Run the check in five minutes
- Open the Texas BHEC license-verification page.
- Select the online search or the current roster for the relevant profession.
- Search by the person’s legal surname and given name. If the result is absent, try a prior name or ask the therapist to provide the exact licensed name and number.
- Match the profession and license number to the therapist’s public representation.
- Read the status, expiration date, original or rank date, specialty designations where applicable, and public disciplinary information.
The Board states that its online search is a primary-source verification. It also updates four downloadable rosters every 24 hours:
- current psychology licensees;
- current marriage and family therapy licensees;
- current professional counseling licensees; and
- current social-work licensees.
The files are not elegant. They are useful. Each row identifies the license type, number, status, expiration, rank date and whether the Board reports disciplinary action.
Do not stop at the matching name
- License type
- Confirm the exact title. LPC and LPC Associate, for example, are not interchangeable; the associate practices under supervision.
- Status
- Look for a current active status. Do not infer authority to practice from an old issue date or an undated profile.
- Expiration
- An approaching expiration is not itself a concern, but an expired or delinquent record requires clarification before service.
- Discipline
- Open any available public order or notation and read what the Board actually decided. Do not rely on a search snippet or rumor.
- Name
- Professional and legal names can differ. Ask for the name under which the license is issued if the match is uncertain.
Decode the Texas abbreviations
| Abbreviation | License title | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| LPC | Licensed Professional Counselor | Independent professional-counselor license |
| LPC Associate | Licensed Professional Counselor Associate | Practices under a Board-approved supervisor |
| LCSW | Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Clinical social-work license |
| LMFT | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist | Independent marriage-and-family-therapy license |
| LMFT Associate | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate | Supervised stage of licensure |
| LP | Licensed Psychologist | Psychology license; not the same as LPA or School Psychologist |
No result is a question, not a verdict
Absence from one search is not proof of unlicensed practice. First check spelling, hyphens, former surnames and the claimed profession. Some practitioners may hold another regulated license, work under an exemption or provide a nonclinical service that does not require one of these licenses. The person should still be able to state clearly what credential authorizes the advertised service.
Do not proceed on the basis of “certified,” “trained,” “coach,” “doctoral-level” or a membership badge when the service is represented as licensed psychotherapy. Those descriptions may be accurate but do not substitute for the state record.
Verify the supervisor too
- What is your exact associate license and license number?
- Who is your Board-approved supervisor?
- How can I verify the supervisor’s license?
- How is my case discussed in supervision?
- Who handles urgent clinical coverage or complaints?
Due diligence has limits
An active license establishes legal standing under the Board’s system. It does not verify every specialty listed on a marketing page, predict therapeutic fit or guarantee a particular result. After checking the record, ask the therapist to describe the training and experience that apply to the proposed work.
Keep a record. Save the license number and the date checked. For a long course of treatment, recheck after the listed expiration date.
Primary and service sources
- Texas BHEC — Online license verification — official search and downloadable current-license rosters
- Texas BHEC — Contact and complaint information — Board contact routes