Marriage and Family Therapist / Hawaii
2026 data Hawaii board official source

Hawaii Marriage and Family Therapist License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

What the state board actually requires: fees, renewal cycle, and requirements from official records.

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Specializes in treating relationship and family issues.

What the Hawaii data shows for Marriage and Family Therapists

Becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist in Hawaii means clearing a defined set of hurdles: 3,289 training hours, a passing score on MFT National Examination, and 2 years of supervised work experience, plus a background history check once the applicant turns 18. Hawaii regulators place this credential inside their licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Masters or Doctoral Degree".

Upfront cost is $253, with renewal running $213 on a 2-year cycle. Maintaining the license requires 36 hours of continuing education per 2-year cycle, an ongoing cost applicants often underestimate when budgeting the career.

For marriage and family therapists, the reciprocity picture is: MFT Licensure Compact: adoption underway.

Licensing Ease Score

F
Licensing Ease Score
18/100
Marriage and Family Therapist · Hawaii

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training F
3,289 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee F
$253
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden F
$107/yr
$213 every 2 years
Continuing Education F
18.0 hrs/yr
36 hours every 2 years
Experience Required F
2 years
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in Hawaii

Education / Training Hours
Masters or Doctoral Degree
3,289 hours
Exam Requirement
MFT National Examination
Required
Initial License Fee
$253
Renewal Fee
$213
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing Education
36 hrs/cycle
Criminal History Check
Required
Minimum Age
18 years
Work Experience Required
2 years

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for Marriage and Family Therapist All Hawaii licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Hawaii licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Marriage and Family Therapist in Hawaii? ▼
Hawaii's requirements cover 3289 hours of education or training, the MFT National Examination exam, and an initial fee of $253. Applicants also go through a criminal background check.
How do I get certified as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Hawaii? ▼
To become a licensed marriage and family therapist in Hawaii, you must meet the state's requirements including 3289 hours of education and 2 years of work experience. You must also pass the required examination. Contact the Hawaii licensing board to verify current requirements.
Can I transfer my Marriage and Family Therapist license to Hawaii from another state? ▼
Reciprocity for marriage and family therapists nationally works like this: MFT Licensure Compact: adoption underway. Beyond that baseline, interstate compacts exist for many professions and may smooth a transfer into Hawaii. Verify the specifics with the Hawaii licensing board.
Does Hawaii require a background check for Marriage and Family Therapist licensing? ▼
Background screening is part of the marriage and family therapist licensing process in Hawaii. The state licensing board determines which offenses disqualify an applicant and how appeals are handled.
What are the continuing education requirements for Marriage and Family Therapist in Hawaii? ▼
Hawaii ties continued marriage and family therapist licensure to 36 continuing-education hours, due every 2 years, alongside a $213 renewal fee.

Related Guides

What to do with this marriage and family therapist license

Marriage and Family Therapist in Hawaii, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a marriage and family therapist-wide, 50-state comparison.

  • See how Hawaii's marriage and family therapist requirements compare to every other state before relocating. Marriage and Family Therapist in every state
  • Confirm whether your out-of-state marriage and family therapist license transfers under an interstate compact before starting a new application. Reciprocity guide
  • See how Hawaii's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. Hawaii overview

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Hawaii licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.