Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (marriage and family therapist) · Arkansas · regulated by Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling (ABEC) · high confidence
| Pre-license credential | Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) |
|---|---|
| Supervised experience | three thousand (3,000) client contact hours and one hundred seventy-five (175) supervision hours of experience in marriage and family therapy |
| Direct client contact | 2,000 direct client contact, incl. ≥1,000 direct in family/relational/group therapy; ≤1,000 indirect (Level 2 only) |
| Supervision | 175 clock hours of supervision |
| Exams | AMFTRB MFT National Examination; plus Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam |
Supervision
- How much: 175 clock hours of supervision
- How often: 1 hr per 10 CCH for first 500 direct CCH (Level 1); then 1 per 20 CCH for remaining 2,500 (Level 2)
- Group supervision: Group (3-6 supervisees) ≤ half of 175 hours; dyadic counts as individual
- Who may supervise: Board-approved supervisor: AR LMFT fully licensed 3 yrs, 3-hr post-master's clinical supervision course (18 hrs supervised supervision), jurisprudence exam + oral interview; max 12 supervisees
When hours count and what to keep
- Before your degree: Post-master's coursework needed for licensure cannot count toward supervised experience; no clients before Board-approved supervision agreement
- Paperwork: Board-approved supervision agreement before practice; client contact hours report + supervision evaluation every 6 months
Can you be supervised remotely in Arkansas?
Yes by video, but the supervisor needs a state-specific supervisor credential and the board must approve the arrangement first. What shapes this: state-only supervisor credential, prior board approval.
- Video supervision: All 175 supervision hours may be face to face or through telemedicine. Technology-assisted supervision counts at both levels (Level 1: 1 hour per 10 client hours for the first 500 direct hours; Level 2: 1 per 20). No in-person share is set.
- Supervisor licensed in Arkansas? required
- Supervisor credential: ABEC board-approved supervisor status. Requires an Arkansas LMFT held for 3 years, a 3-hour graduate course in clinical supervision (with 18 hours of supervised supervision), the Arkansas jurisprudence exam and an oral interview.
- Supervisee cap: No more than 12 supervision agreements per supervisor at a time. Supervision groups: 3-6 supervisees, at most half of the 175 hours.
- Board approval first: A board-approved supervision agreement must be in place before the LAMFT sees any client. A change of supervisor also needs board approval. Six-monthly supervision reports are due.
- If you live outside Arkansas: No rule on the associate's own location. An Arkansas license or compact privilege is required to deliver counseling to individuals located in Arkansas, including by telemedicine.
The client’s location decides which state’s rules apply. This is not legal advice; confirm with the board before building a program. Compare every state on the remote-supervision map.
Recent and pending changes
Rules recodified as 17 CAR Part 75 and revised by Ark. R. 2026-65, effective July 9, 2026 (direct min 2,200→2,000; indirect cap 800→1,000; tech-supervision cap dropped)
Where the rules are unclear
Arkansas’s own documents disagree or are silent on these points. Ask the board if they affect you:
- Does telephone-only supervision count as "telemedicine" or "technology-assisted" supervision toward the 175 hours?
- Can a counselor practising in Arkansas on a Counseling Compact privilege obtain ABEC approved-supervisor status, given the "fully licensed in Arkansas for three (3) years" rule?
In the board’s own words
“Provide evidence of three thousand (3,000) client contact hours and one hundred seventy-five (175) supervision hours of experience in marriage and family therapy” — 17 CAR § 75-305(2)✓ matched in the source
“LAMFTs must have a minimum of one thousand (1,000) direct client contact hours in family/relational/group therapy.” — 17 CAR § 75-401(k)✓ matched in the source
“The total hours of supervised practice are one hundred seventy-five (175) clock hours of supervision conducted face to face or through telemedicine.” — 17 CAR § 75-401(f)✓ matched in the source
“The total hours of supervised practice are one hundred seventy-five (175) clock hours of supervision conducted face to face or through telemedicine.” — 17 CAR § 75-401 Supervision content (Code of Arkansas Rules, eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
“Technology-assisted supervision may be counted in both levels.” — 17 CAR § 75-401 Supervision content (Code of Arkansas Rules, eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
“Supervision for the LAMFT must be provided by an LMFT in Arkansas:” — 17 CAR § 75-401 Supervision content (Code of Arkansas Rules, eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
“Who holds approved supervisor status from the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling; and” — 17 CAR § 75-401 Supervision content (Code of Arkansas Rules, eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
“Supervisor must be fully licensed in Arkansas for three (3) years.” — 17 CAR § 75-403 Supervisor requirements and restrictions (eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
“Prior to receiving the approved supervisor status, applicant must complete the Arkansas jurisprudence examination and an oral interview.” — 17 CAR § 75-403 Supervisor requirements and restrictions (eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
“Supervisors will be limited to twelve (12) supervision agreements at any given time.” — 17 CAR § 75-403 Supervisor requirements and restrictions (eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
“A supervision group consists of three (3) to six (6) supervisees with the contracted supervisor.” — 17 CAR § 75-401 Supervision content (Code of Arkansas Rules, eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
“Supervisors must have a board-approved copy of a supervision agreement dated prior to providing supervision to a LAC or LAMFT;” — 17 CAR § 75-403 Supervisor requirements and restrictions (eff. July 9, 2026)✓ matched in the source
7 more quotes are in the state explorer.
Other licenses in Arkansas
- LPC (professional counselor)
- LCSW (clinical social worker)
- Psychologist
- All Arkansas licenses · every state
Sources
- 17 CAR § 75-305 Licensed marriage and family therapists (eff. July 9, 2026)
- 17 CAR § 75-304 Licensed associate marriage and family therapists
- 17 CAR § 75-401 Supervision content
- 17 CAR § 75-403 Supervisor requirements; § 75-404 Reports
- 17 CAR § 75-602 Written examinations
- ABEC 2026 Rule Revision PDF (pages dated 06/29/26): 17 CAR §§ 75-106, 75-402, 75-907
- ABEC Counseling Compact Go-Live FAQ (7-30-26)
Checked against Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling (ABEC)’s rules, statutes and publications on September 25, 2026. The board decides; if your situation is unusual, confirm with them.