Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (marriage and family therapist) · Maryland · regulated by Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists · high confidence
| Pre-license credential | LGMFT (Licensed Graduate Marriage and Family Therapist) |
|---|---|
| Supervised experience | Minimum 2 years and 2,000 hours of clinical experience in MFT, all supervised as an LGMFT after the master's |
| Direct client contact | 1,000 hours direct clinical therapy services (max 1,000 indirect) |
| Supervision | 100 hours face-to-face clinical supervision; ≥50 individual |
| Minimum time | 2 years after the master's or doctoral degree |
| Time limit | LGMFT license expires after 2 years; 2-year extensions up to a maximum of 6 years (longer by written request) |
| Exams | AMFTRB national MFT examination + Maryland Law Assessment |
Supervision
- How much: 100 hours face-to-face clinical supervision; ≥50 individual
- Group supervision: Max 50 of the 100 hours may be face-to-face group supervision
- Who may supervise: ≥80% of hours under a Board-approved LCMFT supervisor; ≤20% under LCPC/LCADC/LCPAT/other provider with 5 years MFT experience; supervision training + 6 credits couples/family theory
When hours count and what to keep
- Before your degree: Not counted toward the 2,000 (must follow the degree)
- Paperwork: Written contract for supervision before starting; Board-approved supervisor application and supervisor letter
Can you be supervised remotely in Maryland?
Mostly, with some limits. What shapes this: state-only supervisor credential.
- Video supervision: 'Face-to-face' supervision is defined to include synchronous video conferencing where both hear and see each other, so all 100 face-to-face supervision hours (≥50 individual) may be by video.
- Phone only: not allowed (telephone and non-video internet communication excluded from face-to-face)
- Supervisor licensed in Maryland? required (licensed by the Maryland Board in a listed clinical category, or a licensed mental health care provider approved by the Board)
- Supervisor credential: Board-approved supervisor status: file the Board-approved supervisor application; supervision training + couples/family coursework; ≥80% of hours under an LCMFT supervisor (per ../MD.json)
- Board approval first: Written contract for supervision on the Board-approved form signed before supervision starts, and supervisor files the Board-approved supervisor application before supervising; no Board sign-off on the individual contract found in the rule
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
COMAR 10.58.08 revised effective April 4, 2022; Regulation .06 amended effective November 24, 2025.
In the board’s own words
“not less than 2 years with a minimum of 2,000 hours of supervised experience in marriage and family therapy approved by the Board” — Health Occ. §17-303(e)✓ matched in the source
“100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision hours ... including: (i) A minimum of 50 hours shall be individual” — COMAR 10.58.08.05A(3)(f)✓ matched in the source
“may apply on a Board-approved form for a 2-year extension before the current license expires, up to a maximum of 6 years” — COMAR 10.58.08.04F(2)✓ matched in the source
“in the physical presence of an individual or using video conferencing which allows individuals to hear and see each other in synchronous points of time” — COMAR 10.58.08.02B(7)(a)✓ matched in the source
““Face-to-face” does not include: (i) Telephone communication” — COMAR 10.58.08.02B(7)(b)✓ matched in the source
“An individual providing supervision shall be: (1) Licensed by the Board as a clinical” — COMAR 10.58.08.08A✓ matched in the source
“File the completed Board-approved supervisor application form” — COMAR 10.58.08.08C(1)✓ matched in the source
“Independent supervisor in private practice.” — COMAR 10.58.08.08D✓ matched in the source
“Agree to and sign a written contract for supervision before initiating supervision” — COMAR 10.58.08.09A✓ matched in the source
Other licenses in Maryland
- LCPC (professional counselor)
- LCSW-C (clinical social worker)
- Psychologist
- All Maryland licenses · every state
Sources
- Md. Code, Health Occ. §17-303(e), (g), (h)
- COMAR 10.58.08.05A(3) (LCMFT requirements)
- Board LGMFT application (exam section)
Checked against Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists’s rules, statutes and publications on September 25, 2026. The board decides; if your situation is unusual, confirm with them.