Marriage and Family Therapist Licensure by Endorsement

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass all stages of the legislative process and died in Health Policy committee, so it is uncertain whether or when it will become law.

Marriage and Family Therapist Licensure by Endorsement

This bill allows certain marriage and family therapists to get a license in Florida without taking the full licensing exam if they meet specific requirements.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new law that lets some marriage and family therapists get a license in Florida through endorsement.
• Requires applicants for an endorsement license to submit a complete application and pay a fee.
• Needs applicants to have an active, unencumbered marriage and family therapy license from another state or territory.
• Asks applicants to confirm they are not facing disciplinary action related to their practice.

Who It Names or Affects

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

Terms To Know

endorsement

A process that allows licensed professionals from other states or territories to get a similar license in Florida without taking the full licensing exam.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill did not pass all stages of the legislative process and died in Health Policy committee.
• It is unclear how many therapists will be eligible for this endorsement process.
• There are no details on what happens if an applicant does not meet the requirements.

Official Summary Text

Marriage and Family Therapist Licensure by Endorsement; Requiring the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling to issue a license by endorsement to certain applicants, etc.

Current Bill Text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 768

By
Senator Rouson

16-01088A-26 2026768__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to marriage and family therapist
3 licensure by endorsement; creating s. 491.019, F.S.;
4 requiring the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage
5 and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling to
6 issue a license by endorsement to certain applicants;
7 providing an effective date.
8
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11 Section 1. Section 491.019, Florida Statutes, is created to
12 read:
13
491.019

Licensure by endorsement; marriage and family

14
therapists.—The board shall issue a license to practice marriage

15
and family therapy to an applicant who meets all of the

16
following criteria:

17
(1)

Submits a complete application.

18
(2)

Submits the required application fee.

19
(3)

Holds an active, unencumbered marriage and family

20
therapy license in good standing issued by another state, the

21
District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States, and

22
provides proof of all mental health licenses held in any other

23
jurisdiction.

24
(4)

Attests that he or she is not, at the time of

25
submission of the application, the subject of a disciplinary

26
proceeding in a jurisdiction in which he or she holds a license

27
for reasons related to the practice of marriage and family

28
therapy.

29
(5)

Has not had disciplinary action taken against him or

30
her in the 5 years immediately preceding the date of submission

31
of the application.

32 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.