Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

The Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) is the association of state licensing boards governing the regulation of LMFTs. It develops and administers the MFT National Examination, which jurisdictions use as a requirement for licensing candidates. State licensing boards include all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam, however, California administers its own exam and doesn’t use the AMFTRB’s.

Completion Time: 4 hours

Cost: Licensure costs vary by state, ranging from $50 – $1,250), plus the $370 exam fee

The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Board’s (AMFTRB) standardized Exam in Marital and Family Therapy assists state boards of examiners in evaluating applicants’ knowledge for licensure or certification as an MFT. This exam contains 180 multiple-choice questions, with 4 hours allowed to complete the exam. It covers 6 Domains of Practice in the following breakdown and number of questions:

• 42 - The Practice of Systemic Therapy

• 25 - Assessing, Hypothesizing and Diagnosing

• 22 - Designing and Conducting Treatment

• 31 - Evaluating Ongoing Process and Terminating Treatment

• 26 - Managing Crisis Situations

• 34 - Maintaining Ethical, Legal, and Professional Standards 

To sit for the exam, candidates must:

• Apply to state board to determine eligibility and pay applicable fee

• Receive letter of eligibility with approval code to take exam

• Complete online application and pay exam fees on Professional Testing Corporation (PTC) website

• Receive candidate ID and scheduling authorization from PTC

• Schedule exam with Prometric

Candidates receive test results within 20 days. If you pass the AMFTRB’s Examination in Marital and Family Therapy, continue with your state board’s licensing process. If you don’t pass, use the original link and return to PTC’s website to reapply for the exam. State boards often limit the number of times a candidate can take the exam in a year, which is generally 3 to 4 times.

• Meet your state of practice’s educational and experience requirements

• Apply to state board to determine eligibility and pay applicable fee

• Receive letter of eligibility with approval code to take exam

• Complete online application and pay exam fees on Professional Testing Corporation (PTC) website

• Receive candidate ID and scheduling authorization from PTC

• Schedule exam with Prometric

• Receive test scores within 20 days

• Pass the AMFTRB’s Examination in Marital and Family Therapy

Most states require LMFTs to renew their license every 2 years. However, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Virginia have annual renewals, and Hawaii and New York require renewal every 3 years. Renewal fees vary by state and can range anywhere from $25 to $665, but the average is between $100 and $190. Renewal generally requires continuing education.

The required number of continuing education units varies by state but generally ranges between 10 and 55 hours. Most states require between 1 and 6 of these hours to involve ethics and a few require CE related to supervision. 

• AMFTRB Practice Test for the MFT National Exam

• AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates

• Prometric Test Drive

• AMFTRB Exam Reference

• NASW Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager (C-ASWCM)

• NASW Certified Advanced Children, Youth, and Family Social Worker (C-CYFSW)

• NASW Certified Social Work Case Manager (C-SWCM)

• NASW Qualified Clinical Social Worker (QCSW)