To be licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Florida you must have the documents listed below. Endorsement applicants only need to provide items 3 through 7. Registered Interns applying for full licensure need items 2 and 4-7.
1. OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT: A minimum of an earned master’s degree with major emphasis in marriage and family therapy, or a closely related field from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), a university program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and graduate coursework, or a degree conferred before September 1, 2027, from an institutionally accredited college or university and graduate level courses.
The transcript will be reviewed for the degree conferred date, accrediting body, required graduate level coursework (if applicable), and total number of semester hours. A separate practicum letter from the university is required for non-COAMFTE graduates.
NOTE: Electronic Transcripts may be sent through a secure parchment service directly to MQA.491@flhealth.gov. Please check with your university to see if this service is available.
Mailed transcripts must be sent in a sealed envelope from the university or they will not be considered official. A degree conferred date must be listed on the transcript. This document CANNOT be uploaded in your online account. Official transcripts may be mailed to:
Florida Department of Health
Board of CSW, MFT, and MHC
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Bin C-08
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3258
COAMFTE
(a) COAMFTE- Minimum of an earned master’s degree with major emphasis in marriage and family therapy, or a closely related field from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Ensure your program is accredited by visiting https://www.coamfte.org/.
No additional coursework or practicum requirements for COAMFTE graduates.
CACREP
Minimum of an earned master’s degree from a university program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and Board approved coursework. Ensure your program is accredited by visiting https://www.cacrep.org/.
• COURSEWORK- Minimum of 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of graduate-level coursework in each of the following:
(1) Dynamics of Marriage and Family Systems
(2) Marriage Therapy and Counseling Theory and Techniques
(3) Family Therapy and Counseling Theory and Techniques
(4) Individual Human Development Theories Throughout the Life Cycle
(5) Psychopathology
(6) Human Sexuality Theory
(7) Psychosocial Theory
(8) Substance Abuse Theory and Counseling Techniques
(9) Legal, Ethical, and Professional Standards Issues in the Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy
(10) Diagnosis, Appraisal, Assessment, and Testing for Individual or Interpersonal Disorder or Dysfunction
(11) Behavioral Research which focuses on the interpretation and application of research data as it applies to clinical practice
• PRACTICUM: Completed a minimum of 400 hours supervised clinical practicum, internship, or field experience in a minimum of 12 months within a Marriage and Family Setting. The experience shall include at least 300 hours of direct client services of which a minimum of 200 hours must be relational. It is important to emphasize that the student practicum must be supervised by a licensed MFT or equivalent as defined in Rule 64B4-21.007, F.A.C., and must be certified complete by an official of the college or university granting the degree.
An official of the school (Dean, Department Chair) that awarded your graduate degree must provide a letter on university letterhead verifying the course title and total number of hours completed during the supervised practicum, internship, or field experience. This experience may not be used to satisfy the post-master’s clinical experience requirement.
INSTITUTIONALLY ACCREDITED
Minimum of an earned master’s degree with a conferred date prior to September 1, 2027, from an institutionally accredited college or university and graduate level courses. Ensure your program is institutionally accredited by visiting https://www.chea.org/search-institutions.
• COURSEWORK– Minimum of 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of graduate-level coursework in each of the following:
An official of the school (Dean, Department Chair) that awarded your graduate degree must provide a letter on university letterhead verifying the course title and total number of hours completed during the supervised practicum, internship, or field experience. This experience may not be used to satisfy the post-master’s clinical experience requirement.
- Dynamics of Marriage and Family Systems
- Marriage Therapy and Counseling Theory and Techniques
- Family Therapy and Counseling Theory and Techniques
- Individual Human Development Theories Throughout the Life Cycle
- Psychopathology
- Human Sexuality Theory
- Psychosocial Theory
- Substance Abuse Theory and Counseling Techniques
- Legal, Ethical, and Professional Standards Issues in the Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy
- Diagnosis, Appraisal, Assessment, and Testing for Individual or Interpersonal Disorder or Dysfunction
- Behavioral Research which focuses on the interpretation and application of research data as it applies to clinical practice
• PRACTICUM: Completed a minimum of 400 hours supervised clinical practicum, internship, or field experience in a minimum of 12 months within a Marriage and Family Setting. The experience shall include at least 300 hours of direct client services of which a minimum of 200 hours must be relational. It is important to emphasize that the student practicum must be supervised by a licensed MFT or equivalent as defined in Rule 64B4-21.007, F.A.C., and must be certified complete by an official of the college or university granting the degree.
An official of the school (Dean, Department Chair) that awarded your graduate degree must provide a letter on university letterhead verifying the course title and total number of hours completed during the supervised practicum, internship, or field experience. This experience may not be used to satisfy the post-master’s clinical experience requirement.
2. SUPERVISED EXPERIENCE: Two (2) years of post-master’s supervised experience under the supervision of a board approved qualified supervisor. These hours must be documented on the Verification of Clinical Experience Form.
The supervision experience must have consisted of:
- At least 100 hours of supervision in no less than 100 weeks;
- 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy with clients; and,
- 1 hour of supervision every two weeks
NOTE: Please see Rule 64B4-2.002, F.A.C. for information regarding group supervision and supervision by electronic methods
3. LICENSE VERIFICATION: This form is required for applicants who hold or have ever held a license in another state, U.S. territory, or foreign country. Please have the office that issued the license or certification complete the Florida Certification/License Verification Form. A license verification is required for all endorsement applicants. The document must show your license type, date issued, current status and discipline history.
4. EXAM: Passed the national examination developed by the Examination Advisory Committee of the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) and Professional Examination Services.
If you have passed the TX, OH or the CA written/oral exam [offered prior to April ’04], you are exempt from passing the national exam Florida requires.
5. LAWS & RULES COURSE: Completed an 8-hour Florida laws and rules course from a board approved provider listed on CE Broker.
6. HIV/AIDS COURSE: Completed a 3-hour HIV/AIDS course listed on CE Brokeror complete the HIV/AIDs Affidavit
7. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURSE: Completed a 2-hour domestic violence course from a board approved provider listed on CE Broker within six months of licensure. The certificate of completion is retained with your records. Do not submit to the Board Office with your application.