How do I know if an online therapist is licensed and legit?

To verify if an online therapist is licensed and legit, you should check their credentials directly through the official state licensing board for the provider’s profession rather than relying on ads or third-party directories [1].

Step-by-Step Verification Guide:

1. Get the Therapist’s Full Details
   Collect their:

   • Full legal name
   • License number (if available)
   • License type (e.g., LPC, LCSW, PhD, PsyD)
   • State where they are licensed [1]

2. Use the Official State Licensing Board Website
   Search the therapist on the state license lookup system for their profession. Board websites are the most reliable source to confirm if a license is active, and to check for:

   • License status: active, expired, suspended, revoked, or inactive [1][2]
   • Disciplinary history: past ethical violations or sanctions [2][3]
   • Specialty designations: e.g., supervisor status [3]

   Examples of state board sites:

   • California: DCA License Search (Board of Behavioral Sciences) [4]
   • Texas: BHEC Online Search [3]
   • Maryland: Board of Professional Counselors & Therapists [5]
   • North Carolina: Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors [7]
   • New York: Office of the Professions [8]

3. Verify Certification if Applicable
   If the therapist is certified (not just licensed), use the NBCC Counselor Verify tool to confirm their NCC certification is current and in good standing [6].

4. Ask the Therapist Directly
   A legitimate, licensed provider should be able to tell you:

   • Their license type and number
   • The licensing state and board that regulates them [1] If they can’t provide this or it doesn’t match the board record, reconsider using them [1].

5. Follow Up if You Can’t Find Them
   If the therapist isn’t listed online, call the licensing board directly to confirm their status [2].

Red Flags to Avoid:

• No license, or a suspended/revoked license [2]
• History of major disciplinary actions [2]
• Therapist refuses to share license details or gives inconsistent info [1]

Only proceed with a therapist who has an active license and no serious violations [2].