State Licensure

In Maryland, a clinical art therapy license (Licensed Clinical Professional Art Therapist) or a graduate art therapy license (Licensed Graduate Professional Art Therapist) is required to practice art therapy.

The following licenses are granted by the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. According to legislation, art therapists will use art therapy “for diagnosis, prevention, treatment and amelioration of psychological and emotional or mental conditions”. For application forms and to view current license requirements visit the BOPC website.

Licensed Graduate Professional Art Therapist (LGPAT)

A Licensed Graduate Professional Art Therapist may practice graduate professional art therapy for 2 years under the supervision of an approved art therapy supervisor, while fulfilling the 2-years post graduate supervised clinical experience requirement. Receiving an LGPAT is a necessary prerequisite to obtaining an LCPAT.

Licensed Clinical Professional Art Therapist (LCPAT)

A Licensed Clinical Professional Art Therapist permits an individual to legally practice art therapy in the state of Maryland.

Basic Requirements

Graduation from an EPAB approved program, subject to approval from the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists, to include specific credits in content areas such as:

  • Personality Development

  • Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental and Emotional Disorders

  • Psychopathology

  • Psychotherapy

  • Marriage and Family Therapy

  • Addictions*

  • Lifestyle and Career Development*

*Please note: Not all art therapy graduate programs will include coursework in each of the content areas that are required for licensure in the State of Maryland. Occasionally, additional coursework (commonly in addictions and career counseling) must be completed by art therapists seeking license in Maryland. Education audit may be performed by the Board of Professional Counselors, for a fee, prior to application.

For more information, please see sections A1 and A2 of the Licensed Clinical Professional Art Therapist requirements.

Supervision

Completed supervised clinical experience in professional art therapy obtained under the supervision of an approved art therapy supervisor is required. 3,000 hours must be accrued of which:

  • 1,500 hours must be face-to-face direct client contact hours, including 100 face-to-face clinical supervision hours

  • Of the 3,000 hours required for licensure, 1,000 of these hours may be completed in a graduate practicum or internship site

  • 2,000 hours must be completed post-graduation and in no less than 2 years

100 hours of post-graduation clinical supervision are required for licensure in Maryland. Supervision must be provided by a Maryland board approved art therapy supervisor:

  • At least 50 face-to-face clinical supervision hours must be individual

  • 50 hours may be face-to-face group clinical supervision

For more information, please refer to section A3 and A4 of the Board of Professional Counselor’s Guidelines.

Examinations

A passing score on the Art Therapy Credentials Board Exam (ATCBE) as well as the Maryland Law test are requirements to obtaining the LCPAT. For more information, please visit the Art Therapy Credentials Board Examinations page. Please see section A5 of the Board of Professional Counselor’s Guidelines for Maryland specific examination requirements.

Even if you have taken the National Counselor Examination as a requirement for other types of state license, you are still required to pass the ATCBE in order to obtain an art therapy license in Maryland.

Transferring an Out of State License, or Applying for License by Exemption

If you would like to transfer an out of state license to Maryland (such as LCAT, LPAT, LPC, etc), please directly contact Ms. Janice Isaac, the art therapy licensing coordinator at the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. These types of requests are done on a case-by-case basis, and depend on the educational background and other requirements which qualified you for the license you currently hold. 

Learn about the history of the Maryland Art Therapy License