Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (marriage and family therapist) · Colorado · regulated by Colorado State Board of Marriage and Family Therapist Examiners (DORA) · high confidence
| Pre-license credential | Marriage and Family Therapist Candidate (MFTC) |
|---|---|
| Supervised experience | two years of post-master's practice ... must include at least 2,000 hours of practice, including at least 1,500 hours of face-to-face direct client contact |
| Direct client contact | 1,500 face-to-face direct client contact; ≥1,000 with couples and families |
| Supervision | 50 hours per 1,000 practice hours (100 for 2,000); ≥25 of each 50 face-to-face individual |
| Minimum time | 24 months post-master's (12 months post-doctoral: 1,500 direct incl. 1,000 couples/families) |
| Time limit | Experience/supervision predating the application by more than 5 years not accepted absent good cause |
| Exams | AMFTRB MFT National Examination + Colorado jurisprudence exam |
Supervision
- How much: 50 hours per 1,000 practice hours (100 for 2,000); ≥25 of each 50 face-to-face individual
- How often: 50 per 1,000 practice hours, reasonably distributed with accrual of hours
- Group supervision: Remainder of each 50 may be group (≤10 individuals); no other modes accepted
- Who may supervise: LMFT or other licensed MH professional with MFT education/clinical/supervisory experience; AAMFT Approved Supervisor; LPC/psychologist/LCSW/LAC with substantially equivalent MFT experience
When hours count and what to keep
- Before your degree: Not counted: post-degree experience only
- Paperwork: Verified statement on Board form signed by approved supervisor(s) attesting completion of supervised practice
Can you be supervised remotely in Colorado?
Yes. Required supervision can be done entirely by live video, with no in-person minimum.
- Video supervision: Statute says clinical supervision "may be in person or telesupervision". The rule says the 25 individual hours per 1,000 are "face-to-face individual supervision, which may be in-person or telesupervision", and group hours may also be by telesupervision.
- Supervisor licensed in Colorado? other: an MFT or other licensed mental health professional licensed in the jurisdiction where services were rendered, OR an AAMFT Approved Supervisor (no jurisdiction stated)
- Supervisor credential: None. Board approval is by rule category: jurisdiction-licensed MFT or mental-health professional with MFT supervisory experience, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, or Colorado-licensed LPC, psychologist, LCSW or LAC with equivalent MFT experience.
- Board approval first: No supervision plan or approval found. Candidate registration under C.R.S. § 12-245-504(4) exists but was not confirmed as a precondition for hours.
- If you live outside Colorado: No rule on the associate's own location. The license-based supervisor routes key on the jurisdiction where services were rendered.
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
SB 24-115 and HB 24-1045 (eff. Aug 7, 2024) amended candidate registration and supervisor eligibility; 4 CCR 736-1 current version effective Dec 15, 2025
Where the rules are unclear
Colorado’s own documents disagree or are silent on these points. Ask the board if they affect you:
- Does telephone-only supervision count as "telesupervision" toward the MFT individual hours?
In the board’s own words
“must include at least 2,000 hours of practice, including at least 1,500 hours of face-to-face direct client contact, 1,000 of which shall be with couples and families” — 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14✓ checked by hand
“For each 1,000 hours of supervised practice in individual and marriage and family therapy, applicants must receive a minimum of fifty hours of supervision.” — 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14✓ matched in the source
“cannot be completed in fewer than twenty-four months” — 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14✓ matched in the source
““Supervision” means personal direction and responsible direction provided by a supervisor approved by the Board, that may be in-person or telesupervision.” — 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14(C) (eff. 12/15/2025)✓ matched in the source
“A minimum of twenty-five of the fifty hours must be face-to-face individual supervision, which may be in-person or telesupervision.” — 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14(C) (eff. 12/15/2025)✓ matched in the source
“under clinical supervision that may be in person or telesupervision” — C.R.S. § 12-245-504(1)(d) (CRS 2024)✓ matched in the source
“possessed a license in good standing in the jurisdiction in which the applicant's services were rendered” — 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14(C) (eff. 12/15/2025)✓ matched in the source
“was an approved supervisor under the auspices of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.” — 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14(C) (eff. 12/15/2025)✓ matched in the source
“1,000 of which shall be with couples and families for the purpose of diagnosis, assessment and intervention” — 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14(C) (eff. 12/15/2025)✓ matched in the source
Other licenses in Colorado
- LPC (professional counselor)
- LCSW (clinical social worker)
- Psychologist
- All Colorado licenses · every state
Sources
- C.R.S. § 12-245-504(1)(d)-(e), (1.5), (4) (CRS 2024)
- 4 CCR 736-1 Rule 1.14 (Post-Graduate Experience Requirements; supervision hours; Examination), eff. 12/15/2025
Checked against Colorado State Board of Marriage and Family Therapist Examiners (DORA)’s rules, statutes and publications on September 25, 2026. The board decides; if your situation is unusual, confirm with them.