North Carolina LMFTA to LMFT hours requirements
Supervised clinical experience toward the North Carolina LMFT. All 1,500 hours are direct client contact; the 200 hours of supervision run alongside them and are not part of the 1,500.
The short answer
Headline figures: Total supervised clinical experience 1,500 hours.
Supervision: 200 hours of ongoing supervision from a supervisor who meets the AAMFT Approved Supervision Designation standards, concurrent with the 1,500 hours.
Time limit: The rule states no minimum or maximum period for the 1,500 hours.
Post-degree experience · Title while gaining experience: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate (LMFTA) · Authority: North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board
Requirements
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total supervised clinical experience | 1,500 hours All of it direct client contact |
| Relational hours | 500 hours More than one client in the room, all part of the same treatment plan |
| After the degree | At least 1,000 hours |
| While a student in a master's program | Not more than 500 hours |
| Ongoing supervision | 200 hours Concurrent with the 1,500 hours |
| Assessment | Up to 250 hours Counted inside the 1,500 |
| Client psychoeducation | Up to 250 hours Counted inside the 1,500 |
Supervision
- 200 hours of ongoing supervision from a supervisor who meets the AAMFT Approved Supervision Designation standards, concurrent with the 1,500 hours.
- If you completed 200 hours of ongoing supervision within your degree program, you still need at least 25 hours alongside your remaining post-degree hours.
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associates must remain under ongoing supervision for at least one hour monthly until licensed as an LMFT.
- The rule leaves the split between individual and group supervision to the AAMFT Approved Supervision Designation: Standards Handbook.
- Supervision, record keeping, administrative activities and client contact without supervision are not direct client contact and do not count toward the 1,500.
Time limits
- The rule states no minimum or maximum period for the 1,500 hours.
- The associate license is valid for three years and is not renewed. The board may grant one one-year extension on written petition showing special circumstances and steady progress.
What Accrue checks
- Counts direct client contact toward 1,500 hours, and couple and family sessions toward 500 relational hours.
- Counts supervision toward 200 hours, kept separate from the 1,500.
What Accrue does not check
- The allowance of up to 500 hours earned during the degree program is not counted on this ledger.
- The 250-hour limits on assessment and on psychoeducation are not checked.
- The individual and group supervision split, which the rule leaves to the AAMFT handbook, is not checked.
Common questions
- How many hours do you need for the LMFT in North Carolina?
- The cited rule sets total supervised clinical experience 1,500 hours. Source: N.C.G.S. § 90-270.54; N.C.G.S. § 90-270.54A; 21 NCAC 31 .0502; 21 NCAC 31 .0506, checked September 17, 2026. Supervision and time limits also apply; see the sections above.
- What supervision does North Carolina require for the LMFT?
- 200 hours of ongoing supervision from a supervisor who meets the AAMFT Approved Supervision Designation standards, concurrent with the 1,500 hours. If you completed 200 hours of ongoing supervision within your degree program, you still need at least 25 hours alongside your remaining post-degree hours. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associates must remain under ongoing supervision for at least one hour monthly until licensed as an LMFT.
- Is there a time limit for LMFT hours in North Carolina?
- The rule states no minimum or maximum period for the 1,500 hours. The associate license is valid for three years and is not renewed. The board may grant one one-year extension on written petition showing special circumstances and steady progress.
- Does meeting these figures make me eligible?
- No. The North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board 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.