Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing Requirements by State

If you hold a California license

Alabama licenses by endorsement. A licensed MFT from any of the other 49 states is automatically eligible for Alabama licensure by endorsement once the Board verifies good moral character, evidence of licensure, certification of no disciplinary action, and a graduate three-semester-credit (or four-quarter-credit) course in mental health diagnosis. The origin state must have licensure requirements equivalent to or exceeding Alabama's. No examination is required for endorsement. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Alaska licenses an already-licensed out-of-state therapist through licensure by credentials. The board shall issue the license to a person who is licensed or certified to practice marital and family therapy in another state whose requirements are substantially equal to or greater than Alaska's, and who meets the application, fee, and good-conduct items of AS 08.63.100(a). By rule the applicant submits verification of the current license, the home state's statutes and regulations, satisfactory evidence that the applicant's qualifications are equivalent to AS 08.63.100, and a completed Alaska Jurisprudence Questionnaire. The national MFT examination is not restated for this route. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Licensure by endorsement (A.R.S. 32-3274): the board MAY issue a license if currently licensed in another state at a substantially equivalent or higher practice level, held for at least one year in good standing, with a master's-or-higher in the field, the required national exam, fee, and licensure verification/disciplinary history [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Universal recognition (A.R.S. 32-4302): a license SHALL be issued to a person who establishes Arizona residence and is currently licensed in good standing in another state in the same discipline/level for at least one year, met that state's education/experience requirements, previously passed any exam that state required, with a clean record and fees [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Licensure by endorsement: under Act 858 of 2025 (Ark. Code 17-27-308(b)), the Board shall issue licensure by endorsement to an LMFT whose license from another state is in good standing, who has no disqualifying criminal offense, and who has no complaint, allegation, or investigation pending in any jurisdiction. The Board's rule (17 CAR 75-901) asks for a License Verification Form, Statement of Intent, transcript, references, and proof of good standing. An applicant who has held a full license for fewer than three years also needs Board approval of their supervision hours (17 CAR 75-401(c)). Act 858 sets no AMFTRB condition, and the Board's rule also provides for waiving the AMFTRB for endorsement applicants (17 CAR 75-901(b)(4)); the Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam is still required (17 CAR 75-602(c)). [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Automatic occupational licensure under Act 457 of 2023: an Arkansas resident in good standing for at least one year with a similar-scope license from another state is granted licensure upon paying the fee, proving residency and qualification, and passing the Board's jurisprudence exam (which the Board may waive for sufficient education, training, and experience). The applicant then has one year to complete remaining requirements, including the criminal background check. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Home state: not applicable for a CA LMFT. (Inbound out-of-state LMFTs use CA Path A if licensed 2+ years, else Path B.) [Not applicable Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Licensure by endorsement runs through the Occupational Credential Portability Program. An applicant holding a current, unrestricted, good-standing out-of-state MFT license qualifies by EITHER (A) proving an MFT master's or doctoral degree (accredited or equivalent), attesting to a passed national OR state MFT exam, and attesting to two years of post-master's (or one year postdoctoral) supervised practice prior to original licensure, or two years of active practice averaging at least 20 hours per week; OR (B) proving they have held a substantially-similar-scope MFT license in good standing for at least one year. All endorsement applicants must also pass the Colorado jurisprudence exam, be at least 21, submit license verifications, and attest to disciplinary and criminal history. No Colorado residency is required. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Licensure without examination: since October 1, 2025 (Public Act 25-76), the department may grant a license without examination to an applicant currently licensed or certified as a marital or marriage and family therapist in another state, territory or commonwealth, with no review of whether that state's standards are equivalent to Connecticut's. No license is issued if disciplinary action is pending or a complaint is unresolved. The Department of Public Health's waiver-of-examination page has not been updated: it still asks for standards similar to or higher than Connecticut's and for degree, practicum, experience and supervision verification, so confirm current requirements with the department. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: The Department of Public Health also licenses an applicant who holds a current license in at least one other U.S. jurisdiction and has practiced for at least four years, with every license in good standing, no discipline, and no complaint, allegation or investigation pending; no transcripts, training verification or examination are required. Public Act 25-76 repealed the former route that let a licensee from a state with lower standards substitute three years of licensed work experience for the practicum and postgraduate experience requirements. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: If the applicant holds a current license in good standing in another state whose standards for licensure are substantially similar to Delaware's, the Board shall grant a license. The Board compares the other state's law and rules to Delaware's; this route does not restate a national-exam requirement, so an applicant who has not passed the AMFTRB can pursue it. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: If the applicant's licensing jurisdiction is NOT substantially similar to Delaware, the applicant may still be licensed by holding a license in good standing for at least five years in the jurisdiction applied from and having passed the AMFTRB national examination or other MFT licensing exam acceptable to the Board, provided all other reciprocity qualifications are met. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Endorsement on education-and-experience equivalence: the Board shall issue a license to a marriage and family therapist holding a valid unrestricted license from another United States jurisdiction or Canada if, when that license was granted, the person met the District's education and experience requirements (DCMR 17-7702.1 through 17-7704.4) and any applicable Board rules. This prong does not restate the national examination. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Endorsement on substantial equivalence: alternatively, the Board shall issue a license to a marriage and family therapist holding a valid unrestricted license from another United States jurisdiction or Canada if the requirements of that jurisdiction are, at the time of application, substantially equivalent to the District's requirements in the marriage-and-family-therapy chapter. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Mobile Endorsement (s. 456.0145 F.S.): active unencumbered license with similar scope; a passing national licensure exam score OR a national certification recognized by the board; and active practice 2 of the last 4 years [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Expedited license by endorsement (since July 1, 2024): the board must issue within 30 days to an applicant who holds a current, valid, unrestricted out-of-state MFT license in good standing and is not under investigation or in a disciplinary proceeding there, with no disqualifying criminal record and verified lawful U.S. presence. No exam, no substantial-equivalence review, no years-in-practice test. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Hawaii's reciprocity statute lets the director enter a reciprocity agreement with another state whose requirements are deemed at least as stringent as Hawaii's, and issue a license to a therapist licensed there. In practice the current application states there is no reciprocity (recognition of out-of-state MFT licensure). [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: The application's 'endorsement' route only recognizes applicants who have already taken and passed the NMFT (AMFTRB) exam in another state, by transferring an official score from AMFTRB or PTC. It is an exam-score transfer, not a degree or experience waiver, and the applicant must still meet all other Hawaii requirements (or be exempt as an AAMFT Clinical Fellow from the education and experience documentation). [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Endorsement under Idaho Code 54-3406: the Board may grant a license to a person currently licensed as an LMFT (or LAMFT, LPC, or LCPC) by another state who meets the qualifications established by board rule. Because the board-rule qualifications include the AMFTRB examination (IDAPA 24.15.01.100.04.d), endorsement does not by its terms waive the exam. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Universal licensure under Idaho Code 67-9409: a person with current, valid, and unrestricted licensure in another state who demonstrates competency through board-determined methods shall be issued a license. The board may not add competency methods beyond the standard licensing process and may not impose a jurisprudence exam, but if it administers an examination it may require the applicant to pass all or part of it as necessary to demonstrate competence. There is no approved or disapproved jurisdiction list and California is not named. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Endorsement: hold a license/registration from another state and document the Illinois education (1283.30), 3,000 hours work experience, 200 hours supervision, 1,000 hours clinical experience, and successful completion of the AMFTRB national exam [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: If licensed without discipline at the independent level in another U.S. jurisdiction for at least 30 months during the 5 consecutive years before applying: not required to submit proof of education, professional experience, or supervision; must still verify licensure, comply with all other licensing requirements (IDFPR still requires proof of the AMFTRB exam), and pay all fees [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Indiana licenses out-of-state MFTs through Ind. Code 25-23.6-8-9.5: the board shall issue a license within 30 days if the applicant holds a valid out-of-state MFT license, has passed an examination substantially equivalent to the level sought, has no pending discipline, and pays a fee. The board reads the exam requirement as the AMFTRB exam, with discretion to accept a substantially equivalent clinical-skills exam. The general no-exam reciprocity statute (IC 25-1-21) is not available to MFTs. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: An applicant who has been a licensed marital and family therapist under the laws of another jurisdiction may be licensed by endorsement by submitting a completed application, paying the fee, and providing verification of the license from the most recent jurisdiction. The statute frames this as available where the other jurisdiction's licensure requirements are similar to Iowa's. No national or state examination is restated on this route. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: An applicant who cannot satisfy endorsement may be licensed by verification under Iowa's universal-recognition statute, which issues a license without examination to a person currently licensed in another jurisdiction with a substantially similar scope of practice and in good standing, provided the origin jurisdiction imposed minimum education and (where applicable) experience and supervision requirements that it verifies, and the person previously passed any examination that jurisdiction required. For marital and family therapy, Iowa residency is not required. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Licensure by reciprocity where the board determines the origin state's standards are substantially equivalent to Kansas's. For the clinical (LCMFT) license, the applicant also demonstrates competence to diagnose and treat mental disorders by at least two of three means (15 graduate clinical credit hours or a national clinical exam; three years of clinical practice; or professional attestation). No Kansas examination is required. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Licensure by reciprocity based on practice rather than equivalence: K.S.A. 65-6406(a)(2), as amended in 2023, requires at least 12 months of licensure immediately preceding the application, no serious disciplinary action, and at least a master's degree in marriage and family therapy or a related field from a regionally accredited university. Clinical (LCMFT) applicants add the clinical-competence demonstration. The board's regulation, K.A.R. 102-5-4b, still describes five continuous years of licensure and practice, so confirm the current requirement with the board. No Kansas examination is required. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Since July 15, 2026, KRS 335.336 requires the board to license an applicant who holds an active license from another state to practice as an independent marriage and family therapist, is in good standing and of good moral character, has no serious disciplinary action, has met the examination requirement, and pays the application fee. The applicant is exempt from Kentucky's education and supervised-experience requirements. The current regulation names only the AMFTRB national examination, so a California LMFT who has not passed it must take it. A proposed rule (201 KAR 32:030 and new 201 KAR 32:046) would also accept the California BBS LMFT Clinical Examination for endorsement applicants; it is not yet in effect. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Endorsement at one year or more of practice: the board shall issue a license to a person who has been licensed as a marriage and family therapist and has actively practiced for at least one year in another jurisdiction, on application, payment of the fee, documentation of at least 40 continuing-education hours within two years, and good standing in all jurisdictions. No examination is required on this route. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Endorsement at less than one year of practice: the board shall issue a license to a person licensed as a marriage and family therapist for less than one year in another jurisdiction whose licensing requirements are substantially equivalent to or exceed Louisiana's, on application and fee, proof of having passed the AMFTRB examination or an examination that would be substantially equivalent as determined by the Marriage and Family Therapy Advisory Committee, and good standing. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: An applicant licensed in good standing in a jurisdiction that has not entered into a reciprocal agreement with Maine may qualify for licensure by showing they have held a substantially equivalent, valid license for at least five consecutive years immediately preceding application, at the level applied for. This route does not restate the national exam, but 32 M.R.S. §13858 requires every applicant to pass the examination the board prescribes, which for marriage and family therapists is the AMFTRB. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: An applicant who does not meet the five-year route may qualify by showing their qualifications are substantially similar to Maine's chapter requirements (32 M.R.S. §13857(2)(C)). Maine also operates a universal license-by-endorsement process (10 M.R.S. 8003-H and board rules Chapter 6-A): an applicant licensed in a jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements who is in good standing, has no cause for denial, and pays the fee may be licensed by endorsement, but for an LMFT the rule's equivalence standard includes a master's degree in marital, couple, and family counseling or therapy of at least 60 semester hours and a passing score on the AMFTRB examination. No jurisprudence exam applies. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Maryland's endorsement pathway: an MFT licensed (or its board-established equivalent) as a clinical MFT in another jurisdiction is eligible for the LCMFT by submitting the out-of-state application with a copy of the current license, good-standing and no-discipline documentation, the fee, a passing result on the Maryland Title 17 and COMAR assessment (the MLA), and a criminal background check. The national exam is waived by law and there is no years-in-practice minimum. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Licensure by reciprocal recognition (262 CMR 3.04, revised 2026) for an applicant licensed as an MFT in another state: a final transcript showing Massachusetts's degree and education requirements are met, a passing AMFTRB exam score or the equivalent, and proof that the license has been in good standing for the three years before applying. The statute (M.G.L. c. 112, §166) also directs the board to license without examination an applicant licensed in a comparable field in another state whose requirements the board finds equivalent to or higher than Massachusetts's. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Licensure by endorsement (R 338.7213, eff. Nov 16, 2023): show a current and full out-of-state MFT license and a passing score on either the AMFTRB exam or the California Clinical Examination, plus the disciplinary-disclosure requirements. No years-in-practice minimum. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Licensure by reciprocity under Minn. Stat. 148B.35 as amended in 2026: the board issues a license to an applicant who holds a current, valid and unrestricted MFT license from another jurisdiction, is in good standing in each jurisdiction where licensed with no disciplinary action or pending investigation, has no disqualifying criminal conviction, applies and pays the fees, and has passed a Minnesota jurisprudence exam. The 2026 law removed the test of whether the other state's standards were at least equivalent, and it does not list the national exam. The board's reciprocity rule (Minn. R. 5300.0250), which its website still cites, has not been amended and still requires a reciprocity applicant who never passed the national exam to pass it; the board's October 2026 reciprocity application asks only for the Minnesota exam, and a proposed rule revision would drop that requirement for applicants licensed at least two years and accept the California LMFT Clinical Examination for those licensed less than two years. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Endorsement by examination of credentials: the board may license an applicant licensed at least one year for independent marriage and family therapy practice in another state with requirements equivalent to Mississippi's, provided the applicant has passed the national AMFTRB Examination in Marital and Family Therapy, has no disciplinary history, and pays the fee. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Endorsement for residents under the Universal Recognition of Occupational License Act: the board must issue a license to an applicant who has established Mississippi residence and held an independent marriage and family therapy license for one year in another state that had education, work experience, examination, and clinical supervision requirements, with no disqualifying history. A temporary practice permit issues within 30 days; the license decision comes within 120 days. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: A therapist holding a current out-of-state MFT license may be granted a Missouri LMFT without examination if the committee determines the other state's requirements are substantially the same as Missouri's, the applicant's licensing board verifies a current license, and the applicant consents to a disciplinary-history check. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Under RSMo 324.009, an applicant licensed for at least one year in another state, and in good standing there, has Missouri's examination, education and experience requirements waived if that state had minimum education, experience and supervision requirements and verifies that the applicant met them. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option C: An applicant who qualifies under neither route, for example one licensed for less than a year in a state whose requirements are not substantially equivalent, or one from a state with no MFT law, must meet the standard requirements (RSMo 337.715.1; 20 CSR 2233-2.030(6)): the degree, core coursework, at least 1,500 hours of supervised direct client contact (20 CSR 2233-2.020(8)), and the AMFTRB exam (20 CSR 2233-2.040). [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: An applicant who holds a current, active license in good standing in another state whose standards are substantially equivalent to Montana's may be licensed by endorsement on that basis. On this route the board does not separately restate the national exam or the supervised-experience hours; the substantial equivalence of the out-of-state license carries the applicant. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: If the out-of-state license is substantially equivalent except for lesser education, the applicant can qualify by holding a master's degree in the profession from an accredited institution of at least 48 semester (72 quarter) credits plus 10,000 hours of post-degree experience in the profession (ARM 24.219.402(4), amended effective August 22, 2026), along with the 3,000 supervised hours. A non-equivalent out-of-state license is subject to board review and approval. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Nebraska shall issue, based on licensure in another jurisdiction, both a mental health practitioner license (LMHP or LIMHP) and a Certified Marriage and Family Therapist certificate to a marriage and family therapist who holds a valid, independent, and unrestricted MFT license in another state or territory in good standing, completes an application and pays the fees, and passes the Nebraska jurisprudence examination. No national (AMFTRB) examination is required on this route. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Nebraska also has a general reciprocity provision: the department may issue a license based on out-of-state licensure to an applicant who meets Nebraska's requirements or substantially equivalent requirements, or who has been in active practice in the discipline for at least five years following initial licensure or certification in another jurisdiction and has passed the Nebraska jurisprudence examination. The Uniform Credentialing Act separately allows application for an equivalent credential held in another jurisdiction. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Expedited licensure by endorsement: the board must issue a license by endorsement to an applicant who holds a corresponding valid and unrestricted out-of-state MFT license, has no disciplinary history and no malpractice liability, and submits fingerprints, an affidavit, and fees. Notice is given within 15 business days and the license issues within 45 days of a complete application; a provisional license is available in the interim. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Licensure by endorsement through the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (RSA 310:17), implemented for marriage and family therapists by Plc 313.37. The office shall issue a license to a professional with an active license in good standing from another jurisdiction whose licensing requirements are substantially similar to New Hampshire's. For MFTs, the substantially-similar criteria expressly include passing the AMFTRB national examination, so a California license (built on California's own exam) does not facially meet the exam criterion; an applicant whose jurisdiction does not meet the criteria may request a waiver based on education, training, and actual work experience. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: None currently. The board's former substantial-equivalence route under RSA 330-A:26, which waived supervised experience and training after five years of licensed practice, was repealed effective September 13, 2025, so Option A is the route. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Only out-of-state route is 'Licensure by credentials': the board issues a license if the other state's requirements are 'substantially equivalent' to New Jersey's. No time-in-practice shortcut, no automatic reciprocity, no stated exam waiver. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

New Mexico offers expedited licensure by credentials (the reciprocity route) to a qualified applicant who holds a current out-of-state license in good standing, has a master's or doctoral degree from an accredited institution, has practiced at least two consecutive years, and is from an 'eligible jurisdiction.' HOWEVER, California is on New Mexico's list of DISAPPROVED jurisdictions for LMFT credentials, on the ground that California's education, training, or examination requirements are not consistent with New Mexico's minimum requirements. A California LMFT is therefore NOT eligible for the credentials route and must apply by examination, passing the AMFTRB. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: With at least 5 years of licensed practice in the 10 years before applying: endorsement available; must also have met the other jurisdiction's requirements AND have AMFTRB submit exam scores (no other scores accepted) [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: With fewer than 5 years of licensed practice in the last 10: not eligible for endorsement; must apply as an initial-licensure applicant [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

License by reciprocity: be licensed and actively practicing at least two continuous years and currently licensed as an MFT in another state, with an unrestricted license in good standing, no unresolved complaints anywhere, and a passing score on the national MFT exam OR the California clinical exam [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Licensure by endorsement (examination of credentials): the board shall issue a license to an applicant licensed as a marriage and family therapist in another state if the standards in effect when the applicant was licensed are at least equivalent to or exceed North Dakota's current requirements. If the applicant was licensed without passing the AMFTRB written examination, the applicant may apply by endorsement only after passing that examination; and all endorsement applicants must pass the North Dakota state (oral) examination. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Five-year education shortcut within endorsement: if the applicant has been licensed continuously as a marriage and family therapist in a United States jurisdiction for the five years preceding the application, the educational requirements for licensure are considered satisfied; if licensed for less than five years, the board determines whether the educational requirements are met. This shortcut reaches only education, not the AMFTRB written exam or the North Dakota state oral exam. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Reciprocal IMFT: if actively licensed at the full independent level in another state, apply for the Ohio IMFT under reciprocity (license verification, exam scores, Laws and Rules video, BCI/FBI checks) [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Endorsement Option A (OAC 86:15-13-8(3)): the board shall issue a license by endorsement to an applicant whose out-of-state license is active and in good standing with no history of suspension or revocation, who meets the qualifications of 59 O.S. 1925.6(A), (B), and (C), holds a qualifying regionally accredited degree, takes and passes the 1925.7 examination unless the applicant has passed a written marital and family therapist examination the board judges substantially equivalent, and takes and passes the Oklahoma LMFT Examination. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Endorsement Option B (OAC 86:15-13-8(4)), the fallback if the applicant cannot meet Option A: the board shall issue a license by endorsement to an applicant whose out-of-state license is active, in good standing, and allows independent unsupervised practice with no history of suspension or revocation, who meets the qualifications of 59 O.S. 1925.6(A) and (B), holds a qualifying regionally accredited degree, and takes and passes the Oklahoma LMFT Examination. This option does not require any national examination. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Reciprocity: an applicant holding a current, active, equivalent out-of-state MFT license may be licensed if the originating state's requirements are at least equivalent to Oregon's, meeting Oregon's education, experience, and examination standards. Three or more years of out-of-state licensure is presumed to meet the experience requirement and replaces the degree-field, credit-hour, coursework and practicum requirements, but the degree must still come from a COAMFTE or CACREP program, a regionally accredited institution, or an evaluated foreign program; the Oregon law and rules exam still applies. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Endorsement without examination: hold a current out-of-state license in good standing, meet the education and supervised-experience requirements, and have actively practiced 5 of the last 7 years [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Act 41 portability: substantially equivalent licensing requirements, active and in good standing, no discipline/conviction, and active practice 2 of the last 5 years [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Licensure by endorsement under R.I. Gen. Laws 5-63.2-15: a marriage and family therapist license may be issued, in the discretion of the board, without examination, to an applicant licensed or certified in another state whose requirements are equivalent to or exceed Rhode Island's. The rule's automatic-equivalency safe harbor (11.3.9) is written only for CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counselors, so MFT endorsement is a discretionary, case-by-case equivalency determination. The board's current MFT application, revised July 29, 2026, states that exam results are not required for an endorsement applicant licensed for at least one year in another state. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Licensure by endorsement: an applicant holding a current, active, unrestricted out-of-state MFT license in good standing, with no pending investigations, may be licensed at an equivalent credential level by certifying familiarity with South Carolina's statutes, regulations, and Code of Ethics and providing board-required documentation. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Licensure by endorsement under SDCL 36-33-45: the board may issue a license to an applicant licensed in another state who (1) has been licensed and under that jurisdiction for at least three years before applying, (2) is in good standing, (3) has been in active practice during that period (active practice means at least 1,500 hours of clinical experience), (4) passed a standard national examination approved by the board, and (5) has no record of unprofessional conduct or pending discipline. The national exam is mandatory; the three-year and 1,500-hour thresholds are layered on top of it, not a substitute. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Temporary-license bridge under SDCL 36-33-46: if a marriage and family therapist licensed in another state has not passed the national examination required for endorsement, the board may issue a temporary license to practice for up to 90 days. The temporary license automatically expires upon passing the required national examination or at the end of its term, whichever occurs first, and may be renewed only once. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Licensure by endorsement under T.C.A. 63-22-103 as amended by Public Chapter 737 of 2026, in effect since July 1, 2026: the board shall license an applicant licensed to practice independently in another state or territory on receipt of a completed endorsement application and fees, documentation of each marriage and family therapy license held and its disciplinary status, successful completion of the Tennessee jurisprudence examination, proof of age 18 or older, and evidence of good moral character and professional ethics. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Licensure without examination under the same section: the board shall license without examination an applicant licensed to practice independently and in good standing in another state or territory whose qualifications meet Tennessee's requirements. Neither route requires the AMFTRB exam, and the former endorsement route based on AAMFT clinical membership no longer exists. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Out-of-state LMFTs apply with: exam scores, transcript, supervised-experience verification, the Texas Jurisprudence Exam, license verification, NPDB self-query, and fingerprints. A California LMFT who passed the California exam for the full independent license has the BBS send license verification with attestation of those exam scores directly to Texas, in place of an AMFTRB score [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Utah issues a license by endorsement, without examination, to an applicant licensed in another state if the division determines the out-of-state license has a similar scope of practice, the applicant has at least one year of experience practicing under it, and the license is in good standing. This general endorsement statute controls over any conflicting endorsement provision in the MFT chapter. A discretionary competency-based route also exists. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: Endorsement by substantial equivalence under 26 V.S.A. 4039 and Board rule 4.25(a): the board may license without examination if the applicant is licensed as a marriage and family therapist in another United States or Canadian jurisdiction whose regulatory standards are substantially equivalent to Vermont's. The caveat at rule 4.25(a)(2) is that an applicant from a jurisdiction that is otherwise substantially equivalent but did not require the national examination must pass that exam. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Five-Year Rule under Board rule 4.25(b): if the applicant has been licensed or certified to practice with no encumbrance in a United States or Canadian jurisdiction and has been in active practice for no fewer than five years, the board may issue a license regardless of that jurisdiction's current licensing standards. This route requires no national exam and no substantial-equivalence analysis. Active practice is an average of more than 20 hours per week, 48 weeks per year. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option C: Fast Track Endorsement under 3 V.S.A. 136a: the Office of Professional Regulation issues a license to an applicant who has held an active license in good standing in another United States jurisdiction for at least three years immediately preceding the application, regardless of whether that jurisdiction's licensing requirements are substantially similar to Vermont's. Fast Track is available for licensed marriage and family therapists and requires no national exam. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Licensure by endorsement: hold (or have held) a valid and unrestricted MFT license in another U.S. jurisdiction, with no unresolved disciplinary action; submit application, fee, verification of all licenses ever held, an affidavit on Virginia law, and a current NPDB report. No exam and no time-in-practice requirement. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Reciprocity (SB 5054, since July 1, 2020): substantial equivalency on scope of practice; apply for a one-year probationary license (renewable once) to resolve any differences in education, experience, or examination [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Since October 1, 2025, an applicant who has held an active marriage and family therapy license in another state for the past year, without a disciplinary record or disqualifying criminal history, is deemed to meet Washington's supervised experience requirement (WAC 246-809-130). [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Option A: A California LMFT who establishes West Virginia residence is licensed without examination under the Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025 (W. Va. Code §30-1-27), if licensed at the same practice level and in good standing, with California's education, experience, supervision and exam requirements met. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Option B: Otherwise, licensure by endorsement under the board's rule (27CSR8) requires current licensure at the highest level for independent clinical practice and good standing everywhere licensed, and the Board must find California's licensing requirements equal to or greater than West Virginia's; the endorsement section does not list an exam or a years-in-practice requirement. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

An applicant currently licensed as an MFT (or substantial equivalent) in good standing in another state may be granted a Wisconsin MFT license if the section finds the other state's licensure requirements substantially equivalent to Wis. Stat. 457.10, after the applicant discloses all discipline, clears the conviction review, and passes the Wisconsin Jurisprudence Exam. No AMFTRB exam and no redoing of supervised hours. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

If you hold a California license

Licensure by reciprocity under Board Rules Ch. 10 Sec. 6 and W.S. 33-38-108: an individual who has a master's degree or higher in marriage and family therapy, has passed the examination required in Section 5, and holds a license free from discipline and in good standing under another state's laws may, upon board approval, be issued a Wyoming LMFT. The statute requires the other state's requirements to be substantially similar. The Section 5 exam requirement (the AMFTRB exam, or a board-approved alternative) is incorporated, though its five-year recency limit is waived for reciprocity. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]

Separately, W.S. 33-1-120 requires Wyoming licensing boards to license an applicant who holds a license in good standing from a state with substantially equivalent requirements, and it waives the examination requirement for an applicant licensed for more than ten years; the board may still require an exam on Wyoming law and regulations. [Verified Source as of 2026-11-04]