§ 4980.74. — 4980.74. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 787, Sec. 64.)

(a)
This section applies to persons with education gained from an out-of-state school or experience gained outside of California who apply for licensure or registration and who do not qualify for a license under Section 4980.72.
(b)
The board shall accept education gained from an out-of-state school for purposes of satisfying licensure or registration requirements if the education is substantially equivalent, as defined in Section 4980.78, and the applicant complies with Section 4980.76, if applicable. The applicant’s degree title need not be identical to that required by Section 4980.36 or 4980.37.
(c)
The board shall
accept experience gained outside of California for purposes of satisfying licensure or registration requirements if the experience is substantially equivalent to the experience required by this chapter. If the applicant has fewer than 3,000 hours of qualifying supervised experience, the board shall accept as qualifying supervised experience the amount of time the applicant held an active license in good standing in another state or country as a marriage and family therapist at the highest level for independent clinical practice at a rate of 100 hours per month, up to a maximum of 1,200 hours.
(d)
An applicant who obtained a license or registration in another state or country may qualify for licensure with the board without taking the clinical examination specified in Section 4980.397 if both of the following conditions are met:
(1)
The applicant obtained a passing score on the clinical licensing examination set forth in regulation as accepted by the board.
(2)
The applicant’s license or registration in that state or country is active, in good standing at the time of the application, and is not revoked, suspended, surrendered, denied, or otherwise restricted or encumbered.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 787, Sec. 64. (SB 775) Effective January 1, 2026.