Massachusetts Marriage and Family Therapist License Requirements
What the state board actually requires: fees, renewal cycle, and requirements from official records.
Specializes in treating relationship and family issues.
What the Massachusetts data shows for Marriage and Family Therapists
Becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist in Massachusetts means clearing a defined set of hurdles: 3,135 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. Massachusetts regulators place this credential inside their licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Masters or Doctoral Degree".
The initial price tag is $218, and renewal costs $186 every 2 years. Renewal isn't the end of the cost: 36 hours of continuing education are due every 2-year cycle, a recurring time commitment worth planning for.
For marriage and family therapists, the reciprocity picture is: MFT Licensure Compact: adoption underway.
Licensing Ease Score
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.
Licensing Requirements in Massachusetts
Frequently Asked Questions
What license do I need for Marriage and Family Therapist in Massachusetts? ▼
How do I get certified as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Massachusetts? ▼
Can I transfer my Marriage and Family Therapist license to Massachusetts from another state? ▼
Does Massachusetts require a background check for Marriage and Family Therapist licensing? ▼
What are the continuing education requirements for Marriage and Family Therapist in Massachusetts? ▼
Related Guides
What to do with this marriage and family therapist license
Marriage and Family Therapist in Massachusetts, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a marriage and family therapist-wide, 50-state comparison.
- See how Massachusetts'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 Massachusetts's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. Massachusetts overview
Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Massachusetts 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.