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H0545

Licensing Counselors Who Served as Military Chaplains

Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 7:59 AM

In one sentence

This bill creates a special path for Idaho residents who served as military chaplains to become licensed professional or clinical counselors without taking exams or paying application fees.

Allows former U.S. military chaplains with an honorable discharge to qualify for licensure as Licensed Professional Counselors in Idaho if they meet specific education and experience requirements.
Requires these individuals to have completed four units of clinical pastoral education while serving.
Exempts qualifying military chaplains from taking the standard written examination required for counselor licenses.
Removes the requirement for qualifying applicants to pay an application fee to the licensing board.
Updates state law so that meeting these new criteria counts as satisfying the usual education and experience rules.

Idaho residents who have served as chaplains in any branch of the U.S. military with an honorable discharge for all periods of active duty.
The Idaho Board responsible for licensing counselors and therapists.
Individuals seeking a license as a Licensed Professional Counselor or a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.

This law only applies to people who live in Idaho.
Applicants must have an honorable discharge for every period of active duty they served.
People whose licenses were revoked or suspended in any state cannot get a license under this bill unless the board reviews their case and finds them rehabilitated.

Plain language

DD Form 214: An official document that proves a person served in the U.S. military and shows their type of discharge.
Clinical Pastoral Education: A specific training program for chaplains involving supervised work with patients or clients, measured in units.
Licensure: The official permission from the state to practice a profession like counseling.

Official record

Source attached

Military chaplain therapy licensure

Official activity