Marriage and Family Therapists Licensure by Endorsement

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide additional details beyond the summary text, so some uncertainties remain as noted.

Marriage and Family Therapists Licensure by Endorsement

This bill allows the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling to issue licenses to marriage and family therapists who meet specific criteria.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new section in Florida Statutes that requires the board to issue licenses by endorsement to eligible applicants.
• Requires applicants to submit a complete application and pay an application fee.
• Needs proof of an active, unencumbered marriage and family therapy license from another state or territory.
• Requires applicants to confirm they are not facing disciplinary action in any jurisdiction related to their practice.
• Ensures that no disciplinary actions have been taken against the applicant within the last five years.

Who It Names or Affects

• Marriage and family therapists who want to get a license by endorsement in Florida.

Terms To Know

endorsement

A process where someone gets a professional license without taking the full licensing exam, based on their qualifications from another state or territory.

unencumbered

Having no restrictions or penalties attached to it; in good standing.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if an applicant fails to meet the criteria.
• It is unclear how many therapists will apply for endorsement under this new law.
• The bill only affects those who want to practice marriage and family therapy in Florida.

Official Summary Text

Marriage and Family Therapists Licensure by Endorsement; Requires Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, & Mental Health Counseling to issue license by endorsement to certain applicants.

Current Bill Text

HB 631 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb631-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to marriage and family therapist 2
licensure by endorsement; creating s. 491.019, F.S.; 3
requiring the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage 4
and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling to 5
issue a license by endorsement to certain applicants; 6
providing an effective date. 7
8
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 9
10
Section 1. Section 491.019, Florida Statutes, is created 11
to read: 12
491.019 Licensure by endorsement; marriage and family 13
therapists.—The board shall issue a license to practice marriage 14
and family therapy to an applicant who meets all of the 15
following criteria: 16
(1) Submits a complete application. 17
(2) Submits the required application fee. 18
(3) Holds an active, unencumbered marriage and family 19
therapy license in good standing issued by another state, the 20
District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States and 21
provides proof of all mental health licenses held in any other 22
jurisdiction. 23
(4) Attests that he or she is not, at the time of 24
submission of the application, the subject of a disciplinary 25

HB 631 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb631-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

proceeding in a jurisdiction in which he or she holds a license 26
for reasons related to the practice of marriage and family 27
therapy. 28
(5) Has not had disciplinary action taken against him or 29
her in the 5 years immediately preceding the date of submission 30
of the application. 31
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 32