California AMFT supervision: the weekly rule and the Weekly Log of Experience Hours

The weekly unit

“Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact in each week for which experience is credited in each work setting”, and “Direct supervisor contact shall occur within the same week as the hours claimed” (Business and Professions Code §4980.43.2(a)(1), (e)).

One unit is one hour of individual or triadic supervision, or two hours of group supervision with no more than eight people; group supervision can be split into blocks of at least one continuous hour (§4980.43.2(b)).

The Board's handbook: “You must have a minimum of one hour of individual or triadic supervision, or two hours of group supervision in order to count work experience during that week.” Supervision in a later week doesn't make up for a week without it.

More supervision when you see more clients

• As an associate, a week with more than 10 hours of direct clinical counseling in a setting needs one more unit of supervision for that setting that week: one more hour of individual or triadic supervision, or two more hours of group (§4980.43.2(a)(3), (b)(1); the Board's FAQ). The law doesn't say what happens to the week's hours if the extra unit is missing; ask the Board
• As a trainee, an average of at least one unit for every five hours of direct counseling, each week in each setting; only this extra supervision may be averaged over time (§4980.43.2(a)(2); the Board's FAQ)

Limits

• No more than six hours of supervision credited in any one week (§4980.43.2(a)(2), (3))
• Of the 104 weeks, 52 must include individual or triadic supervision (§4980.43.2(a)(4))

Video and phone

Face-to-face contact means “in-person contact, contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing, or some combination of these” (§4980.43.2(b)(2)). The Board's FAQ: “Supervision provided over the telephone will not count toward licensure.”

Through December 31, 2026, within 60 days of the start of any supervision, your supervisor assesses whether video supervision is appropriate for you and documents it. From January 1, 2027, that is needed only when supervision is by video (SB 1445, amending §4980.43.2(d)(1)).

The Weekly Log of Experience Hours (37A-525)

• “The log of hours shall be signed by the supervisor on a weekly basis. The supervisee shall retain the signed logs until such time as the supervisee is licensed by the board” (16 CCR 1833(d))
• One log for each supervisor and work setting
• Don't send it to the Board unless the Board asks; it can't replace the Experience Verification (the Application for Licensure: “Weekly Logs CANNOT be accepted in place of an Experience Verification form”)
• You may not sign for your supervisor, on weekly logs or Experience Verification forms (the Board's Winter 2026 newsletter)

If a week isn't signed on time

We haven't found a rule that says a late signature cancels hours. But the Supervision Agreement says “for hours to count toward licensure, my supervisor must sign my experience log on a weekly basis”, and the Board's FAQ warns that “applicants can lose experience hours” if forms aren't signed as required. Get each week signed that week.

The other supervision papers

• The Supervision Agreement (37M-300), signed within 60 days of the start of any supervision; you keep the original and send it with your licensure application (16 CCR 1833(c)). A supervision that began before January 1, 2022 needs no Supervision Agreement; it needs a supervisory plan instead (1833(c)(2))
• A written oversight agreement, signed before supervision starts, if your supervisor isn't employed by your employer or is a volunteer (§4980.43.4(d); 16 CCR 1833(a)(1))
• An Experience Verification (37A-301) from each supervisor when the supervision ends, separate for each setting and for hours before and after your degree; you send it with your licensure application

After your hours are done

Until you are licensed, keep at least one hour of supervision a week in each setting where you counsel clients (§4980.43.2(g)).

Your supervisor

• A California LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, psychologist, physician certified in psychiatry, or (with limits) a licensed educational psychologist
• Has held an active license for at least two years within the five years before supervising
• In a setting that isn't exempt, the individual or triadic supervisor of no more than six people who aren't fully licensed, at one time (§4980.43.4(c))
• Must give you a week's written notice before refusing to sign for further hours; without that notice, must sign for hours gained in good faith where they actually gave the supervision (16 CCR 1833.1(b))