Counselors: The practice of clinical mental health counseling requires a license (26 V.S.A. 3262). Under 11 V.S.A. 4011(g), an LLC that renders professional services may do so only on the conditions that apply to a professional corporation: members are treated as shareholders and must be authorized to render the service (11 V.S.A. 830), and the name must contain "Professional," "PLC" or "PLLC." An LLC formed on those terms (a PLLC) is available. Whether an ordinary LLC or a professional corporation (11 V.S.A. 820) may be used depends on whether clinical mental health counseling is a "professional service" under 11 V.S.A. 817(6), which covers only services that a business corporation under Title 11A may not lawfully render. The licensing statutes and the Office of Professional Regulation rules do not say whether a business corporation may provide this service through licensed employees. The Office of Professional Regulation can answer this; until then the PLLC is the safe choice.
Marriage and family therapists: The practice of marriage and family therapy requires a license (26 V.S.A. 4033). Under 11 V.S.A. 4011(g), an LLC that renders professional services may do so only on the conditions that apply to a professional corporation: members are treated as shareholders and must be authorized to render the service (11 V.S.A. 830), and the name must contain "Professional," "PLC" or "PLLC." An LLC formed on those terms (a PLLC) is available. Whether an ordinary LLC or a professional corporation (11 V.S.A. 820) may be used depends on whether marriage and family therapy is a "professional service" under 11 V.S.A. 817(6), which covers only services that a business corporation under Title 11A may not lawfully render. The licensing statutes and the Office of Professional Regulation rules do not say whether a business corporation may provide this service through licensed employees. The Office of Professional Regulation can answer this; until then the PLLC is the safe choice.
Social workers: The practice of independent clinical social work requires a license (26 V.S.A. 3202). Under 11 V.S.A. 4011(g), an LLC that renders professional services may do so only on the conditions that apply to a professional corporation: members are treated as shareholders and must be authorized to render the service (11 V.S.A. 830), and the name must contain "Professional," "PLC" or "PLLC." An LLC formed on those terms (a PLLC) is available. Whether an ordinary LLC or a professional corporation (11 V.S.A. 820) may be used depends on whether independent clinical social work is a "professional service" under 11 V.S.A. 817(6), which covers only services that a business corporation under Title 11A may not lawfully render. The licensing statutes and the Office of Professional Regulation rules do not say whether a business corporation may provide this service through licensed employees. The Office of Professional Regulation can answer this; until then the PLLC is the safe choice.
Psychologists: The practice of psychology requires a license (26 V.S.A. 3002). Under 11 V.S.A. 4011(g), an LLC that renders professional services may do so only on the conditions that apply to a professional corporation: members are treated as shareholders and must be authorized to render the service (11 V.S.A. 830), and the name must contain "Professional," "PLC" or "PLLC." An LLC formed on those terms (a PLLC) is available. Whether an ordinary LLC or a professional corporation (11 V.S.A. 820) may be used depends on whether psychology is a "professional service" under 11 V.S.A. 817(6), which covers only services that a business corporation under Title 11A may not lawfully render. The licensing statutes and the Office of Professional Regulation rules do not say whether a business corporation may provide this service through licensed employees. The psychology statutes refer to a person "who has invested anything of value in a business that provides psychological services" (26 V.S.A. 3001(8)(C)), and the Board of Psychological Examiners rules refer to psychologists employed by a "corporation or other form of business organization," which suggests a business corporation may provide psychological services through licensed psychologists. The Office of Professional Regulation can answer this; until then the PLLC is the safe choice.
