Sentio University / Career Resource
Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing Requirements by State
Each state's degree, supervised-experience, and examination requirements for the Marriage and Family Therapist license, with the official board source linked for every figure.
This resource summarizes each jurisdiction's licensing requirements and links straight to the official state board so you can confirm the details yourself. Requirements change often, so we date every entry and say plainly when a figure is not published. Always confirm with the board before making a decision. Nothing here is legal advice.
Alabama
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 2026-06-23]
Alaska
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 2026-06-23]
Arizona
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 2026-06-22]
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 2026-06-22]
Arkansas
If you hold a California license
Option A: Licensure by endorsement: an applicant who has continually maintained full LMFT (or equivalent) licensure in good standing for at least three years (36 months) may be licensed by endorsement, providing a License Verification Form, Statement of Intent, transcript, references, examination scores, and proof of good standing. The AMFTRB may be waived (Sec. 9.1(e)), but the Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam is still required. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
California
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 2026-06-22]
Colorado
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 2026-06-22]
Connecticut
If you hold a California license
Option A: Licensure without examination: the department may grant a license without examination to an applicant currently licensed or certified as a marital and family therapist in another state whose standards the department deems equivalent to or higher than Connecticut's. No license is issued if disciplinary action is pending or a complaint is unresolved. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Option B: If the other state's standards are not equivalent to or higher than Connecticut's, an applicant currently licensed in that state may substitute three years of licensed work experience in marital and family therapy in place of the practicum and the postgraduate experience requirements. The degree and the examination requirements still apply. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Delaware
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
District of Columbia
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Florida
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 2026-06-22]
Georgia
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, 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 2026-06-22]
Hawaii
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Idaho
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Illinois
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 2026-06-22]
Option B: If licensed at the independent level in another U.S. jurisdiction for 5 consecutive years without discipline: not required to submit proof of education, professional experience, or supervision; must still verify licensure, comply with all other licensing requirements, and pay all fees [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Indiana
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 2026-06-22]
Iowa
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Kansas
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) and at least three years of clinical practice. No Kansas examination is required. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
Option B: Licensure by reciprocity based on practice rather than equivalence: for the clinical (LCMFT) license, five continuous years of licensure and practice (averaging at least 15 hours per week for nine months in each of the five years immediately preceding) plus a master's degree in marriage and family therapy and the clinical-competence demonstration. The base LMFT route requires four years. No Kansas examination is required. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
Kentucky
If you hold a California license
Kentucky has no licensure-by-endorsement or reciprocity route for marriage and family therapists. An applicant licensed in another state uses the single Licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist Application and must meet the standard certification requirements: the board-evaluated qualifying degree, the post-master's experience (1,000 client hours over two years) with 200 supervision hours, and passage of the AMFTRB national examination. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
Louisiana
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Maine
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. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
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. Maine also operates a universal license-by-endorsement process (10 M.R.S. 8003-H): an applicant who proves licensure by a jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements, is in good standing, has no cause for denial, and pays the fee is licensed by endorsement, with a jurisprudence exam required only where one exists (Maine MFT has none). [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
Maryland
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 2026-06-22]
Massachusetts
If you hold a California license
License without examination via substantial equivalence (the board determines another state's requirements equal or exceed Massachusetts's). The board's checklist requires having been 'licensed as an MFT in another state for the past three years' AND still requires an AMFTRB exam score, transcripts, and license verifications. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Michigan
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 2026-06-22]
Minnesota
If you hold a California license
Licensure by reciprocity: the board issues a license if the other state's standards (when licensed) were at least equivalent to Minnesota's. Two shortcuts: 5 continuous years licensed deems EDUCATION satisfied; 5 continuous years with no adverse action deems SUPERVISED EXPERIENCE satisfied. Exams are NOT waived: a reciprocity applicant who never passed the national exam must pass it, and ALL reciprocity applicants must pass the Minnesota state exam. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Mississippi
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 2026-06-22]
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 2026-06-22]
Missouri
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. The committee's guidance states an applicant qualifies after one year at full licensure status in another state with no discipline. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Option B: If the originating state's requirements are not substantially equivalent to Missouri's (or the state has no MFT law), the applicant must instead qualify under the full standard requirements of RSMo 337.715.1: the degree, core coursework, 1,500 supervised hours, and the AMFTRB exam. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Montana
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 2026-06-23]
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 five years of post-degree work experience, 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 2026-06-23]
Nebraska
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Nevada
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 2026-06-22]
New Hampshire
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 2026-06-23]
Option B: The board's own substantial-equivalence route under RSA 330-A:26: the board shall license an applicant licensed in another state whose requirements are substantially equivalent to or higher than New Hampshire's, and shall waive the supervised-work-experience and practical-training requirements for an applicant with five or more years of active licensed practice in good standing. The five-year waiver reaches only supervised experience and training; it is silent on the examination, so it does not waive the national exam. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
New Jersey
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 2026-06-22]
New Mexico
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 2026-06-23]
New York
If you hold a California license
Option A: 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 2026-06-22]
Option B: Not eligible for endorsement; must apply as an initial-licensure applicant [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
North Carolina
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 2026-06-22]
North Dakota
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Ohio
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 2026-06-22]
Oklahoma
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Oregon
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 substitutes for the education and experience requirements; the Oregon law and rules exam still applies. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Pennsylvania
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 2026-06-22]
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 2026-06-22]
Rhode Island
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 operational endorsement checklist still requests a national-exam score. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
South Carolina
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 2026-06-22]
South Dakota
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Tennessee
If you hold a California license
Option A: Reciprocity: hold a current MFT certificate or license from another state, meet Tennessee's underlying qualifications (age, character, the SACS-accredited degree with content areas, and two years of post-master's experience), prove the other state's credential was issued on requirements at least equal to Tennessee's, and pass Tennessee's oral examination. The AMFTRB written exam is waived. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Option B: Endorsement: hold current clinical certification (clinical membership) with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), be 18 or older and of good moral character, and pass Tennessee's oral examination. Transcript course-mapping and post-master's supervision documentation are waived because AAMFT clinical membership stands in for them. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Texas
If you hold a California license
Out-of-state LMFTs apply with: AMFTRB-sent exam scores, transcript, supervised-experience verification, the Texas Jurisprudence Exam, license verification, NPDB self-query, and fingerprints [Verified Source as of 2026-06-22]
Utah
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 and a 'no equivalent license' practice-hours route (about 3,000 to 4,000 hours, 1,000 in mental health therapy) also exist. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
Vermont
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
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 2026-06-23]
Virginia
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 2026-06-22]
Washington
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 2026-06-22]
West Virginia
If you hold a California license
West Virginia licenses by reciprocity an applicant who holds a marriage and family therapy license from another state whose qualifications the board determines to be at least substantially equivalent to West Virginia's requirements. This is a board substantial-equivalence determination, not a fixed years-in-practice waiver. [Verified Source as of 2026-06-23]
Wisconsin
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 2026-06-22]
Wyoming
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. There is no provision letting years of practice waive the exam; 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 2026-06-23]
State comparison at a glance
A scannable overview. Every state requires the national AMFTRB examination for standard licensure except California, which uses its own Law and Ethics and Clinical exams. This table shows where a state adds its own law, ethics, or jurisprudence exam, and how each state treats a therapist who already holds a California license and wants to transfer in by endorsement. Click any state to jump to its full detail, where every value carries a source link and date. The exam-outcome tag reads the endorsement route: No re-exam means the California exam carries or the endorsement route waives the national exam; No AMFTRB, state exam means no national exam but a state jurisprudence, oral, or law-and-rules exam applies; AMFTRB required means a California licensee must sit the national exam.
| State | Exam outcome | Reciprocity for a California licensee | Other state exam | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No re-exam | An LMFT from any other state is auto-eligible by endorsement with no exam. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Alaska | No AMFTRB, state exam | Licensure by credentials, no AMFTRB if CA requirements are substantially equal or greater. | Alaska Jurisprudence Questionnaire | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Arizona | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required, including for endorsement and universal recognition. | None (statutes tutorial) | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Arkansas | No AMFTRB, state exam | Endorsement may waive the AMFTRB (three-year route). | Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| California | Home state | Home state. You are already licensed here. | California Law and Ethics Exam | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Colorado | No AMFTRB, state exam | Accepts a national OR state exam by attestation, so the CA exam counts. | Colorado jurisprudence exam | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Connecticut | No re-exam | Licensure without examination when CA standards are equivalent or higher. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Delaware | No re-exam | Substantial-similarity reciprocity with no exam; board may accept the CA exam. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| District of Columbia | No re-exam | Both endorsement prongs omit the exam. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Florida | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; the California exam is not accepted. | None (8-hour laws-and-rules course) | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Georgia | No re-exam | Expedited endorsement with no exam, 30-day issuance (2024). | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Hawaii | AMFTRB required | No functional reciprocity; a CA LMFT must sit the AMFTRB. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Idaho | No AMFTRB, state exam | Endorsement and universal routes lead back to the AMFTRB, with a discretionary CA-exam opening. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Illinois | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; the endorsement rule does not waive it. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Indiana | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required by name; the CA exam counts only at board discretion. | Indiana Jurisprudence Exam | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Iowa | No re-exam | Endorsement needs only application, fee, and license verification, no AMFTRB. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Kansas | No re-exam | Reciprocity requires no exam (substantial equivalence or practice years). | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Kentucky | AMFTRB required | No endorsement route exists; the AMFTRB is mandatory for all applicants. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Louisiana | No re-exam | Endorsement at one year of practice with no exam (Act 253 of 2024). | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Maine | No re-exam | Substantial-equivalence endorsement with no re-exam. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Maryland | No re-exam | Statute bars the board from requiring any national exam for an out-of-state MFT. | Maryland Law Assessment (no-fail) | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Massachusetts | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; even reciprocity applicants must send an AMFTRB score. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Michigan | No re-exam | The endorsement rule accepts the California Clinical Examination; no AMFTRB. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Minnesota | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; reciprocity applicants licensed without it must pass it. | Minnesota state exam (in person) | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Mississippi | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; exam-free only via the Universal Recognition route plus residency. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Missouri | No re-exam | License without examination if substantially equivalent. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Montana | No re-exam | The equivalent-out-of-state-license endorsement does not restate the exam. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Nebraska | No AMFTRB, state exam | Mandatory reciprocity shall issue the license with no AMFTRB (2025 LB257). | Nebraska jurisprudence exam | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Nevada | No re-exam | Expedited endorsement is mandatory and bypasses all exams (shall issue). | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| New Hampshire | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required (named in rule) for all applicants, including by endorsement. | Jurisprudence Exam (as of Feb 2026) | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| New Jersey | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; the rules provide no out-of-state waiver. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| New Mexico | AMFTRB required | California is expressly disapproved; a CA LMFT must sit the AMFTRB. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| New York | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; New York does not accept the California exam. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| North Carolina | No re-exam | The reciprocity statute names the California clinical exam; no AMFTRB. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| North Dakota | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required even by endorsement. | North Dakota oral exam | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Ohio | No re-exam | The California exam is accepted under reciprocity; reciprocate to the IMFT. | None (Laws and Rules video) | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Oklahoma | No AMFTRB, state exam | Endorsement requires no national exam. | Oklahoma jurisprudence exam | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Oregon | No AMFTRB, state exam | Names the California BBS clinical exam as accepted; no AMFTRB. | Oregon law-and-rules exam | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Pennsylvania | No re-exam | Endorsement without re-examination after enough years of practice. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Rhode Island | No AMFTRB, state exam | Discretionary endorsement without exam, but the board still requests a national-exam score. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| South Carolina | No re-exam | The endorsement route does not restate the national exam. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| South Dakota | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required even by endorsement (90-day temporary bridge only). | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Tennessee | No AMFTRB, state exam | The AMFTRB written exam is waived for endorsement; no CA exam needed. | Tennessee oral exam | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Texas | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; the California exam is not accepted. | Texas Jurisprudence Exam | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Utah | No re-exam | Licensure without examination for a similar-scope, one-year licensee. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Vermont | No re-exam | Fast Track and Five-Year endorsement routes waive the exam entirely. | None in operation | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Virginia | No re-exam | Endorsement requires no exam. | None (Virginia law affidavit) | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Washington | AMFTRB required | AMFTRB required; a one-year probationary reciprocity license bridges any gap. | None | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| West Virginia | No re-exam | Reciprocity is a board substantial-equivalence determination, no restated exam. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
| Wisconsin | No AMFTRB, state exam | Reciprocity with no AMFTRB. | Wisconsin jurisprudence exam (85%) | Verified 2026-06-22 |
| Wyoming | No AMFTRB, state exam | Reciprocity folds in the AMFTRB by reference, with a discretionary other-exam opening. | None | Verified 2026-06-23 |
How this directory is built and maintained
Source of the data.
The universe is all 51 United States licensing jurisdictions for the Marriage and Family Therapist credential: the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each entry is built from that jurisdiction's official licensing board, its governing statute, and its administrative rules.
Date the data was last checked.
June 2026. Each jurisdiction carries the date its entry was last verified, and we re-check on a recurring schedule and after any major board or legislative change.
How each value is determined.
Every datum (degree route, supervised experience, national exam, state law or ethics exam, pre-license tier, and reciprocity) is read directly from the official board page, statute, or administrative rule and is recorded with a verbatim source and the date it was checked. Where an older national comparison chart and the current primary text disagreed, we followed the primary text.
How unknown values are handled.
Where a board does not publish an exact figure, the field shows "Not published." We do not impute, estimate, or interpolate a value we could not confirm.
The reciprocity lens.
The reciprocity column is written for a therapist who already holds a California LMFT and wants to practice in another state, because California runs its own licensing exams rather than the national AMFTRB exam, which is the most common portability question we receive. A licensee from another state can read each state's requirement cards the same way, but should confirm how the destination board treats their own exam.
How corrections are handled.
Any board, student, or licensee can request a correction by emailing mabundez@sentio.org. We respond within five business days, and corrections supported by an official source are made immediately.
Order does not imply endorsement.
Jurisdictions are listed alphabetically. The order is not a ranking.
Independence.
Sentio University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This directory contains no ads, affiliate links, sponsored entries, or paid placements.
Last verified: June 2026
Maintained by: Mikaela Abundez, Director of Student Services, Sentio University. Contact: mabundez@sentio.org
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