation sells a $34.95 study guide with practice cases written for the current format. The sample case in NBCC's handbook costs nothing but has no answer key. Our practice test and the domain pages explain every option.
How this differs from the NCE bill
Virginia lists one fee for either NBCC exam, and the reschedule and retake mechanics match. The differences are the second exam fee in two-step states and the national route, which here can lead to a clinical specialty certification as well as the NCC. The NCE side: NCE cost.
Source notes
- [1]Virginia Board of Counseling: examination information dhp.virginia.gov · checked Oct 30, 2026
- [2]Florida Board 491: Licensed Mental Health Counselor floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov · checked Oct 30, 2026
- [3]NBCC: NCMHCE Candidate Handbook for State Licensure, rev. Nov 20, 2025 (PDF) sanbcccore.blob.core.windows.net · checked Oct 30, 2026
- [4]NBCC: NCMHCE Candidate Handbook for National Certification, rev. Oct 16, 2025 (PDF) sanbcccore.blob.core.windows.net · checked Oct 30, 2026
- [5]NBCC: examination preparation nbcc.org · checked Oct 30, 2026
Questions people ask
Does every state charge the same exam fee?
No. The fee goes to NBCC's affiliate, yet boards quote different amounts: Florida asks $350 for a first attempt and $275 for a retake, Virginia $275, and the NBCC handbook prints none. Check your board's page. Board application and license fees are separate and vary widely.
Is the exam included in the NCC application?
On the national route the exam registration is part of the application fee. If you already passed the NCMHCE for your state license, the application without exam registration is $250.
Do I lose the fee if I cannot make my appointment?
Not if you reschedule in time; then you pay only the rescheduling fee. Otherwise: a no-show without rescheduling at least 24 hours ahead, arriving more than 15 minutes late, or breaking a testing rule forfeits the exam fee.