Illinois LMFT hours requirements
Professional work experience after your first qualifying degree, counted toward the Illinois LMFT. It covers total hours, face-to-face client contact, conjoint sessions and clinical supervision.
The short answer
Headline figures: Total professional work experience 3,000 hours; face-to-face client contact 1,000 hours.
Supervision: 200 hours of clinical supervision of marriage and family therapy are required.
Time limit: Professional work experience must be obtained in not less than 2 years and no more than 5 years.
Post-degree experience · Authority: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Requirements
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total professional work experience | 3,000 hours After your first qualifying degree |
| Face-to-face client contact | 1,000 hours With individuals, couples and families |
| Conjoint therapy | 350 hours Two or more clients present in the session; part of the 1,000 |
| One client present, as part of couple or family therapy | 350 hours Part of the 1,000 |
| Clinical supervision | 200 hours |
| Individual supervision | 100 hours Part of the 200 |
| Supervision after the degree | At least 100 hours Up to 100 hours from graduate training may count toward the 200 |
Supervision
- 200 hours of clinical supervision of marriage and family therapy are required.
- At least 100 of the 200 hours must come after your first qualifying degree. Up to 100 hours of supervision from graduate training may count toward the 200.
- 100 of the 200 hours must be individual supervision. Illinois defines individual supervision as a maximum of two supervisees meeting with one supervisor.
- Group supervision means a maximum of six supervisees meeting with one supervisor.
- Video supervision must be synchronous and permit verbal and visual interaction.
Time limits
- Professional work experience must be obtained in not less than 2 years and no more than 5 years.
What Accrue checks
- Counts your logged experience toward 3,000 hours.
- Counts client contact toward 1,000 hours, and couple and family sessions toward the 350 conjoint hours.
- Counts supervision toward 200 hours, and counts individual and triadic supervision toward the 100 individual hours, since Illinois allows two supervisees in individual supervision.
What Accrue does not check
- The 350 hours with one client present as part of couple or family therapy are not counted separately.
- The window of 2 to 5 years to complete the experience is not checked.
- The requirement that 100 of the 200 supervision hours come from a licensed MFT supervisor is not checked.
Common questions
- How many hours do you need for the LMFT in Illinois?
- The cited rule sets total professional work experience 3,000 hours; face-to-face client contact 1,000 hours. Source: 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1283.15, 1283.20, 1283.25, checked September 17, 2026. Supervision and time limits also apply; see the sections above.
- What supervision does Illinois require for the LMFT?
- 200 hours of clinical supervision of marriage and family therapy are required. At least 100 of the 200 hours must come after your first qualifying degree. Up to 100 hours of supervision from graduate training may count toward the 200. 100 of the 200 hours must be individual supervision. Illinois defines individual supervision as a maximum of two supervisees meeting with one supervisor.
- Is there a time limit for LMFT hours in Illinois?
- Professional work experience must be obtained in not less than 2 years and no more than 5 years.
- Does meeting these figures make me eligible?
- No. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reviews your application and your supervisors' verifications and decides. Accrue keeps the record and shows how the cited rule applies to it.
Sources
Sources checked
Accrue is a record-keeping aid and is not affiliated with any licensing board, accreditor or school. Rules change; confirm the requirements that apply to you with the authority that sets them before you rely on a figure.