Two MACs, Two Organizations: NAADAC and NBCC Addiction Credentials Explained

Ask a room of addiction counselors whether they hold "the MAC" and you will get answers about two different credentials. One is NAADAC's Master Addiction Counselor, issued through the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP). The other is NBCC's Master Addictions Counselor, a specialty of the National Certified Counselor (NCC). Same abbreviation, different organizations, different rules.

NAADAC's Master Addiction Counselor (MAC)

NAADAC describes its MAC as a voluntary national and international certification for professionals working in substance use disorders and addiction. Its posted eligibility requirements:

• A master's degree or higher in substance use disorders or addiction, or a related counseling subject (social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychology, medicine), from a regionally accredited institution.
• A current credential or license as an addiction counselor or as a professional counselor, social worker, MFT, psychologist or physician, issued by a state or credentialing authority. Associate, provisional, intern and trainee credentials are not accepted.
• At least three years full-time, or 6,000 hours, of supervised experience as an addiction counselor.
• At least 500 contact hours of education and training in substance use disorders and addiction, including six hours of ethics and six hours of HIV and other pathogens training within the last six years.
• A passing score on one of three exams: NCC AP's MAC exam, NBCC's EMAC exam, or IC&RC's AADC exam.

NAADAC also offers the NCAC I and NCAC II, which sit below the MAC, plus peer recovery and other specialty credentials.

NBCC's Master Addictions Counselor (MAC)

NBCC's MAC was created jointly by NBCC and the International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors, a division of the American Counseling Association. It is a specialty for NCCs, so the NCC is a prerequisite. NBCC notes that NCCs holding the MAC are eligible to seek Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) status with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The detail that matters most right now: NBCC's MAC page says NBCC is not accepting new MAC applications at this time. Current holders maintain and recertify it. New applicants should look at NAADAC's MAC or an IC&RC credential instead.

Do either of them help you move states?

Indirectly, and less than people hope.

• Neither is a license to practice. They are national certifications. Each state has its own addiction counseling credential and decides whether to recognize a national certification as part of qualifying for it.
• IC&RC reciprocity does not accept them. IC&RC states there is no reciprocity for NAADAC credentials to IC&RC member boards, because the organizations are not affiliated. See the IC&RC reciprocity guide.
• They can still shorten an application. The exam behind your national credential may satisfy a state's exam requirement, and the documented education and supervision behind it can be reused. That depends on the state.
• They do not touch the Counseling Compact. Only professional counselor licenses qualify for compact privileges. See the compact and addiction counselors.

Which one should you pursue?

If you do not hold either: NBCC's is closed to new applicants, so the practical choice is NAADAC's MAC, an IC&RC-level credential from your state board, or both. An IC&RC reciprocal-level credential has the more concrete portability benefit, because it can transfer between member boards when you move. NAADAC's MAC is the better fit if you want a national credential that follows you regardless of state, and NAADAC accepts IC&RC's AADC exam toward it, so a counselor who has passed the AADC is part of the way there.

If you already hold NBCC's MAC, keep it current. It will not be easy to get back if it lapses while NBCC is closed to new applicants.

We track national certification renewals alongside state licenses in our Annual Renewal and CE Compliance service, and handle addiction credential moves through Addiction Counselor Reciprocity or a Full Addiction Counselor Application.