Methods and apparatuses for PDCCH candidate indication and determination. A method of operating a UE includes transmitting a first capability value and receiving a configuration of NcellsDL,μ downlink cells scheduled by PDCCHs with SCS configuration μ and a configuration of a first group index for first CORESETs and of a second group index for second CORESETs per cell for Ncells,1DL,μ cells from the NcellsDL,μ. The method further includes determining a total number MPDCCHtotal,slot,μ of PDCCH candidates per slot based on the first capability value, a number of the Ncells,1DL,μ cells, and a number of Ncells,0DL,μ cells for each SCS configuration μ, where Ncells,0DL,μ=NcellsDL,μ−Ncells,1DL,μ. The method also includes receiving, per cell from the NcellsDL,μ cells and per slot, a number of PDCCH candidates that is not larger than the minimum of: the total number MPDCCHtotal,slot,μ of PDCCH candidates per slot and a maximum predefined number MPDCCHmax,slot,μ of PDCCH candidates per slot.