License requirements
in plain English
📚 Find out what education you need
🕝 Know exactly how many hours you have to work
📝 Understand the forms to submit and keep on record
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Requirements in California 2026
Educational Requirements
- Master's or Doctoral degree in marriage, family, and child counseling, marital and family therapy, psychology, clinical psychology, or counseling psychology from an accredited or approved school.
- Electronic Transcripts (sent directly to the BBS).
Experience Requirements
- At least 3,000 total supervised hours, over 104 weeks (minimum).
- 1,750 hours (minimum) of Direct Counseling with individuals, groups, couples, or families.
- Note: Of these, at least 500 hours must be gained diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children.
- 1,250 hours (maximum) of Non-Clinical Experience: Client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, and workshops/seminars.
- Direct Supervisor Contact: Minimum of 1 hour of individual/triadic or 2 hours of group supervision per week in which hours are logged.
Gotchas
- The "Double Counting" Rule: You cannot log more than 40 hours in a single week (7 consecutive days).
- Weekly Supervision Requirement: You cannot log any hours for a week that was not supervised (at least 1 hour individual/triadic or 2 hours of group supervision logged during that week).
- The 10-Hour Threshold (BPC 4980.43.2): For AMFTs: if you perform more than 10 hours of direct counseling in a week, you need 1 additional unit (1 hour individual/triadic or 2 hours group) of supervision — total of 2 units that week, regardless of how many hours over 10 you worked. For LMFT trainees (still in graduate school): a stricter 1:5 proportional ratio applies — 1 unit of supervision for every 5 hours of direct clinical counseling.
- Supervision Cap: You cannot log more than 6 hours of direct supervision (contact with your supervisor) in a week.
Additional Coursework
- Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention: (6 hours)
- Provision of Mental Health Services via Telehealth: (3 hours)
- Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting in California: (7 hours)
- Human Sexuality: (10 hours)
- Alcoholism and Other Chemical Substance Abuse and Dependency: (15 hours)
- Aging, Long Term Care and Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse: (10 hours)
- Spousal/Partner Abuse Assessment, Detection, and Intervention: (15 hours)
More on CEUs here — what continuing education you'll need after you're licensed (every two years).
When can I start counting my hours? What is the 90-day rule?
TLDR: If you apply for your AMFT number within 90 days of your degree conferral date, you can start counting post-degree hours immediately. If you wait longer than 90 days, you cannot count any hours until your AMFT number is officially issued.
The date you may begin counting post-degree hours depends on:
- Within 90 Days: If you submit your Application for Associate Registration within 90 days of graduation (as posted on your transcript), you may accrue hours immediately upon graduation, provided you complete a LiveScan at your place of employment.
- After 90 Days: If you submit your application more than 90 days after graduation, you must wait until your Associate registration (AMFT) number is issued before you can begin counting any experience.
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