Supervised Hours by State: NY, NJ and CA Compared

In short

New York's LCSW asks for 2,000 client contact hours over at least three years, its LMHC 3,000 hours and its LMFT 1,500, gained mainly under a limited permit. New Jersey's LCSW asks for 3,000 hours in two to four years, and California's LMFT 3,000 hours over at least 104 weeks. Each state's own rules, side by side, are below.

Licensure Hours tracks New York LCSW, LMHC and LMFT, New Jersey LCSW and California LMFT hours today.

On this page9 sections

Side by side

The main rules for each license, from each board's own published rules. Each state decides how it counts your hours; this is a summary, and the guide for your license has the details.

Supervised experience requirements by state and license
Requirement	New YorkLCSW	New YorkLMHC	New YorkLMFT	New JerseyLCSW	CaliforniaLMFT
Supervised hours	2,000 hours All client contact hours	3,000 hours At least 1,500 direct client contact At least half direct in any setting with fewer than 3,000	1,500 hours All direct client contact	3,000 hours At least 1,920 face to face 960 of those psychotherapy	3,000 hours At least 1,750 direct counseling 500 of those with couples, families and children
How long it takes	Three to six years At least 36 months, finished within 72	Up to four years on the permit A 24-month permit, plus up to two 12-month extensions at NYSED's discretion Hours are counted on a typical 40 to 45 hour work week Experience gained in an unreasonable amount of time isn't accepted		Two to four years At least 24 months, finished within 48	104 weeks or more About two years Each week with supervision
Supervision	100 hours Across the whole period	One hour a week On average		One hour a week At least, every week By video only one-on-one, for up to half of it	Every week, in each setting One hour individual or triadic, or two hours in a group Twice that in a week with over 10 hours of direct counseling there 52 of the weeks individual or triadic
Before your hours count	LMSW or limited permit The LMSW limited permit lasts up to 12 months and can't be renewed Other experience counts only in limited circumstances	Limited permit Issued after your degree Hours before it don't count	Limited permit Issued after your degree MFT program graduates can also count supervised client contact from the program	LSW Or, after your MSW, a setting where a license isn't required	AMFT registration Renewed every 12 months Hours between your degree and registration can count if the Board receives your application within 90 days of the degree and grants it Not in a private practice or professional corporation
Who can supervise	LCSW, psychologist or psychiatrist Meets NYSED's qualifications Not a relative	LMHC or another listed license The list: LMHC, physician, psychiatrist, physician assistant, psychologist, LCSW, registered nurse or nurse practitioner	LMFT or another listed license The list: LMFT, physician, psychiatrist, physician assistant, psychologist, LCSW, registered nurse or nurse practitioner Not an LMHC	NJ LCSW Clinically licensed at least three years At least 20 Board-approved continuing education credits in clinical supervision	LMFT or another listed license The list: LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, psychologist, psychiatrist or licensed educational psychologist An educational psychologist only for educationally related services, up to 1,200 hours Licensed at least two of the five years before supervising
What your supervisor signs	Form 4B Your supervisor sends it to NYSED			Documentation form The Documentation of Supervised Clinical Experience Form for LCSW Candidates One per supervisor, job title and location	Weekly log, every week Form 37A-525 Plus the Marriage and Family Therapist In-State Experience Verification (37A-301) for each supervisor and setting
The exam	ASWB Clinical Once NYSED approves your experience	NCMHCE Once your education is approved	AMFTRB The AMFTRB Examination in Marital and Family Therapy Once your education is approved	ASWB Clinical After all your hours	Two exams The California Law and Ethics Exam first Then the California LMFT Clinical Exam

Pick any two of the 5 licenses.

Supervised hours

NY LCSW
2,000 hours
- All client contact hours
NJ LCSW
3,000 hours
- At least 1,920 face to face
- 960 of those psychotherapy
NY LMHC
3,000 hours
- At least 1,500 direct client contact
- At least half direct in any setting with fewer than 3,000
NY LMFT
1,500 hours
- All direct client contact
CA LMFT
3,000 hours
- At least 1,750 direct counseling
- 500 of those with couples, families and children

How long it takes

NY LCSW
Three to six years
- At least 36 months, finished within 72
NJ LCSW
Two to four years
- At least 24 months, finished within 48
NY LMHC
Up to four years on the permit
- A 24-month permit, plus up to two 12-month extensions at NYSED's discretion
- Hours are counted on a typical 40 to 45 hour work week
- Experience gained in an unreasonable amount of time isn't accepted
NY LMFT
Up to four years on the permit
- A 24-month permit, plus up to two 12-month extensions at NYSED's discretion
- Hours are counted on a typical 40 to 45 hour work week
- Experience gained in an unreasonable amount of time isn't accepted
CA LMFT
104 weeks or more
- About two years
- Each week with supervision

Supervision

NY LCSW
100 hours
- Across the whole period
NJ LCSW
One hour a week
- At least, every week
- By video only one-on-one, for up to half of it
NY LMHC
One hour a week
- On average
NY LMFT
One hour a week
- On average
CA LMFT
Every week, in each setting
- One hour individual or triadic, or two hours in a group
- Twice that in a week with over 10 hours of direct counseling there
- 52 of the weeks individual or triadic

Before your hours count

NY LCSW
LMSW or limited permit
- The LMSW limited permit lasts up to 12 months and can't be renewed
- Other experience counts only in limited circumstances
NJ LCSW
LSW
- Or, after your MSW, a setting where a license isn't required
NY LMHC
Limited permit
- Issued after your degree
- Hours before it don't count
NY LMFT
Limited permit
- Issued after your degree
- MFT program graduates can also count supervised client contact from the program
CA LMFT
AMFT registration
- Renewed every 12 months
- Hours between your degree and registration can count if the Board receives your application within 90 days of the degree and grants it
- Not in a private practice or professional corporation

Who can supervise

NY LCSW
LCSW, psychologist or psychiatrist
- Meets NYSED's qualifications
- Not a relative
NJ LCSW
NJ LCSW
- Clinically licensed at least three years
- At least 20 Board-approved continuing education credits in clinical supervision
NY LMHC
LMHC or another listed license
- The list: LMHC, physician, psychiatrist, physician assistant, psychologist, LCSW, registered nurse or nurse practitioner
NY LMFT
LMFT or another listed license
- The list: LMFT, physician, psychiatrist, physician assistant, psychologist, LCSW, registered nurse or nurse practitioner
- Not an LMHC
CA LMFT
LMFT or another listed license
- The list: LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, psychologist, psychiatrist or licensed educational psychologist
- An educational psychologist only for educationally related services, up to 1,200 hours
- Licensed at least two of the five years before supervising

What your supervisor signs

NY LCSW
Form 4B
- Your supervisor sends it to NYSED
NJ LCSW
Documentation form
- The Documentation of Supervised Clinical Experience Form for LCSW Candidates
- One per supervisor, job title and location
NY LMHC
Form 4B
- Your supervisor sends it to NYSED
NY LMFT
Form 4B
- Your supervisor sends it to NYSED
CA LMFT
Weekly log, every week
- Form 37A-525
- Plus the Marriage and Family Therapist In-State Experience Verification (37A-301) for each supervisor and setting

The exam

NY LCSW
ASWB Clinical
- Once NYSED approves your experience
NJ LCSW
ASWB Clinical
- After all your hours
NY LMHC
NCMHCE
- Once your education is approved
NY LMFT
AMFTRB
- The AMFTRB Examination in Marital and Family Therapy
- Once your education is approved
CA LMFT
Two exams
- The California Law and Ethics Exam first
- Then the California LMFT Clinical Exam

New York LCSW

At least three years of supervised experience, finished within six years. That includes 2,000 client contact hours and 100 hours of supervision, as an LMSW or on a limited permit.

How to become an LCSW in New York

New York LMHC

Gained under a limited permit. It lasts 24 months, and NYSED can extend it up to two times, 12 months each. The 3,000 hours can include supervision; at least 1,500 must be direct client contact.

How to become an LMHC in New York

New York LMFT

Gained under a 24-month limited permit, with up to two 12-month extensions. Graduates of an MFT program can also count supervised client contact hours from the program. All 1,500 hours are direct client contact; supervision doesn't count toward them.

How to become an LMFT in New York

New Jersey LCSW

3,000 hours over two to four years, with at least one hour of supervision every week. You apply within five years of finishing, and the Clinical exam comes only after all the hours.

NJ LCSW requirements: from LSW to LCSW in New Jersey

California LMFT

3,000 hours over at least 104 weeks, your supervisor's signature on the weekly log every week, then two exams. Hours count if gained no more than six years before the Board receives your licensure application; up to 500 practicum hours are exempt. A law taking effect January 1, 2027 makes it seven years.

AMFT to LMFT in California: the requirements

California's changes on January 1, 2027

Hours stay valid seven years instead of six, and registrations can be renewed six times instead of five.

California's 2027 LMFT law changes: AB 1598 and SB 1445

Sources

Checked against the published rules of NYSED, the New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners and the California Board of Behavioral Sciences on October 18, 2026. Licensure Hours is independent and not affiliated with NYSED, the New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners or the California Board of Behavioral Sciences; their own pages are the final word, and this is guidance, not legal advice.

Keeping your hours in Licensure Hours

Licensure Hours tracks New York LCSW, LMHC and LMFT, New Jersey LCSW and California LMFT hours today. It keeps your weekly hours, your supervisor confirms them by link, and it fills in your board’s forms from your record. Free for 30 days, no card.

Each New York license in full: