The Department may issue a license as a licensed professional counselor or licensed clinical professional counselor, without the required examination, to (i) an applicant licensed under the laws of another state or United States jurisdiction whose standards in the opinion of the Department, were substantially equivalent at the date of his or her licensure in the other jurisdiction to the requirements of this Act or (ii) any person who, at the time of licensure, possessed individual qualifications which were substantially equivalent to the requirements of this Act. Such an applicant shall pay all of the required fees.
     An individual applying for licensure as a clinical professional counselor who has been licensed at the independent level in another United States jurisdiction for 5 consecutive years without discipline is not required to submit proof of completion of the education, supervised employment, or experience required in subsection (b) of Section 45. Individuals with 5 consecutive years of experience must submit certified verification of licensure from the jurisdiction in which the applicant practiced and must comply with all other licensing requirements and pay all required fees.
     If the accuracy of any submitted documentation or the relevance or sufficiency of the course work or experience is questioned by the Department or the Board because of a lack of information, discrepancies or conflicts in information given, or a need for clarification, the applicant seeking licensure may be required to provide additional information.
     Applicants have 3 years from the date of application to complete the application process. If the process has not been completed within 3 years, the application shall be denied, the fee forfeited, and the applicant must reapply and meet the requirements in effect at the time of reapplication.