Massachusetts LMFT Continuing Education Requirements
Massachusetts marriage and family therapists must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LMFT license.
30
total hours / 2 years
Biennial · Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31.
Massachusetts LMFT requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31. |
| New licensees | If your first license was issued between January 1 and June 30 of the first (even-numbered) year of the two-year cycle, you must complete 22.5 total CE hours for that first cycle. The one-time 2-hour domestic and sexual violence training, if taken in this cycle, counts toward the 22.5 hours — it is included in that total, not added on top of it. |
| Approved providers | Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by regional professional association, national professional association, and accredited university. |
| Recordkeeping | Keep CE documentation for 4 years after each renewal. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
| Other mandates | Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 112, § 264 and 262 CMR 7.03(2), applicants and licensees must complete Board-approved domestic violence and sexual violence training as a condition for licensure, renewal, revival, or reinstatement. This is a one-time lifetime requirement; once completed it need not be repeated. Completing the approved training also counts for 2 hours of CE credit in the cycle it is taken. |
| Provisional renewal | The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 3 months before full compliance is required. Massachusetts has no formal conditional/provisional renewal. The only accommodation is a Board-granted extension of time to complete CE, requested before renewal, for demonstrated extenuating circumstances. Extensions are at Board discretion, limited in duration, and not renewable long-term. No exam-in-lieu-of-CE substitution pathway exists. |
Keeping the proof in order: what to keep for a CE audit, with every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.
Massachusetts LMFTrequired trainings & mandates
Beyond the 30-hour CE total, Massachusetts requires specific trainings — some once around initial licensure, some on their own recurring schedule.
Recurring mandates outside the 2 years cycle
- Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 112, § 264 and 262 CMR 7.03(2), applicants and licensees must complete Board-approved domestic violence and sexual violence training as a condition for licensure, renewal, revival, or reinstatement. This is a one-time lifetime requirement; once completed it need not be repeated. Completing the approved training also counts for 2 hours of CE credit in the cycle it is taken.
Full board policy details
- Massachusetts imposes no format ratios or caps in the CE rule. All 30 hours may be completed via live, in-person, online, or asynchronous self-study formats, provided the content is approved by a Board-recognized entity. There is no minimum live/in-person requirement and no self-study cap.
- All CE must be approved by a Board-recognized entity. For LMFTs the primary recognized entity is the New England Association for Family and Systemic Therapy (NEAFAST), coordinating with AAMFT. Courses approved only by another profession's association or another state's MFT association are not accepted. The Board does not pre-approve individual courses; unapproved courses must be submitted to the recognized entity for individual approval. NEAFAST / AAMFT approval is required for LMFT CE. Each license type has its own recognized entity. Alternative activities (teaching a course, presenting, journal or book publication, academic coursework) are NOT exempt from this requirement: they earn credit only if a recognized entity grants credit for them.
- COURSE REPEAT RESTRICTIONS — 262 CMR 7.00 does not impose a general duplicate-course prohibition. Credit remains subject to the rules of the Board-recognized entity that approved the program, but the state rule does not authorize a corpus-wide automatic rejection of repeated course titles.
- LICENSE STATUS RULES — Massachusetts offers no inactive or retired status that exempts a licensee from CE. If you renew an active license, the full CE is required even if not practicing; the only way to avoid CE is to let the license lapse. Reactivating a license lapsed up to one cycle (<= 2 years) requires proof of completing all required CE (30 hours) under 262 CMR 7.00 plus fees. Licenses lapsed more than one cycle require CE completion and may require re-examination or letters of good standing. The Board may grant CE waivers or extensions only for demonstrated extenuating circumstances or undue hardship, requested in writing before renewal; the burden of proof is on the licensee.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Massachusetts LMFT record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Massachusetts LMFT CE free →Massachusetts LMFT CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Massachusetts LMFT licensees need?
Massachusetts requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LMFT license. Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31.
How often do Massachusetts LMFT licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31.
Is the first renewal different for new Massachusetts LMFT licensees?
If your first license was issued between January 1 and June 30 of the first (even-numbered) year of the two-year cycle, you must complete 22.5 total CE hours for that first cycle. The one-time 2-hour domestic and sexual violence training, if taken in this cycle, counts toward the 22.5 hours — it is included in that total, not added on top of it.
Sources & verification
- State source
- Massachusetts board rule
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
Reviewed against the Massachusetts board source and refreshed from the compiled ruleset above. Methodology and disclaimer. Compliance data is for guidance only, not legal or board advice. Always confirm requirements with your licensing board before renewing. See something wrong? Report it →
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What to keep for a CE audit
What boards ask for in a CE audit, how long each state says to keep certificates, what the notice looks like, and a printable checklist.
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