Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board
License verification guide · Last reviewed July 2026 · By the OhioLicenseCheck.com team
The Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board credentials the addiction-treatment workforce: chemical dependency counselors at several tiers, plus prevention specialists. Ohio’s treatment infrastructure depends on these credentials being real and current.
License types under this board
- Chemical Dependency Counselor (CDC)
- Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC)
About this board
Addiction counseling in Ohio uses a tiered credential ladder — CDCA (assistant), LCDC II, LCDC III, and LICDC (independent) — with rising education, supervised-experience, and scope requirements at each step. Treatment agencies must staff programs against these tiers, and state certification of a treatment program depends on properly credentialed staff.
The opioid crisis expanded Ohio’s treatment sector rapidly, and with that growth came real credential-verification stakes: funding sources, drug courts, and referring agencies all have reasons to confirm that the counselors delivering treatment hold active credentials at the right tier.
Who verifies these licenses?
- •Treatment centers and recovery programs credentialing counselors
- •Drug courts and probation departments confirming provider qualifications
- •Managed-care plans auditing behavioral-health networks
- •Families evaluating a treatment program’s staff
Verification tips
- Match the tier to the role — group counseling, assessment, and independent practice map to different credential levels.
- A CDCA is an entry credential requiring supervision; it does not authorize independent practice.
- Prevention specialists carry their own credential distinct from counseling tiers.
Renewals and expiration
Credentials renew on regular cycles with continuing-education requirements including ethics content. High staff turnover in the treatment sector makes centralized expiry tracking especially valuable for agency compliance officers.
Frequently asked questions
What does LICDC mean?
Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor — the top of Ohio’s addiction-counseling ladder, authorized to practice and diagnose independently. Lower tiers practice under supervision with narrower scopes.
Can a person in recovery become a credentialed counselor?
Yes — lived experience is common and valued in the field. The credential verifies the education, supervised hours, and examination that turn that experience into professional qualification.
Want to earn this license?
Our career guide: How to Become an Addiction Counselor in Ohio covers the education path, exams, typical pay, and Ohio schools.
Verify a CDP license now
Search the official state record for any Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board credential — status, expiration date, and disciplinary flags in seconds. Free for individual lookups.
Run a Free License CheckSources: license data is retrieved from the official State of Ohio eLicense system (elicense.ohio.gov). Renewal rules and fees change; always confirm current requirements with the board. This guide is general information, not legal advice.