Oklahoma just joined. Which states can I see clients in under the Counseling Compact?

Reviewed by: Matthew Sexton, LCSW

Licensed professional counselors who live in one of ten Counseling Compact states can now see clients in the other nine states with a privilege for each one, after Oklahoma joined and began issuing privileges on October 1, 2026; the Commission’s list of live states is Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming. This matters for a counselor near a state line or working by video, because you need a license or a privilege in the state where the client is located, and the next step is to confirm eligibility with your home-state board, then buy a separate privilege for each state at a flat $30 Compact fee plus that state’s fee, per the Oklahoma board.

This post covers LPCs and their state equivalents, not social workers or marriage and family therapists. The evidence is the Counseling Compact Commission’s own pages and the Oklahoma licensing board’s page, checked the day before this post went up. They show which states issue privileges and what a privilege costs. They do not show whether your employer, platform or insurer will accept work done under one.

Key takeaways

• Ten states are live, per the Commission: Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming.
• Oklahoma began issuing privileges on October 1, 2026.
• You need a license or a privilege where the client is located.
• Each state is a separate privilege with a $30 Compact fee plus a state fee, per the Oklahoma board.

Which states are live in the Counseling Compact?

Ten states are live. The Commission’s home page says the compact “is live for licensees in” Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming.

The two newest are Tennessee and Oklahoma. The Commission announced that Tennessee would begin issuing privileges on September 1, 2026, and Oklahoma began on October 1, 2026. The Oklahoma board confirms it is accepting and issuing privileges as of October 1, 2026.

The live list works in both directions. Per the Commission, an Oklahoma LPC who lives in Oklahoma can apply for a privilege in the other nine live states, and counselors from those states can apply for one in Oklahoma.

Do I still need a second license?

Not for the ten live states, if you hold a privilege there. The FAQ says counselors “must have a license or a privilege to practice in the state where the client is located,” and the Oklahoma board says privileges can be used by telehealth or in person in other live member states.

Outside the live states, the answer changes. The FAQ says the compact cannot be used in non-member states, and the only way to practice in one is a single-state license from that state’s board. The Commission says more states are working toward issuing privileges, with 29 other states and the District of Columbia still completing those steps, per its home page. No go-live dates are given for them.

Your home state also matters. The FAQ defines it as the state where you primarily reside, and you apply through the license from that state.

What does each privilege cost and require?

Each state is its own purchase. The Oklahoma board says you must buy a separate privilege for each state, at a flat $30 Compact administrative fee plus the destination state’s fee, which varies. The same page notes that some member states require a state jurisprudence exam before the privilege becomes active.

A privilege runs out with your home license. The Commission says it expires on the same date as your home-state license at the time the privilege is issued, so a privilege bought just before your renewal will need renewing too.

Before you pay, the Commission says to check with your employer, your online platform and your insurance company that you can use the privilege under their policies.

Why do the Commission’s pages disagree?

Some pages lag behind. The FAQ’s answer about a client who moves still says the compact can only be used between Arizona, Louisiana, Minnesota and Ohio as of April 20, 2026. The home page, which carries the Oklahoma notice, lists ten. Read the home page list first, then confirm with your board; the Commission encourages licensees with questions to contact their own licensing board.

How should my directory listing name states?

Name only the states where you hold a license or an active privilege. The FAQ says the compact does not regulate advertising in the member states and that privilege holders should review each state’s law. If you list your practice in a directory such as Couch Commons, the states you list should be ones where you can actually see clients. For the case of an existing client who relocates, see our earlier post on the compact.

Takeaway

Ten states now honor each other’s counselors through privileges, and Oklahoma is the newest. A privilege is per state, follows your home license, and only works where the compact is live. Check the Commission’s live list and your home board before you see a client across a state line.

Frequently asked questions

Can an LCSW or LMFT use the Counseling Compact?

Typically not. The Commission’s FAQ says someone licensed as an LMFT or LCSW by their home state typically is not eligible.

Does passing the compact law mean a state is live?

No. The American Counseling Association counts 40 states and jurisdictions that have passed the law, while the Commission counts ten issuing privileges. The ACA calls passage only the legal adoption of the agreement.

When can I start seeing a client in the new state?

As soon as your privilege number appears on your dashboard, per the Commission’s FAQ. Some states first require a jurisprudence exam, per the Oklahoma board.

What if a client’s state is not in the compact?

The compact cannot be used there. The FAQ says the only way to practice in a non-member state is a single-state license from that state’s licensing board.

This article is general information for clinicians, not legal, billing or clinical advice.

Sources

• Counseling Compact Commission, home page: https://counselingcompact.gov/ (checked the day before publication)
• Counseling Compact Commission, 10 States Now Offering Privileges: https://counselingcompact.gov/10-states-now-offering-privileges/ (checked the day before publication)
• Counseling Compact Commission, Tennessee will become ninth state: https://counselingcompact.gov/tennessee-will-become-ninth-state/ (checked the day before publication)
• Counseling Compact Commission, FAQ: https://counselingcompact.gov/faq-2/ (checked the day before publication)
• Oklahoma State Board of Behavioral Health Licensure, Counseling Compact: https://oklahoma.gov/behavioralhealth/counseling-compact.html (checked the day before publication)
• American Counseling Association via Newswise, History Is Made: Oklahoma Allows Counselors to Practice Across State Lines: https://www.newswise.com/articles/history-is-made-oklahoma-allows-counselors-to-practice-across-state-lines (checked the day before publication)