{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-3501.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-3501.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-3501.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-3501.html"}],"law_id":85227,"edition_id":1,"section_id":85227,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3501","catch_line":"Exemption from requirements of licensure","history":"1976, c. 608, \u00a7 54-944; 1986, c. 581; 1988, c. 765; 1995, c. 820; 1997, c. 901; 2022, c. 275.","full_text":"The requirements for licensure in this chapter shall not be applicable to:\n\n1\n\nPersons who render services that are like or similar to those falling within the scope of the classifications or categories in this chapter, including persons acting as members of substance abuse self-help groups, so long as the recipients or beneficiaries of such services are not subject to any charge or fee, or any financial requirement, actual or implied, and the person rendering such service is not held out, by himself or otherwise, as a person licensed under this chapter.2\n\nThe activities or services of a student pursuing a course of study in counseling, substance abuse treatment or marriage and family therapy in an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board or under the supervision of a person licensed or certified under this chapter, if such activities or services constitute a part of the student’s course of study and are adequately supervised.3\n\nThe activities, including marriage and family therapy, counseling, or substance abuse treatment, of rabbis, priests, ministers or clergymen of any religious denomination or sect when such activities are within the scope of the performance of their regular or specialized ministerial duties, and no separate charge is made or when such activities are performed, whether with or without charge, for or under auspices or sponsorship, individually or in conjunction with others, of an established and legally cognizable church, denomination or sect, and the person rendering service remains accountable to its established authority.4\n\nPersons employed as salaried employees or volunteers of the federal government, the Commonwealth, a locality, or of any agency established or funded, in whole or part, by any such governmental entity or of a private, nonprofit organization or agency sponsored or funded, in whole or part, by a community-based citizen group or organization. Any person who renders psychological services, as defined in Chapter 36 (§ 54.1-3600 et seq.) of this title, shall be subject to the requirements of that chapter. Any person who, in addition to the above-enumerated employment, engages in an independent private practice shall not be exempt from the requirements for licensure.5\n\nPersons regularly employed by private business firms as personnel managers, deputies or assistants so long as their counseling activities relate only to employees of their employer and in respect to their employment.6\n\nPersons regulated by this Board as professional counselors or persons regulated by another board within the Department of Health Professions who provide, within the scope of their practice, marriage and family therapy, counseling or substance abuse treatment to individuals or groups.7\n\nAny practitioner of a profession regulated by the Board who is licensed in another state, the District of Columbia, or a United States territory or possession and who is in good standing with the applicable regulatory agency in that state, the District of Columbia, or that United States territory or possession who provides behavioral health services, as defined in § 37.2-100, to a patient located in the Commonwealth when (i) such practice is for the purpose of providing continuity of care through the use of telemedicine services as defined in § 38.2-3418.16 and (ii) the practitioner has previously established a practitioner-patient relationship with the patient. A practitioner who provides behavioral health services to a patient located in the Commonwealth through use of telemedicine services pursuant to this subdivision may provide such services for a period of no more than one year from the date on which the practitioner began providing such services to such patient.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":305426,"text":"The requirements for licensure in this chapter shall not be applicable to:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":305427,"text":"Persons who render services that are like or similar to those falling within the scope of the classifications or categories in this chapter, including persons acting as members of substance abuse self-help groups, so long as the recipients or beneficiaries of such services are not subject to any charge or fee, or any financial requirement, actual or implied, and the person rendering such service is not held out, by himself or otherwise, as a person licensed under this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":305428,"text":"The activities or services of a student pursuing a course of study in counseling, substance abuse treatment or marriage and family therapy in an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board or under the supervision of a person licensed or certified under this chapter, if such activities or services constitute a part of the student’s course of study and are adequately supervised.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":305429,"text":"The activities, including marriage and family therapy, counseling, or substance abuse treatment, of rabbis, priests, ministers or clergymen of any religious denomination or sect when such activities are within the scope of the performance of their regular or specialized ministerial duties, and no separate charge is made or when such activities are performed, whether with or without charge, for or under auspices or sponsorship, individually or in conjunction with others, of an established and legally cognizable church, denomination or sect, and the person rendering service remains accountable to its established authority.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":305430,"text":"Persons employed as salaried employees or volunteers of the federal government, the Commonwealth, a locality, or of any agency established or funded, in whole or part, by any such governmental entity or of a private, nonprofit organization or agency sponsored or funded, in whole or part, by a community-based citizen group or organization. Any person who renders psychological services, as defined in Chapter 36 (§ 54.1-3600 et seq.) of this title, shall be subject to the requirements of that chapter. Any person who, in addition to the above-enumerated employment, engages in an independent private practice shall not be exempt from the requirements for licensure.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":305431,"text":"Persons regularly employed by private business firms as personnel managers, deputies or assistants so long as their counseling activities relate only to employees of their employer and in respect to their employment.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4","next_prefix":"6"},"6":{"id":305432,"text":"Persons regulated by this Board as professional counselors or persons regulated by another board within the Department of Health Professions who provide, within the scope of their practice, marriage and family therapy, counseling or substance abuse treatment to individuals or groups.","type":"section","prefixes":["6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"6","prefix_anchor":"6","level":1,"prior_prefix":"5","next_prefix":"7"},"7":{"id":305433,"text":"Any practitioner of a profession regulated by the Board who is licensed in another state, the District of Columbia, or a United States territory or possession and who is in good standing with the applicable regulatory agency in that state, the District of Columbia, or that United States territory or possession who provides behavioral health services, as defined in § 37.2-100, to a patient located in the Commonwealth when (i) such practice is for the purpose of providing continuity of care through the use of telemedicine services as defined in § 38.2-3418.16 and (ii) the practitioner has previously established a practitioner-patient relationship with the patient. A practitioner who provides behavioral health services to a patient located in the Commonwealth through use of telemedicine services pursuant to this subdivision may provide such services for a period of no more than one year from the date on which the practitioner began providing such services to such patient.","type":"section","prefixes":["7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"7","prefix_anchor":"7","level":1,"prior_prefix":"6"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13600,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13599,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:21","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:21","permalink":{"id":243865,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13600,"identifier":"1","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1","url":"\/54.1\/III\/35\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13599,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professional Counseling","identifier":"35","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12758,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:21","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:21","permalink":{"id":243863,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13599,"identifier":"35","token":"54.1\/III\/35","url":"\/54.1\/III\/35\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12758,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":241105,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12758,"identifier":"III","token":"54.1\/III","url":"\/54.1\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":54880,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3500","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-3500\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3500","metadata":false},{"id":68349,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3500.1","catch_line":"Counseling Compact","url":"\/54.1-3500.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3500.1","metadata":false},{"id":85227,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3501","catch_line":"Exemption from requirements of licensure","url":"\/54.1-3501\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3501","metadata":false},{"id":86081,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3502","catch_line":"Administration or prescription of drugs not permitted","url":"\/54.1-3502\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3502","metadata":false},{"id":61613,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3503","catch_line":"Board of Counseling","url":"\/54.1-3503\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3503","metadata":false},{"id":54950,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3504","catch_line":"Nominations","url":"\/54.1-3504\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3504","metadata":false},{"id":55659,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3505","catch_line":"Specific powers and duties of the Board","url":"\/54.1-3505\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3505","metadata":false},{"id":54568,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3505.1","catch_line":"Continued competency requirements","url":"\/54.1-3505.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3505.1","metadata":false},{"id":56059,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3506","catch_line":"License required","url":"\/54.1-3506\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3506","metadata":false},{"id":69581,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3506.1","catch_line":"Client notification","url":"\/54.1-3506.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3506.1","metadata":false},{"id":80021,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3506.2","catch_line":"Licensure exemption","url":"\/54.1-3506.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3506.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":68349,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3500.1","catch_line":"Counseling Compact","url":"\/54.1-3500.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3500.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":86081,"structure_id":13600,"section_number":"54.1-3502","catch_line":"Administration or prescription of drugs not permitted","url":"\/54.1-3502\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3502","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-3501\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1976. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 608 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1976 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1986, chapter 581; in 1988, chapter 765; in 1995, chapter 820<\/a>; in 1997, chapter 901<\/a>; in 2022, chapter 275<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":60864,"section_number":"37.2-403","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-403\/"},{"id":56059,"section_number":"54.1-3506","catch_line":"License required","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3506\/"},{"id":70897,"section_number":"54.1-3507.1","catch_line":"Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of certified substance abuse counselors","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3507.1\/"},{"id":83400,"section_number":"54.1-3507.2","catch_line":"Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of certified substance abuse counseling assistants","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3507.2\/"},{"id":64160,"section_number":"54.1-3605","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Board","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3605\/"},{"id":59959,"section_number":"54.1-3611","catch_line":"Restriction of practice; use of titles","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3611\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":76036,"section_number":"37.2-100","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-100\/"},{"id":61286,"section_number":"38.2-3418.16","catch_line":"Coverage for telemedicine services","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-3418.16\/"},{"id":79319,"section_number":"54.1-3600","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3600\/"}],"permalink":{"id":243875,"object_type":"law","relational_id":85227,"identifier":"54.1-3501","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3501","url":"\/54.1-3501\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-3501\/","token":"54.1\/III\/35\/1\/54.1-3501","dublin_core":{"Title":"Exemption from requirements of licensure","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-3501","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The requirements for licensure in this chapter shall not be applicable to:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Persons who render services that are like or similar to those falling within the scope of the classifications or categories in this chapter, including persons acting as members of substance abuse<\/span> self-help groups, so long as the recipients or beneficiaries of such services are not subject to any charge or fee, or any financial requirement, actual or implied, and the person rendering such service is not held out, by himself or otherwise, as a person licensed under this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> The activities or services of a student pursuing a course of study in counseling<\/span>, substance abuse treatment<\/span> or marriage and family therapy<\/span> in an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board<\/span> or under the supervision<\/span> of a person licensed or certified under this chapter, if such activities or services constitute a part of the student’s course of study and are adequately supervised. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> The activities, including marriage and family therapy<\/span>, counseling<\/span>, or substance abuse treatment<\/span>, of rabbis, priests, ministers or clergymen of any religious denomination or sect when such activities are within the scope of the performance of their regular or specialized ministerial duties, and no separate charge is made or when such activities are performed, whether with or without charge, for or under auspices or sponsorship, individually or in conjunction with others, of an established and legally cognizable church, denomination or sect, and the person rendering service remains accountable to its established authority. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Persons employed as salaried employees or volunteers of the federal government, the Commonwealth, a locality, or of any agency established or funded, in whole or part, by any such governmental entity or of a private, nonprofit organization or agency sponsored or funded, in whole or part, by a community-based citizen group or organization. Any person who renders psychological services, as defined in Chapter 36 (§ 54.1-3600<\/a> et seq.) of this title, shall be subject to the requirements of that chapter. Any person who, in addition to the above-enumerated employment, engages in an independent private practice shall not be exempt from the requirements for licensure. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Persons regularly employed by private business firms as personnel managers, deputies or assistants so long as their counseling<\/span> activities relate only to employees of their employer and in respect to their employment. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> Persons regulated by this Board<\/span> as professional counselors<\/span> or persons regulated by another board<\/span> within the Department of Health Professions who provide, within the scope of their practice, marriage and family therapy<\/span>, counseling<\/span> or substance abuse treatment<\/span> to individuals or groups. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> Any practitioner of a profession regulated by the Board<\/span> who is licensed in another state, the District of Columbia, or a United States territory or possession<\/span> and who is in good standing with the applicable regulatory agency in that state, the District of Columbia, or that United States territory or possession<\/span> who provides behavioral health services, as defined in § 37.2-100<\/a>, to a patient located in the Commonwealth when (i) such practice is for the purpose of providing continuity of care through the use of telemedicine services as defined in § 38.2-3418.16<\/a> and (ii) the practitioner has previously established a practitioner-patient relationship with the patient. A practitioner who provides behavioral health services to a patient located in the Commonwealth through use of telemedicine services pursuant to this subdivision may provide such services for a period of no more than one year from the date on which the practitioner began providing such services to such patient. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nEXEMPTION FROM REQUIREMENTS OF LICENSURE (\u00a7 54.1-3501)\n\nThe requirements for licensure in this chapter shall not be applicable to:\n\n1. Persons who render services that are like or similar to those falling within\nthe scope of the classifications or categories in this chapter, including\npersons acting as members of substance abuse self-help groups, so long as the\nrecipients or beneficiaries of such services are not subject to any charge or\nfee, or any financial requirement, actual or implied, and the person rendering\nsuch service is not held out, by himself or otherwise, as a person licensed\nunder this chapter.\n\n2. The activities or services of a student pursuing a course of study in\ncounseling, substance abuse treatment or marriage and family therapy in an\ninstitution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board or under\nthe supervision of a person licensed or certified under this chapter, if such\nactivities or services constitute a part of the student’s course of study\nand are adequately supervised.\n\n3. The activities, including marriage and family therapy, counseling, or\nsubstance abuse treatment, of rabbis, priests, ministers or clergymen of any\nreligious denomination or sect when such activities are within the scope of the\nperformance of their regular or specialized ministerial duties, and no separate\ncharge is made or when such activities are performed, whether with or without\ncharge, for or under auspices or sponsorship, individually or in conjunction\nwith others, of an established and legally cognizable church, denomination or\nsect, and the person rendering service remains accountable to its established\nauthority.\n\n4. Persons employed as salaried employees or volunteers of the federal\ngovernment, the Commonwealth, a locality, or of any agency established or\nfunded, in whole or part, by any such governmental entity or of a private,\nnonprofit organization or agency sponsored or funded, in whole or part, by a\ncommunity-based citizen group or organization. Any person who renders\npsychological services, as defined in Chapter 36 (§ 54.1-3600 et seq.) of\nthis title, shall be subject to the requirements of that chapter. Any person\nwho, in addition to the above-enumerated employment, engages in an independent\nprivate practice shall not be exempt from the requirements for licensure.\n\n5. Persons regularly employed by private business firms as personnel managers,\ndeputies or assistants so long as their counseling activities relate only to\nemployees of their employer and in respect to their employment.\n\n6. Persons regulated by this Board as professional counselors or persons\nregulated by another board within the Department of Health Professions who\nprovide, within the scope of their practice, marriage and family therapy,\ncounseling or substance abuse treatment to individuals or groups.\n\n7. Any practitioner of a profession regulated by the Board who is licensed in\nanother state, the District of Columbia, or a United States territory or\npossession and who is in good standing with the applicable regulatory agency in\nthat state, the District of Columbia, or that United States territory or\npossession who provides behavioral health services, as defined in §\n37.2-100, to a patient located in the Commonwealth when (i) such practice is for\nthe purpose of providing continuity of care through the use of telemedicine\nservices as defined in § 38.2-3418.16 and (ii) the practitioner has\npreviously established a practitioner-patient relationship with the patient. A\npractitioner who provides behavioral health services to a patient located in the\nCommonwealth through use of telemedicine services pursuant to this subdivision\nmay provide such services for a period of no more than one year from the date on\nwhich the practitioner began providing such services to such patient.\n\nHISTORY: 1976, c. 608, \u00a7 54-944; 1986, c. 581; 1988, c. 765; 1995, c. 820;\n1997, c. 901; 2022, c. 275.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}