Washington LMFTA to LMFT hours requirements
Supervised postgraduate experience toward the Washington LMFT. Washington states its supervision frequency as one hour per 80 hours of clinical practice, not as a weekly requirement.
The short answer
Headline figures: Total experience 3,000 hours; direct client contact 1,000 hours.
Supervision: At least 200 hours of qualified supervision with an approved supervisor.
Time limit: The rule states no minimum or maximum period.
Post-degree experience · Title while gaining experience: Licensed marriage and family therapist associate (LMFTA) · Authority: Washington State Department of Health
Requirements
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total experience | 3,000 hours |
| Direct client contact | 1,000 hours |
| Diagnosing and treating couples and families | At least 500 hours Part of the 1,000 |
| Supervision | At least 200 hours With an approved supervisor |
| One-on-one supervision | At least 100 hours One supervisor and no more than two candidates |
| Supervision by a licensed marriage and family therapist | 100 hours With at least two years of clinical experience |
| Supervision rate | At least 1 hour for every 80 hours of clinical practice |
Supervision
- At least 200 hours of qualified supervision with an approved supervisor.
- 100 of the 200 hours must be with a licensed marriage and family therapist with at least two years of clinical experience. The other 100 may be with an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner.
- At least 100 of the 200 hours must be one-on-one supervision; the rest may be one-on-one or group. One-on-one means no more than two candidates, and group means no more than six.
- Supervision may be face-to-face or virtual.
- Regular supervision meets at least one hour for every 80 hours of your clinical practice time.
Time limits
- The rule states no minimum or maximum period.
- An associate license is valid for one year and must be renewed every year. There is no limit on the number of renewals.
What Accrue checks
- Counts your logged experience toward 3,000 hours, direct client contact toward 1,000, and couple and family sessions toward 500.
- Counts supervision toward 200 hours, and counts individual and triadic supervision toward the 100 one-on-one hours, since Washington allows two candidates in one-on-one supervision for this license.
- Warns when your supervision falls below one hour per 80 hours counted, supervision hours included, checked across all your hours rather than week by week. A warning never removes credit.
What Accrue does not check
- The 2,700-hour total for a substance use disorder professional is not counted.
- The credit of 500 direct hours and 100 supervision hours for a COAMFTE-accredited master's program is not applied.
- The requirement that 100 supervision hours be with a licensed marriage and family therapist is not checked.
Common questions
- How many hours do you need for the LMFT in Washington?
- The cited rule sets total experience 3,000 hours; direct client contact 1,000 hours. Source: WAC 246-809-130; WAC 246-809-110; WAC 246-809-020; RCW 18.225.090; WAC 246-809-990; RCW 18.225.145, checked September 17, 2026. Supervision and time limits also apply; see the sections above.
- What supervision does Washington require for the LMFT?
- At least 200 hours of qualified supervision with an approved supervisor. 100 of the 200 hours must be with a licensed marriage and family therapist with at least two years of clinical experience. The other 100 may be with an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner. At least 100 of the 200 hours must be one-on-one supervision; the rest may be one-on-one or group. One-on-one means no more than two candidates, and group means no more than six.
- Is there a time limit for LMFT hours in Washington?
- The rule states no minimum or maximum period. An associate license is valid for one year and must be renewed every year. There is no limit on the number of renewals.
- Does meeting these figures make me eligible?
- No. The Washington State Department of Health 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.