How to Become a LMFT in California: A Step-by-Step Guide [2025 Requirements]

Want to become a LMFT in California? You’ll find a great career opportunities and salary in a state that’s home to nearly 15 million married people and over 13 million households. These numbers show why qualified marriage and family therapists are in high demand across The Golden State.

California requires specific education and training before you can practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist. The process starts with graduate training in MFT and at least two years of clinical experience. You’ll also need to complete 3,000 supervised experience hours over a minimum of 104 weeks. The state also requires you to pass licensing exams and keep your credentials current through continuing education.

Let’s break down the steps to get your LMFT license in California. We’ll guide you through everything – from picking the right educational program to finishing your supervised hours and passing the required exams. This complete roadmap will help direct your path to becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, whether you’re just exploring this career or already working toward your license.

Step 1: Meet the Basic Education Requirements

The path to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California starts with building a solid educational foundation. Your academic background is a vital part to prepare you for this rewarding career in mental health.

Choose a relevant bachelor’s degree

You’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. The specific major or minor of your undergraduate degree doesn’t need to match any particular field to qualify for MFT programs in California. Taking some psychology courses during your undergraduate studies can substantially help prepare you for graduate-level work in therapy and counseling.

Marriage and family therapy graduate programs welcome applicants from a variety of academic backgrounds. All the same, psychology, therapy, or psychotherapy courses during your undergraduate years can strengthen your application and give you valuable background knowledge. This flexibility lets career-changers pursue their passion to help others without starting their education over.

Understand marriage and family therapist education requirements

After your bachelor’s degree, you must complete a master’s or doctoral program in marriage and family therapy or a related field with equivalent coursework. California has specific requirements based on when you started your graduate studies:

• Students who started graduate study on or after August 1, 2012, must meet the requirements in Business and Professions Code § 4980.36
• Students who started before August 1, 2012 but didn’t graduate by December 31, 2018, must also meet § 4980.36 requirements
• Students who started before August 1, 2012 AND graduated by December 31, 2018, fall under § 4980.37 requirements

Your graduate program should come from a regionally-accredited institution or a program specifically accredited by COAMFTE (Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education). Your program must have a minimum of 60 semester or 90 quarter units and include specific coursework required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

A key part of your education has practicum requirements with at least 150 hours of direct client contact. On top of that, you need 75 hours of either client-centered advocacy or face-to-face counseling experience.

Prepare for graduate school admission

MFT programs’ admission requirements vary between universities, but most share common elements. You should be ready to submit:

• Official transcripts (often needing a minimum 3.0 GPA)
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Personal statement or essay explaining your interest in MFT
• Letters of recommendation (typically two)
• Application fees

Some programs might ask for GRE scores, prerequisite psychology courses, and previous volunteer or clinical experience with families, couples, or children. California State University (CSU) system’s MFT programs cost less than one-third of the state’s most expensive programs.

These programs are quite competitive. Most Cal State programs accept students once per year, and even the largest programs take fewer than 60 students annually. Many programs only accept 8-15 students per cohort. Your application needs to stand out.

Note that you must make sure your chosen program meets all California’s licensure requirements. Looking into program accreditation and coursework requirements now will save you time and frustration later in your licensing experience.

Step 2: Complete a Master’s or Doctoral Program in MFT

The path to becoming a LMFT in California starts after you get your bachelor’s degree. You need to pick and finish an appropriate graduate program. This step is vital because it builds the foundation for your therapeutic practice and helps you meet state licensure requirements.

Select an accredited MFT program

Your graduate program needs approval from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) or accreditation from recognized institutions like COAMFTE or a regional/national agency the U.S. Department of Education recognizes. The program should have no less than 60 semester or 90 quarter units of instruction.

The California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) has a detailed list of approved programs that meet state licensure requirements. These programs are available at many California State University campuses, private universities, and specialized institutions throughout the state.

Programs should include:

• Marriage and family therapy principles throughout the curriculum
• Mental health recovery-oriented care
• Understanding of diverse cultures and socioeconomic factors
• Innovation and individuality in therapist education

Note that not every psychology program prepares you for LMFT licensure. You should always check with program representatives to confirm their curriculum meets current BBS requirements.

Understand practicum and clinical hour requirements

Your MFT program needs a structured practicum component with specific clinical requirements:

• A minimum of 6 semester or 9 quarter units of practicum
• At least 150 hours of face-to-face experience counseling individuals, couples, families, or groups
• An additional 75 hours of either client-centered advocacy or more face-to-face counseling experience

You can start counting supervised experience hours after completing at least 12 semester or 18 quarter units in your MFT program. As a trainee, you can accumulate up to 1,300 hours before getting your degree, with certain limits:

• Maximum 750 hours of counseling and supervision
• Remaining 550 hours limited to non-clinical experience

You must be enrolled in practicum to counsel clients. There’s a limited exception for periods of lapsed enrollment under 90 days.

Explore COAMFTE-accredited options

Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) accreditation provides unique advantages, especially for license portability. California doesn’t require COAMFTE accreditation, but many other states do.

COAMFTE-accredited programs in California include:

• Alliant International University
• Hope International University (MAMFT program)
• Loma Linda University

Programs working toward COAMFTE standards include Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Hope International University’s MSC program.

COAMFTE accreditation becomes valuable if you plan to practice in multiple states during your career. These programs offer standardized education that meets or exceeds requirements across jurisdictions.

Picking the right program means looking at accreditation status, curriculum alignment with BBS requirements, practicum opportunities, and your long-term career goals. Take time to research each potential program carefully. Make sure it meets all current California licensure requirements and any additional credentials you might need for your career path.

Step 3: Register as an Associate MFT and Gain Experience

After completing your graduate degree in marriage and family therapy, you’ll start a significant phase as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT). This supervised experience stage builds the foundations of your clinical skills. Every California LMFT candidate must complete this requirement.

Apply for AMFT registration

You must register with the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist to start counting supervised hours toward licensure in California. The registration process requires:

• Submitting a completed AMFT registration application to the BBS
• Paying the $150 application fee
• Providing official transcripts with degree conferral date
• Completing fingerprinting requirements via LiveScan
• Submitting a sealed Degree Program Certification from your school

Note that the “90-day rule” is vital – you can count supervised experience hours right after graduation if you submit your AMFT application within 90 days of your degree conferral date. If you miss this window, you’ll need to wait for your AMFT registration number before counting hours.

Complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience

California requires 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience over a minimum of 104 weeks (two calendar years). Your hours must meet these distribution requirements:

• Minimum 1,750 hours of direct clinical counseling
• At least 500 hours (of the 1,750) diagnosing and treating couples, families, and children
• Maximum 1,250 hours of non-clinical experience (supervision, testing, writing reports, advocacy, workshops)
• Maximum 1,300 hours obtained prior to degree completion
• Maximum 750 hours of counseling and supervision prior to graduation

You need one hour of individual/triadic supervision or two hours of group supervision each week you claim experience. Weeks where you provide more than 10 hours of direct clinical counseling require an additional hour of individual/triadic supervision (or two hours of group).

Track your hours and supervision properly

Accurate documentation matters since the board might reject incorrectly logged or supervised hours. You’ll need:

• Weekly logs of all experience hours
• A completed Supervision Agreement (must be signed within 60 days of starting supervision)
• Employment verification (Associates must be W-2 employees or volunteers, never independent contractors)

Your AMFT registration can be renewed five times, giving you six years to complete your hours. Each renewal cycle requires you to take the California Law and Ethics Exam at least once.

Digital tracking tools are accessible to more people now to help manage hours and ensure you meet all category minimums. These systems calculate supervision ratios automatically and alert you when you fall behind on requirements.

Note that you must gain experience hours within six years before your licensure application date, except for up to 500 hours gained during practicum.

Step 4: Pass the Required California Licensing Exams

Your path to becoming an LMFT in California requires passing two key licensing exams while completing your AMFT hours. These exams will test your understanding of ethical standards and clinical competence.

Prepare for the California Law and Ethics Exam

The California Law and Ethics Exam marks your first testing milestone. This computer-based test includes 75 multiple-choice questions. The exam scores 50 questions while treating 25 as experimental. You’ll need to finish within 90 minutes. The test covers two key areas: Law (40%) and Ethics (60%).

Your AMFT registration requires you to take this exam during each renewal period until you pass. The waiting period between failed attempts is 90 days. Right now, the application costs $150. The process usually takes 4-6 weeks.

Study for the LMFT Clinical Exam

The LMFT Clinical Exam becomes your next step after clearing the Law and Ethics Exam. This final assessment must happen within one year of passing your first exam to keep your application valid.

This exam proves more challenging with 170 multiple-choice questions. The test scores 150 questions and uses 20 as experimental material, giving you four hours to complete it. Starting September 2024, the format will change to 150 total questions. The new version will score 125 questions and use 25 as experimental, keeping the same time limit.

Test centers give results right after completion. Failed attempts require a 90-day waiting period. You should submit your re-examination application quickly, though Pearson Vue won’t receive your eligibility until after the waiting period.

Understand the exam structure and scoring

Pearson Vue testing centers across California administer both exams. The Law and Ethics Exam breaks down into these categories:

• Law (40%): Confidentiality/Privilege (14%), Mandated Reporting (16%), Legal Standards (10%)
• Ethics (60%): Professional Competence (18%), Therapeutic Relationships (27%), Business Practices (15%)

The exact passing score remains unpublished. Past data suggests you’ll need to answer 33-36 of the 50 scored questions correctly (66-72%) to pass the Law and Ethics Exam.

The Americans with Disabilities Act allows testing accommodations for qualified candidates. Similar support exists for English as a Second Language speakers.

Step 5: Apply for Your LMFT License in California

The final step to becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist in California starts after you pass your exams and complete supervised hours. You’ll need to submit your application to the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).

Submit your application to the BBS

Your path to submitting an Application for Licensure to the BBS begins after you complete your 3,000 hours of supervised experience, finish any required coursework, and pass the Law and Ethics Exam. The application package needs:

1. A completed Application for Licensure form
2. Experience Verification Form documenting your supervised hours
3. Proof of Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention Training
4. Proof of coursework in telehealth (three hours minimum)
5. Documentation of specific coursework (only for those who began studies before 2012 and graduated before 2018)

The BBS requires criminal background checks through both the FBI and California Department of Justice. California residents can use LiveScan fingerprinting, while applicants from other states must submit fingerprint cards.

Pay the required fees and submit documents

You’ll need to pay these fees during the application process:

• $500 check or money order payable to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences for the Application for Licensure and Examination
• $49 additional fee for out-of-state applicants submitting fingerprint cards

The complete application package should go to the Board of Behavioral Sciences in Sacramento. A single clip should hold your application and fee together because staples and paperclips interfere with scanning. Each application needs separate clipping or individual envelopes.

Understand the timeline and approval process

The BBS typically takes 1-2 months to process LMFT license applications, depending on their workload and staff availability. You must request your license issuance within one year after the BBS approves your Application for Licensure and you pass the LMFT Clinical Exam.

Missing testing deadlines will result in your licensing file’s closure. You’ll need to submit a new application, pay fees again, and meet current requirements. This could mean losing your previously approved experience hours.

The BBS considers applications abandoned if you don’t address deficiencies within one year of the original deficiency letter or complete your application within one year of filing. Quick responses to the BBS’s requests for additional information will keep your application active.

Become an LMFT in California

The path to becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California takes dedication and persistence over several years. You’ll need to invest in your education, starting with a bachelor’s degree and finishing with a specialized master’s or doctoral program. You must also complete 3,000 supervised hours over at least two years while registered as an Associate MFT.

Tracking your supervised experience hours across different categories requires careful documentation. Your exam preparation strategy plays a vital role too. You’ll need to pass both the California Law and Ethics Exam and the LMFT Clinical Exam to get your license.

This career path offers great rewards despite its challenges. California’s large population creates strong demand for qualified marriage and family therapists across the state. Once you complete all requirements and submit your final application to the Board of Behavioral Sciences, you’ll join a respected profession. Your role will focus on helping individuals, couples, and families build better relationships.

Keep your records organized at each step. Detailed tracking of your supervised hours, current AMFT registration, and meeting deadlines will help avoid delays. This complete guide serves as your roadmap to a rewarding career. You’ll help others strengthen relationships and overcome life’s challenges as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California.

Students can choose between online and in-person options with the same high-quality curriculum. Working professionals appreciate the online MFT format’s flexibility while getting the same rigorous coursework and field training opportunities. The CACREP-accredited online counseling program helps with out-of-state licensing opportunities, making it perfect for students who want career mobility.