Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC)-By Examination

First Time Certification - Application by Examination

This application is for individuals who have completed the education requirements of 18VAC115-30-50, have completed the supervised experience requirements of 18VAC115-30-60, and would like approval to take the NCAC-1 examination for certification as a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC).

Requirements for Application:

• Education:
  • Completed a bachelor’s or post-baccalaureate degree, and
  • Completed a minimum of 240 clock hours of didactic training in substance abuse education from a regionally accredited university or college, or seminars and workshops from organizations as outlined in 18VAC115-30-50(A)(2).
  • Complete 16 clock hours in the 13 areas outlined in 18VAC115-30-50(B)(2).
• Experience: Have completed a Board-approved supervised experience consisting of:
• Delivered 2,000 hours of supervised experience in the practice of substance abuse counseling services.
• Delivered 160 hours of experience providing tasks with substance abuse clients as outlined in 18VAC115-30-60(B)(6).
• Met with your qualified supervisor for a minimum of 1 hour per 40 hours of work experience, and a maximum of 4 hours per 40 hours of work experience for a total of 100 hours of individual face-to-face supervision
• Completed your supervision within a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 5 years.

Follow these steps to apply for Certification by Examination

• Laws regarding the Practice of Counseling in the state of Virginia.
• Regulations regarding the Certification of Substance Abuse Counselors & Assistants in the state of Virginia.
• Guidance Document 115-11 Scope of Practice for Persons Regulated by the Board to provide Substance Abuse Treatment
• CSAC and CSAC-A Certification Process Handbook. This handbook provides detailed information about the required documents and process to obtain a certification.

• Review the Application Instructions for Certification as a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) by Examination for the documents needed to submit with your online application.
• Gather and request the necessary documents.

Do not start the online application until you have requested or obtained the applicable documents from Step 2. Submitting incomplete applications will delay the review and approval process. 

Begin the Online Application:

• Register for an Account or Login if you have an existing account.
• Select Initial Application from the menu.
• Select ‘Counseling’ as the Profession.
• Select 'Certified Substance Abuse Counselor' as the License Type.
• Select ‘Examination’ as the Obtained by Method.
• Click ‘Start Application’.

Complete the Required Fields. 

Within the online application portal, upload the applicable documentation.  PDF file format is preferred. 

The following are possible documents you may be required to upload within the online application portal:

• Verification of Supervision form
• National Practitioners Data Bank Self-Query Report
• CSAC Didactic Training form
• Verification of Out-of-State Supervisor’s Licensure
• Proof of Out-of-State License from the issuing jurisdiction.
• Proof of Name Change
• Supporting Documentation for any criminal convictions, past actions, or possible impairments.

Within the online application portal, pay the application fee. 

• The fee for Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) is $115.00.
• All fees are nonrefundable.

• You will receive automated emails from csac@dhp.virginia.gov with your application status.
• You can also visit the Online Checklist to view the status of your application.
• If your name or address changes prior to receiving your certification, notify the Board as soon as possible in writing by submitting the Name/Address Change Form.
• Contact the Board with any questions: csac@dhp.virginia.gov or TEL: (804) 367-4610.