Counselors
LPC- LLC
- Yes
- PLLC
- Yes
- Professional corporation
- Yes
Licensing board: Michigan Board of Counseling (LARA BPL)
Join the waitlist for your counseling practiceLoading the guide
Which business structures each therapy license may use, where to file and what it costs, the taxes to expect, and the order to do it in. Every fee shows the date we checked it.
For all four licenses, we confirmed: LLC and PLLC and Professional corporation. A sole proprietorship works in every state and needs no company filing.
From state law and board rules as we last read them, not advice for your situation. “Yes” means we confirmed it. When we could not, the card says to confirm with your board.
Licensing board: Michigan Board of Counseling (LARA BPL)
Join the waitlist for your counseling practiceLicensing board: Michigan Board of Marriage and Family Therapy (LARA BPL)
Join the waitlist for your marriage and family therapy practiceLicensing board: Michigan Board of Social Work (LARA BPL)
Join the waitlist for your social work practiceLicensing board: Michigan Board of Psychology (LARA BPL)
Join the waitlist for your psychology practiceCounselors: A Michigan LLC may be formed for any lawful purpose a corporation or partnership could pursue, and only an LLC that provides services in a learned profession must comply with the professional LLC article (MCL 450.4201). Services in a learned profession are those of dentists, osteopathic physicians, physicians, surgeons, clergy and attorneys (MCL 450.4102(2)(t)), so this practice may use an ordinary LLC. It may instead organize as a professional LLC (MCL 450.4901(1)); every member and manager of a professional LLC providing a Public Health Code service must be licensed in that same service (MCL 450.4904(2)). A professional corporation is also available: a corporation providing professional services that are not services in a learned profession may incorporate as a professional corporation (MCL 450.1281(1)), a professional service is one that requires a license as a condition precedent (MCL 450.1282(b)), and each shareholder must be licensed in the same service (MCL 450.1284(1)). Counseling requires a license (MCL 333.18105(2)). Neither the counseling part of the Public Health Code nor the Counseling General Rules (R 338.1751 to R 338.1781) require a particular business entity.
Marriage and family therapists: A Michigan LLC may be formed for any lawful purpose a corporation or partnership could pursue, and only an LLC that provides services in a learned profession must comply with the professional LLC article (MCL 450.4201). Services in a learned profession are those of dentists, osteopathic physicians, physicians, surgeons, clergy and attorneys (MCL 450.4102(2)(t)), so this practice may use an ordinary LLC. It may instead organize as a professional LLC (MCL 450.4901(1)); every member and manager of a professional LLC providing a Public Health Code service must be licensed in that same service (MCL 450.4904(2)). A professional corporation is also available: a corporation providing professional services that are not services in a learned profession may incorporate as a professional corporation (MCL 450.1281(1)), a professional service is one that requires a license as a condition precedent (MCL 450.1282(b)), and each shareholder must be licensed in the same service (MCL 450.1284(1)). Practicing a health profession regulated by article 15 of the Public Health Code without a license is a felony (MCL 333.16294), and only licensees may advertise marriage and family therapy services (MCL 333.16903(2)). Neither part 169 nor the Marriage and Family Therapy General Rules (R 338.7201 to R 338.7219) require a particular business entity.
Social workers: A Michigan LLC may be formed for any lawful purpose a corporation or partnership could pursue, and only an LLC that provides services in a learned profession must comply with the professional LLC article (MCL 450.4201). Services in a learned profession are those of dentists, osteopathic physicians, physicians, surgeons, clergy and attorneys (MCL 450.4102(2)(t)), so this practice may use an ordinary LLC. It may instead organize as a professional LLC (MCL 450.4901(1)); every member and manager of a professional LLC providing a Public Health Code service must be licensed in that same service (MCL 450.4904(2)). A professional corporation is also available: a corporation providing professional services that are not services in a learned profession may incorporate as a professional corporation (MCL 450.1281(1)), a professional service is one that requires a license as a condition precedent (MCL 450.1282(b)), and each shareholder must be licensed in the same service (MCL 450.1284(1)). Social work at the bachelor's or master's level requires a license (MCL 333.18504(1)). Neither part 185 nor the Social Work General Rules (R 338.2921 to R 338.2965) require a particular business entity.
Psychologists: A Michigan LLC may be formed for any lawful purpose a corporation or partnership could pursue, and only an LLC that provides services in a learned profession must comply with the professional LLC article (MCL 450.4201). Services in a learned profession are those of dentists, osteopathic physicians, physicians, surgeons, clergy and attorneys (MCL 450.4102(2)(t)), so this practice may use an ordinary LLC. It may instead organize as a professional LLC (MCL 450.4901(1)); every member and manager of a professional LLC providing a Public Health Code service must be licensed in that same service (MCL 450.4904(2)). A professional corporation is also available: a corporation providing professional services that are not services in a learned profession may incorporate as a professional corporation (MCL 450.1281(1)), a professional service is one that requires a license as a condition precedent (MCL 450.1282(b)), and each shareholder must be licensed in the same service (MCL 450.1284(1)). Psychology requires a license (MCL 333.18211(1)). Neither part 182 nor the Psychology General Rules (R 338.2501 to R 338.2585) require a particular business entity.
$50 nonrefundable fee per Form CSCL/CD 700 (Rev. 07/25). The form may be completed and submitted online at michigan.gov/corpfileonline. Optional expedited review costs extra ($50 for 24-hour service on formation documents).
$50 nonrefundable fee per Form CSCL/CD 701 (Rev. 07/25). Article II must state the professional service the company will render. Optional expedited review costs extra ($50 for 24-hour service on formation documents).
Form CSCL/CD 501 (Rev. 07/25): an organization fee based on authorized shares ($50 for 1 to 60,000 shares) plus a $10 nonrefundable fee, so the minimum total is $60. More authorized shares cost more ($100, $300 or $500 tiers).
This is an estimate, added up from the fees on this page: the state filing fee, the first annual report or yearly state fee, and any flat minimum tax our data names. It leaves out board application fees, a registered agent company, expedited filing, newspaper notices, name reservations, local licenses and income tax. The state sets the real amounts.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $50 |
| First annual report or yearly state feeOur research could not confirm this amount. Not counted in the total. | $75 (not counted) |
| Known state costs in year one (not complete) | $50 |
Shown but not counted in the total, because it may not apply in year one or is unconfirmed: First annual report or yearly state fee.
Does not include state taxes unless a flat minimum is listed above.
Some details of these fees are unconfirmed. Read the fee notes in the filing section.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $50 |
| First annual report or yearly state feeOur research could not confirm this amount. Not counted in the total. | $75 (not counted) |
| Known state costs in year one (not complete) | $50 |
Shown but not counted in the total, because it may not apply in year one or is unconfirmed: First annual report or yearly state fee.
Does not include state taxes unless a flat minimum is listed above.
Some details of these fees are unconfirmed. Read the fee notes in the filing section.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $60 |
| First annual report or yearly state feeOur research could not confirm this amount. Not counted in the total. | $75 (not counted) |
| Known state costs in year one (not complete) | $60 |
Shown but not counted in the total, because it may not apply in year one or is unconfirmed: First annual report or yearly state fee.
Does not include state taxes unless a flat minimum is listed above.
Some details of these fees are unconfirmed. Read the fee notes in the filing section.
Check with the state tax agency which state taxes apply to your business type before you file. Its official pages are linked below.
City and county: Michigan has no statewide business license for this; local zoning and home occupation rules vary by city or township. No specific municipal URL verified. Ask your city or county whether a local business license or home occupation permit applies to a practice like yours.
Ask an accountant before you choose how the company is taxed. This page does not tell you which tax treatment to pick.
The order below follows the rules we found for Michigan. A board approval or a newspaper notice changes where a task falls, so a different state may order these differently.
Your Michigan licensing board can add its own rules to the state's business law. Read them for your license before you file anything.
Check that no one in the state already has the name, and follow the state's name rules for professional practices.
The state requires a registered agent with a street address in the state. That can be you, if you have a street address in the state, or a registered agent company.
Use the form and fee for the structure you chose, listed above.
It is free. Apply only on irs.gov, after the state approves your filing.
You may already have one. Get a second, organization number only if your practice is a company that bills under its own name.
Bring your state filing, EIN letter and ID. Keeping practice money in its own account keeps your records clean.
Ask your city or county whether a local business license or home occupation permit applies to a practice like yours.
Put your yearly report and any state taxes on your calendar so your company stays in good standing.
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Last checked: Oct 18, 2026. We change this date only when someone re-checks the facts, never when the page is rebuilt.
We checked these facts against the official sources listed below, including the state filing office and the licensing boards.
See a mistake? Email us a correction. Please do not include any client or personal information.