2017 Wisconsin Act 278, beginning August 1, 2018, prior to submitting an application for a credential, an individual may apply to the Department for a determination of whether the individual would be disqualified from obtaining the credential due to his or her conviction record. To apply for a predetermination, please fill out
Form #3085 and submit all required documentation specified on the form. Pursuant to
Wis. Stat. §
111.335(4)(e), the offenses or kinds of offenses that may result in a refusal, bar, or termination of licensure are published under Additional Resources on the left side of this page.
Pursuant to 2017 Wisconsin Act 319, beginning August 1, 2018, an applicant for an initial credential may apply for a reduction of the initial credential fee that is equal to 10% of the initial fee. Qualification is based on the federal adjusted gross income being at or below 180% of the federal poverty guideline prescribed for the applicant's family household size by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. To determine eligibility please visit the United States Department of Health and Human Services website at https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines, prior to submitting Form 3217.
Wis. Stat. § 440.08 (2), the required renewal date for the Marriage and Family Therapist credential is 02/28/odd years. Should you receive your initial credential in the months leading up to this date, you are still required to renew your license by the statutorily defined date.
Basic requirements necessary to obtain those credentials include the completion of the following:
- A Master's or Doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a regionally accredited institution.
- A Master's or Doctoral degree in a field with coursework substantially equivalent to marriage and family therapy.
Completion of post-graduate supervised practice.
- At least 3000 hours of post-graduate supervised experience including at least 1000 hours of face-to-face client contact. You must apply for and be issued a training license in order to accrue your 3,000 hours. (see instructions for training license listed below)
Completion of the appropriate application forms(s) including all required documentation and fees. Applications must be completed 90 days prior to the national exam date.
Examination in Marital and Family Therapy
The Marriage and Family Section reviews applications and makes a determination of eligibility to take the National Examination. You may be given information regarding the state and national exams upon receipt of application and appropriate fees.
An applicant who completes all of the requirements for licensure except for passing the national exam may obtain a temporary license valid for up to 9 months from the date of its issuance, and it may be renewed once upon receipt of a written request and any required renewal fee.
If a temporary license is returned to the Department prior to its expiration along with a written request that it be placed on hold, the temporary license may later be reissued to the holder for the remainder of the 9-month period
A marriage and family therapist training license allows an individual who has received a Master's or Doctorate degree in marriage and family therapy or its equivalent and who is in a position, or has an offer of a position, to work as a marriage and family therapist in a supervised clinical marriage and family therapy practice or in a position in which the applicant will, in the opinion of the marriage and family therapist section, receive training and supervision equivalent to the training and supervision received in a supervised marriage and family therapy practice.
A marriage and family therapist training license is valid for 48 months. The training license may be renewed at the discretion of the Marriage and Family Therapist Section.
An applicant for licensure as a marriage & family therapist must hold one of the following:
- A master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a regionally accredited institution
- A master's or doctoral degree in a field with coursework substantially equivalent to marriage and family therapy from a regionally accredited institution;
- Clinical membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Application for Licensure
1973||Marriage and Family Therapist License/Training License Application |
|3217||Application for Fee Reduction (This form must accompany the application for the credential)|
2238||Marriage and Family Therapist Curriculum Requirements Form (Not required if related degree AND coursework is completed at an approved Post-Graduate Training Institute for Marriage and Family Therapy.)|
2571||Employment Form for Supervised Marriage and Family Therapy Practice (for training license only)|
2574||Marriage and Family Therapist Supervised Practice Experience Form (Not required for training license or reciprocal license. Submit this form once supervised practice is complete.) |
1972||Marriage and Family Therapists Certificate of Professional Education Form (not required for reciprocal license)|
|2921||Application to Renew Current Marriage and Family Therapist or Professional Counselor Training License |
2829||Malpractice Suits or Claims Form (if applicable)|
3085||Application for Predetermination|
2252||Convictions and Pending Charges|
3071||Fax Payment Form|
Application for Psychometric Testing
||Affidavit of Supervisor in Support of Application to Engage in Psychometric Testing |
2578||Application to Engage in Psychometric Testing |
Application for Substance Abuse Specialty
Pursuant to 2017 Wisconsin Act 262, as of April 11, 2018, Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselors and Licensed Clinical Social Workers who practice as a substance abuse clinical supervisor or provide substance abuse counseling, treatment, or prevention services within the scope of their licensure are no longer required to obtain the substance abuse specialty or substance abuse credentials.