How to Become a Therapist in Florida
The three clinical license paths in Florida - counselor, clinical social worker, and marriage and family therapist - with the degree, supervised hours, and exams each requires.
Last verified 2026-07-22
Florida's Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling oversees all three licenses under Chapter 491. The counselor credential here is LMHC, and each path centers on 1,500 hours of post-master's supervised clinical work.
The three license paths at a glance
| Requirement | LMHC | LCSW | LMFT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Licensed Mental Health Counselor | Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist |
| Degree | Master's, 60 semester hours (CACREP/MPCAC-accredited for programs from July 2025) | Master's of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program | Master's in marriage and family therapy or a qualifying related field |
| Supervised hours | 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy + 100 supervision over min. 100 weeks (as a Registered Intern) | 1,500 hours of post-master's supervised clinical experience over min. 2 years | 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy + 100 supervision over min. 100 weeks |
| Exams | NCMHCE + Florida laws/rules, HIV/AIDS and domestic violence coursework | ASWB Clinical + 8-hour Florida Laws & Rules course | National MFT Exam + Florida laws/rules coursework |
Counseling path: LMHC
The Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) is Florida's counseling license for independent practice.
Degree: Master's, 60 semester hours (CACREP/MPCAC-accredited for programs from July 2025).
Supervised experience: 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy + 100 supervision over min. 100 weeks (as a Registered Intern).
Exams: NCMHCE + Florida laws/rules, HIV/AIDS and domestic violence coursework.
Licensing board: Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling.
Clinical social work path: LCSW
The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) is Florida's clinical social work license for independent practice.
Degree: Master's of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program.
Supervised experience: 1,500 hours of post-master's supervised clinical experience over min. 2 years.
Exams: ASWB Clinical + 8-hour Florida Laws & Rules course.
Licensing board: Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling.
Marriage & family therapy path: LMFT
The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) is Florida's marriage and family therapy license for independent practice.
Degree: Master's in marriage and family therapy or a qualifying related field.
Supervised experience: 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy + 100 supervision over min. 100 weeks.
Exams: National MFT Exam + Florida laws/rules coursework.
Licensing board: Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling.
Verify before you act
Licensing requirements change - fees, continuing-education rules, and hour counts drift over time. The figures above were verified on 2026-07-22 against Florida's official licensing board. Confirm current requirements directly before making decisions:
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov)
What license do you need to be a therapist in Florida?
Florida offers three clinical paths: Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). All three can practice psychotherapy independently once licensed; the right one depends on your graduate degree.
How many supervised hours does Florida require?
It depends on the license. Counselor (LMHC): 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy + 100 supervision over min. 100 weeks (as a Registered Intern). Clinical social work (LCSW): 1,500 hours of post-master's supervised clinical experience over min. 2 years. Marriage and family therapy (LMFT): 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy + 100 supervision over min. 100 weeks.
What exams are required in Florida?
LMHC: NCMHCE + Florida laws/rules, HIV/AIDS and domestic violence coursework. LCSW: ASWB Clinical + 8-hour Florida Laws & Rules course. LMFT: National MFT Exam + Florida laws/rules coursework.
How long does it take to become a licensed therapist in Florida?
Most paths take roughly 6-8 years: about 2-3 years for a master's degree, then 2-4 years accumulating the required supervised hours (LMHC/LCSW/LMFT all require post-degree supervised experience) before the final license is granted.