What the NCE costs, and what happens if you have to reschedule.
The registration fee, the fees around it, and the rules on cancelling, rescheduling and missing an appointment.
By Dr. Andrew Wichterman · September 15, 2026 · 5 min read · Updated September 30, 2026
The exam fee is the number everyone knows. The costs around it are the ones that surprise people. Here is the full picture for a state licensure candidate as of this writing.
The registration fee
$275 for the NCE or the NCMHCE when registered for state licensure. It is nonrefundable and nontransferable, and it covers one attempt. A retake is a new registration at the full fee.
The NCC route costs more and includes more
If you take the NCE as part of a National Certified Counselor application, the application alone is $250, or $375 with the exam registration bundled. That buys the certification process, not just the exam, and it is the route that lets students test before graduation. A separate post covers whether the NCC is worth it for you.
Rescheduling and cancelling
Once you hold an Authorization to Test, you schedule the appointment with Pearson VUE. Changes made well ahead of the appointment are generally free. Changes inside the final week carry a fee; recent handbooks put it at $50 for changes within seven days. Rescheduling does not extend your authorization window. The new date still has to fall inside the original six months.
Missing the appointment
If you do not show, arrive late, or arrive without acceptable identification, the registration and all fees are forfeited. There is no partial refund. If a real emergency prevents you from testing, contact CCE promptly at (336) 482-2856 or exam@cce-global.org, explain the circumstances with documentation, and say when you can test. CCE decides whether you may reschedule or must reregister. Weather closures at a test center are handled by Pearson VUE, which will contact you.
The costs people forget
- Your state board's application and licensing fees, which are separate from the exam and often larger.
- A state jurisprudence or ethics exam, where required.
- Travel and a day off work for a test center appointment.
- Prep materials. The tools on this site are free; commercial courses run from under a hundred dollars to over a thousand.
The realistic total
Candidates who add up only the registration fee undercount by half or more. A typical path includes the exam fee, a board application or exam eligibility fee, a background check, official transcripts, and study materials. Add a retake fee if needed. Most candidates spend between $500 and $900 from first application to license in hand, before any prep course. A second attempt adds the full exam fee again plus the wait.
Who pays, and what may be reimbursed
Some agencies and school districts reimburse licensure exam fees after a pass; ask HR before you register, because several require pre-approval. Graduate programs occasionally cover the NCC student-pathway fee. Exam fees are generally not tax-deductible as education expenses in the United States, but professional license costs may be deductible for the self-employed; check with a tax preparer.
Keeping the cost down
Register once and test once: the largest avoidable cost is a retake. Schedule inside the window early enough to get a convenient site, so you do not pay a rescheduling fee or forfeit the fee by missing the appointment. Use free preparation before paying for a course; this site's course, flashcards and practice bank are free while it grows. If you do buy materials, buy one comprehensive resource, not four overlapping ones.
Check the current handbook. Fees, windows and procedures change. Confirm every specific against the current NBCC candidate handbook and your state board's published rules before you act on it.
Budget for one attempt and study so that one attempt is all you need. The cheapest exam is the one you take once.