California SUD Career Ladder
From the front lines to a license.
Substance use disorder counseling in California is a climb with real rungs. You start registered and supervised, then earn certification, and — with a master's degree — reach the licensed level. The ladder only goes up. Here's every step, what it takes, and where you are on it.
RADT→CADC-I→CADC-II→CADC-III→LAADC
Start where you are
Where are you on the climb?
Pick your situation and you'll jump straight to your next rung on the ladder below. You can't step down the ladder, so your next move is always forward.
Tap an option above to highlight your next step on the ladder.
Five rungs
The Substance Use Disorder ladder
Each rung stacks on the last — hours, education, and exams build toward the top. Tap any rung to open its requirements.
RADTRegistered Alcohol & Drug TechnicianEntry · Registration
The front door. You register, work under supervision in a DHCS-licensed program, and gain hours while you study. It progresses through Trainee I → Trainee II → Intern.
- Orientation 10-hour CCAPP orientation course (Ethics, Confidentiality & Boundaries)
- Education Begin a CCAPP-approved AOD program; 80 hours of core competency education within 6 months
- Work Supervised work permitted in DHCS-licensed treatment settings
- Valid for 5 years, renewed annually; you must certify within the window
- Fees $100 initial · $60 renewal · free for CCAPP members
RENEW Renew annually while you complete education and supervised hours.
Next rung: CADC-I. Finish 315 education hours, log ~3,000 supervised hours, and pass the IC&RC ADC exam.
VIEW THE RADT PAGE →Requirements, fees, and the application for this credential.
CADC-ICertified Alcohol & Drug Counselor IFirst certification
Your first true counseling credential. This is where you pass the international exam and move from technician to certified counselor.
- Education 315 hours of AOD core education from an approved provider
- Experience ~3,000 hours supervised work experience, including 255 practicum hours
- Exam Pass the IC&RC ADC examination
- Reciprocity Portable across IC&RC states once earned
RENEW Renew with 50 hours of CEUs including 9 hours of ethics.
Next rung: CADC-II at 6,000 total supervised hours — or jump to CADC-III if you hold a bachelor's degree.
VIEW THE CADC-I PAGE →Requirements, fees, and the application for this credential.
CADC-IICertified Alcohol & Drug Counselor IIExperienced counselor
The same certified scope as CADC-I, backed by roughly double the supervised experience. This is the seasoned working-counselor tier.
- Education 315 hours of AOD core education
- Experience At least 6,000 hours supervised work experience, including 255 practicum hours
- Exam Pass the IC&RC ADC examination
RENEW Renew with 50 hours of CEUs including 9 hours of ethics.
Next rung: With a bachelor's degree you can move to CADC-III; with a master's, aim straight for the LAADC licensed tier.
VIEW THE CADC-II PAGE →Requirements, fees, and the application for this credential.
CADC-IIICertified Alcohol & Drug Counselor IIIDegreed counselor
The degree-holding certified tier. A bachelor's degree lets you certify with fewer required hours than CADC-II.
- Degree Bachelor's degree in behavioral science or an allied mental health field
- Experience At least 4,000 hours supervised work experience, including 255 practicum hours
- Exam Pass the IC&RC ADC examination
RENEW Renew with 50 hours of CEUs including 6 hours of ethics.
Next rung: The summit is the LAADC — earn a master's degree, 300 advanced education hours, and pass the IC&RC AADC exam.
VIEW THE CADC-III PAGE →Requirements, fees, and the application for this credential.
LAADCLicensed Advanced Alcohol & Drug CounselorTop rung · Licensed level
The highest rung — a master's-level credential that puts CCAPP counselors on par with other licensed disciplines and opens the door to insurance billing. (A non-governmental license; not the same as LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, or LEP.)
- Degree Master's degree in behavioral science or an allied mental health profession
- Education 300 hours of advanced AOD / SUD education
- Experience At least 4,000 hours supervised work experience
- Exam Pass the IC&RC AADC examination
- Insurance Professional liability coverage: $1M per incident / $300K aggregate
RENEW Renew with ethics CE. LAADC brings nationwide reciprocity and the ability to bill many insurers.
VIEW THE LAADC PAGE →Requirements, fees, and the application for this credential.
Off the main ladder
Specialty credentials
Once you're certified, you can branch sideways to show focused expertise. These build on a CADC or LAADC with extra education and experience.
CCS
Certified Clinical Supervisor
Qualifies you to supervise counselors and verify the supervised hours that others need to advance.
CCDP
Co-Occurring Disorder Professional
Recognizes expertise treating clients with both substance use and mental health conditions.
LAADC-S
LAADC — Supervisor
The advanced, licensed-level counselor credential paired with clinical supervision authority.
CADC-CAS
Clinical / Advanced Supervisor track
Senior supervisory recognition for counselors with extensive documented experience.
The mechanics
How the ladder actually works
Where you apply
Every application and renewal runs through Certemy, CCAPP's online portal. Use one account for your whole career — don't create duplicates.
Who recognizes it
CCAPP credentials are approved by California's DHCS and accredited by NCCA. CCAPP is an IC&RC member board, so certification carries reciprocity across states and countries.
The five-year rule
An RADT registration lasts five years. You must reach full certification within that window (a hardship extension can add up to two more years).
Renewal ethics
Since July 1, 2024, every renewal needs 9 hours of ethics CE — at least 3 of them on diversity, inclusion, culture, equity, or LGBTQIA2+ topics.
The “(CA)” suffix
A credential marked (CA) came in by transfer and isn't yet eligible for national reciprocity. You can remove it by advancing and passing the matching IC&RC exam.
One direction only
The ladder is built to advance upward. You can't step down a level once you hold it — but qualified candidates can skip ahead to a higher rung.
Note: This is an unofficial informational overview of the CCAPP Substance Use Disorder career path, built to make the ladder easier to understand. Requirements, fees, and hour counts change and vary by pathway — always confirm the current details in CCAPP's official ADC/AADC Credentialing Handbook and on the credential's own page before you apply.
Official source: ccappcredentialing.org/sud-career-ladder · California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals