How to Get Your CADC Certification in North Carolina (2025 Step-by-Step Guide)

You’re here because you’ve got a calling. Maybe you’ve lived through addiction yourself or helped someone who has. Maybe you’re just ready to do work that actually changes lives. Whatever brought you here, CADC certification North Carolina is your next step.

North Carolina needs skilled addiction counselors. Demand keeps climbing. Agencies across the state are short-staffed, and they’re looking for certified professionals who understand recovery from the inside out. If that sounds like you, let’s get you certified.

What Is CADC Certification in North Carolina

CADC stands for Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. It’s a professional credential managed by the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board—the NCASPPB for short.

When you earn your CADC certification North Carolina, it proves you’ve met the state’s standards for knowledge, ethics, and clinical skill in addiction counseling. You’ll be qualified to provide direct counseling, assessments, education, and relapse-prevention work in treatment programs across the state.

This credential also aligns with IC&RC standards, which means it’s recognized by most other states through reciprocity. In plain terms, if you move, your hard work still counts.

Why the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board Matters

The NCASPPB is your gatekeeper. They’re responsible for defining requirements, reviewing applications, and ensuring counselors meet both educational and ethical standards.

They issue several credentials, but CADC certification North Carolina is the starting point for anyone who wants to build a professional career in substance use counseling.

CADC Requirements North Carolina

Here’s what the NCASPPB requires for certification, based on their latest published criteria:

Education: 270 hours of formal addiction-specific training.
Supervised Experience: 6,000 hours (about three years) of paid or volunteer work in the field under qualified supervision.
Supervision: At least 300 hours of direct oversight with documented feedback.
Exam: Passing score on the IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor exam.
Ethics: Signed Code of Ethical Conduct and background check.
References: Three professional references confirming your character and ability.

Every serious candidate in North Carolina must meet these standards.

Step-by-Step: How to Earn CADC Certification North Carolina

Step 1. Complete Your 270 Education Hours

You’ll need addiction-focused coursework that covers topics like:

Counseling techniques
Case management
Assessment and documentation
Ethics and boundaries
Cultural competency
Professional development

If you’re working or have family responsibilities, online CADC training North Carolina programs make this easier.

Educational Enhancement CASAC Online offers a 270-hour curriculum that meets state and IC&RC education standards. You can study at your own pace, finish modules anytime, and stay supported by instructors who actually work in the field.

Step 2. Log 6,000 Hours of Supervised Experience

These hours prove you can apply what you’ve learned.
You’ll build experience by working in approved settings such as:

Outpatient treatment programs
Residential recovery centers
Community mental health agencies
Hospital-based substance use units

Already have a college degree? The NCASPPB lets you reduce experience hours depending on your education:

Associate’s degree: 5,000 hours
Bachelor’s degree: 4,000 hours
Master’s degree: 2,000 hours

Keep detailed logs of your hours and have your supervisor sign them monthly. That documentation will be part of your application.

Step 3. Complete 300 Hours of Supervision

Supervision is where skill meets accountability. These hours must include direct feedback on your counseling performance. You’ll cover the eight performance domains used in addiction counseling:

Screening
Intake
Assessment
Treatment planning
Counseling
Case management
Documentation
Professional responsibility

Supervision hours are separate from your 6,000-hour experience total. Track them carefully.

Step 4. Apply to the NCASPPB

When your education and experience hours are finished, it’s time to apply for CADC certification North Carolina.
You’ll need to submit:

Completed application form
Transcripts from your education provider
Verification of work and supervision hours
Background check
Three reference forms
Signed Code of Ethical Conduct

As of 2025, the NCASPPB application fee is $125. You can pay online or by check.

Step 5. Pass the IC&RC Exam

The exam is no joke—it’s 150 multiple-choice questions covering all eight domains of practice. You’ll have three hours to complete it.

Here’s what helps:

Take timed practice tests
Study ethics scenarios and case documentation questions
Review definitions and assessment models
Read through the IC&RC exam blueprint

The current exam fee is $150, and you can retest every 90 days if needed.

Passing this exam makes your certification official.

Step 6. Maintain and Renew Your Credential

Your CADC certification North Carolina must be renewed every two years.
Renewal requires:

40 hours of continuing education (including 3 in ethics)
Renewal fee of $150
Updated Code of Ethical Conduct

Continuing education keeps your license active and your skills current. Many counselors use renewal hours to specialize in trauma, harm reduction, or recovery coaching.

How Long Does It Take to Get CADC Certified in North Carolina

On average:

Full-time trainees: 2–3 years
Degree holders: 12–18 months
Part-time workers: Up to 4 years

It depends on how quickly you complete your hours and coursework. The good news? You can work in the field while completing your education and supervision requirements. You don’t have to wait until the end to start helping people.

What Does CADC Training North Carolina Cost

Here’s a realistic breakdown of what you’ll pay:

Education (270 hours): $2,000–$3,500 depending on provider
Application fee: $125
Exam fee: $150
Fingerprinting/background check: about $50
Renewal (every two years): $150

If you go with an online program like Educational Enhancement CASAC Online, you can often pay monthly instead of all at once. Some agencies in North Carolina even cover tuition for staff who commit to working after completion.

Job Outlook and Salary for CADC Counselors in North Carolina

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024), substance use and mental health counselors in North Carolina earn an average salary between $56,000 and $63,000 annually.
Entry-level roles start around $45,000, and experienced clinicians can earn $70,000 or more.

The job outlook is strong. The BLS projects faster-than-average growth for addiction counselors nationwide through 2032. In other words, there’s real stability here.

The Real Reason This Work Matters

I’ve watched people crawl out of the wreckage of addiction and rebuild their lives from scratch. Some were my clients. Some were my friends. A few were me.

If you’re reading this because you want to step into that kind of work, you’re already halfway there. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start.

The CADC certification North Carolina process can feel long, but every class and every hour gets you closer to a career that counts.

Ready to Begin

You can start your 270-hour CADC training North Carolina course today with Educational Enhancement CASAC Online.
It’s self-paced, approved for certification, and built for people who already have a full life but still want to build a new one.

Take the first step now. Enroll. Learn. Serve.
Your work can change someone’s tomorrow—starting with yours.

How to Get Your CADC Certification in North Carolina