Mental Health Licensing & Regulation in New York State: 2025 Guide

If you have found a therapist in New York with letters after their name, you can confirm the licence in a few minutes. This guide sets out what each title means, what that professional may do, who can prescribe medication, and how to check a licence on the state register.

Reviewed July 2026.

Quick answer: how to check a New York therapist is licensed

Every mental health profession in New York is licensed by the State Education Department, through its Office of the Professions. The quickest check for a specific person is to search their name on the Office of the Professions online verification tool.

The result shows whether the licence is current. For every profession except medicine, an Enforcement Actions tab on the same result lists any final disciplinary findings. Doctors, physician assistants and psychiatrists are not covered there: their discipline is handled and published by the Department of Health, through the Office of Professional Medical Conduct.¹

The regulated titles, and what the letters mean

New York regulates these roles across several articles of the Education Law. The table maps each title to the law that governs it, its core work, and whether that professional can prescribe medication.

The prescribing column follows from the scopes below. In New York, only the medical roles prescribe.

What each licence type may do

Licensed Psychologist

A licensed psychologist holds a doctoral degree in psychology, two years of supervised experience, and has passed a state examination.² A doctorate in psychology is a qualification, not a licence in itself: the licence to look for on the register is the licence as a psychologist.

The practice of psychology covers the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, cognitive and behavioural disorders, and the use of accepted classification systems.³ It is one of the widest diagnostic scopes among the non-medical professions.

Social workers: LMSW and LCSW

A Licensed Clinical Social Worker may diagnose mental, emotional, behavioural and addictive disorders and provide psychotherapy.⁴ This is the licence for clinical social work in New York.

A Licensed Master Social Worker practises social work and may do clinical work only in a facility or other supervised setting, under supervision.⁴ Under social work law, only a licence-holder may use the titles Licensed Master Social Worker, LMSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker or LCSW.⁵

Article 163: counselling, family therapy, arts therapy and psychoanalysis

A Licensed Mental Health Counselor assesses and treats disorders of behaviour, emotion, personality and relationships, using counselling and psychotherapy.⁶

A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist treats mental and emotional disorders within couple, family and relationship systems.⁷ A Licensed Creative Arts Therapist works through the arts to assess and treat emotional and behavioural difficulties.⁸

A Licensed Psychoanalyst works with unconscious mental processes to help change personality and behaviour.⁹

New York law also lets mental health counsellors, marriage and family therapists and psychoanalysts diagnose and develop assessment-based treatment plans.¹⁴ That work must happen in a facility or other supervised setting approved by the department, under supervision. The provision is temporary and is set to expire in June 2027. The Education Law defines diagnosis and the development of assessment-based treatment plans for this purpose.¹⁰ This provision has been extended before, so confirm the current position and any conditions with the Office of the Professions.

The medical roles

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor. The practice of medicine in New York covers diagnosing, treating, operating or prescribing for any human disease, pain, injury, deformity or physical condition.¹¹

A psychiatric nurse practitioner may diagnose and treat within a specialty and may prescribe, working with a collaborating physician under a written practice agreement, except in the circumstances the Education Law separately allows.¹² A physician assistant provides medical services under a physician's supervision.¹¹

Who can prescribe medication in New York

Whether a professional may prescribe follows from the law that licenses them. In New York, prescribing falls within the practice of medicine, so it is the medical roles that prescribe: psychiatrists and other physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants working under a physician's supervision.

Psychologists, social workers, counsellors, family therapists, arts therapists and psychoanalysts do not prescribe. If medication may help, a person can see one of these professionals for therapy and a prescriber for the medication: a psychiatrist, another physician such as a general practitioner, or a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Verify a licence yourself, step by step

1. Open the Office of the Professions online verification search.
2. Enter the professional's name, and the profession if you know it.
3. Check that a licence is listed and current.
4. Open the Enforcement Actions tab to see any final disciplinary findings. If you are checking a psychiatrist or another physician, look instead to the Department of Health's Office of Professional Medical Conduct, which holds that record.

The official tool is the authority on current status. If the search returns no licence, or one that is not current, ask the professional which licence they hold and the exact name it is registered under, then search again. If you believe someone is practising without a licence, that can be reported to the Office of Professional Discipline.

Licensed professional or unregulated 'coach'?

New York protects these professional titles by law. Using a protected title without the licence is a class A misdemeanour; practising one of these professions without a licence is a class E felony.¹³

Under Article 163, only a licence-holder may use the titles Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC),⁶ Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT),⁷ Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT)⁸ or Licensed Psychoanalyst (LP).⁹

Some labels carry no such protection. New York law lets clergy, teachers and community organisations offer support, advice and information without one of these licences.¹⁴ A general label like 'coach' on its own tells you nothing about training, so look for one of the protected titles and verify it.

A limited permit is not the same as being unlicensed. New York issues limited permits to people who have met the requirements except the examination or experience, letting them practise under supervision. A mental health counselling permit is valid for two years.¹⁵

If something is wrong: reporting a concern

Where to complain depends on the profession. The Office of Professional Discipline handles concerns about psychologists, social workers, counsellors, family therapists, arts therapists and psychoanalysts.¹⁶

Concerns about physicians, physician assistants and psychiatrists go instead to the Department of Health's Office of Professional Medical Conduct.¹⁶ Sending a complaint to the wrong office delays it, so match the profession first.

The Office of the Professions investigates misconduct across the licensed professions except medicine. Penalties range up to a fine of $10,000 for each violation, and, in serious cases, suspension or loss of the licence.¹

Choosing a therapist once the licence checks out

Once a licence checks out, the next question is who to see. Our guide on how to find the right therapist covers choosing someone suited to what you need.

Frequently asked questions

Is an LMHC a real, licensed therapist?

Yes. A Licensed Mental Health Counselor is licensed by the state under Article 163, and the title is restricted to people who hold that licence.⁶

What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?

A psychologist diagnoses and treats mental and behavioural disorders through assessment and therapy, and holds a doctoral degree.^2,3 A psychiatrist is a medical doctor. Prescribing falls within the practice of medicine in New York, along with diagnosing and treating.¹¹

Can a psychologist prescribe medication in New York?

No. Only the medical roles prescribe: psychiatrists and other physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Is LCSW-R a separate licence?

It is not a separate licence in the Education Law. The licence to verify is the Licensed Clinical Social Worker; confirm that on the register.⁵

Can a therapist licensed in another state see me in New York?

Only a person licensed or exempt under Article 163 may practise mental health counselling,⁶ marriage and family therapy,⁷ creative arts therapy⁸ or psychoanalysis⁹ in New York. The same holds in social work: only a person licensed or exempt under Article 154 may practise licensed master social work or licensed clinical social work. A person licensed only in another state is not automatically authorised here, so verify a New York licence before starting.

Who can have someone admitted to hospital against their will?

Involuntary admission on medical certification in New York needs certificates from two examining physicians, or from a physician together with a psychiatric nurse practitioner. The certificates are not enough on their own. They must be accompanied by an application for admission, executed within the ten days before admission by one of the people the law authorises, among them a relative, the director of the hospital, or the director of community services. Once the person is brought to hospital, a physician on that hospital's psychiatric staff, other than the practitioners who certified, must examine them before they can be admitted.¹⁷ This is a medical process, separate from choosing a therapist.

About this guide

Team TherapyRoute

References

1. [1] NY Office of the Professions - Professional Misconduct Enforcement (op.nysed.gov), accessed July 2026 op.nysed.gov.
2. [2] NY Education Law §7603 (requirements for a professional license - psychologist), Article 153, as in force 2026 (rev 2014-09-22; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/7603.
3. [3] NY Education Law §7601-a (definition of the practice of psychology), Article 153, as in force 2026 (rev 2014-09-22; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/7601-A.
4. [4] NY Education Law §7701 (definitions - licensed master social work and clinical social work), Article 154, as in force 2026 (rev 2014-09-22; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/7701.
5. [5] NY Education Law §7702 (protected titles - LMSW and LCSW), Article 154, as in force 2026 (rev 2018-04-20; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/7702.
6. [6] NY Education Law §8402 (practice of mental health counseling; LMHC title), Article 163, as in force 2026 (rev 2014-09-22; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/8402.
7. [7] NY Education Law §8403 (practice of marriage and family therapy; LMFT title), Article 163, as in force 2026 (rev 2014-09-22; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/8403.
8. [8] NY Education Law §8404 (practice of creative arts therapy; LCAT title), Article 163, as in force 2026 (rev 2014-09-22; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/8404.
9. [9] NY Education Law §8405 (practice of psychoanalysis; LP title), Article 163, as in force 2026 (rev 2014-09-22; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/8405.
10. [10] NY Education Law §8401 (Article 163 definitions: Diagnosis, Psychotherapy, Development of assessment-based treatment plans), as in force 2026 (rev 2022-07-01; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/8401.
11. [11] NY Education Law §6521 (definition of the practice of medicine) + §6542 (physician assistant performance of medical services), Article 131 / 131-B, as in force 2026 (legislation.nysenate.gov) legislation.nysenate.gov/laws/EDN/6521-6542.
12. [12] NY Education Law §6902(3) (nurse practitioner scope and prescriptive authority), Article 139, as in force 2026 (rev 2026-05-29; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/6902.
13. [13] NY Education Law §6512 (unauthorized practice a crime) + §6513 (unauthorized use of a professional title a crime), Title VIII general, as in force 2026 (legislation.nysenate.gov) legislation.nysenate.gov/laws/EDN/6512-6513.
14. [14] NY Education Law §8410 (Article 163 exemptions; incl. subd. 11 diagnosis provision), as in force 2026 (rev 2025-06-27; legislation.nysenate.gov) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/8410.
15. [15] NY Office of the Professions - Mental Health Counselor Limited Permit (op.nysed.gov license-requirements), accessed July 2026 op.nysed.gov.
16. [16] NY Office of the Professions - Discipline Complaint Form / how to file (op.nysed.gov), accessed July 2026 op.nysed.gov.
17. [17] NY Mental Hygiene Law §9.27 (involuntary admission on medical certification: certificates of two examining physicians or a physician with a psychiatric nurse practitioner; application executed within ten days; examination by a staff physician before admission) nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/MHY/9.27.