License Renewal

Renewal of your license is required on an annual basis (once you have been licensed at least one year.  Your license expiration date, listed in your licensee portal/account or on your license is the date by which you must renew your license. You will receive renewal reminders starting on April 1 of each renewal year if your license is due to be renewed.

No. CE hours may not be carried forward from the renewal period in which they were earned.

If you will not be practicing MFT you may choose to place your license on inactive status by submitting a written request to the Board office via the licensure portal. While the license is on inactive status, no renewal fee or continuing education are due to the Board. However, there is a inactive maintenance fee of $50 required on a yearly basis .  Placing the license on inactive status would avoid the license from being suspended for failure to renew or having to renew the license if it is not needed at this time. Currently, no further information would need to be submitted to the Board office once the license was placed on inactive status, until which time you wish to reactivate the license. Currently, there is no time limitation for the license to remain on inactive status as long as the annual inactive maintenance fee is submitted by July 1 of each year.

If the license has been placed on inactive status and the expiration date has passed, you may re-activate the license by submitting the Renewal request and documenting the required continuing education during the most current two-year period and the reactivation fee of $200. The required continuing education must be submitted to the Board office for the license to be re-activated.

Renewals are submitted via LearningBuilder. Detailed instructions will be provided.  

A license that has expired for two years or more, and was not renewed and was not placed on inactive status (through written notification received by the Board), cannot be reinstated or reactivated. This is NOT a disciplinary suspension but it does require additional information to reactivate. Re-activating a  license that has been suspended for failure to renew requires re-application and fees.

There is no restriction on the number of hours that may be obtained on-line or in person.

Yes, active duty service people or their spouses who are deployed outside the U.S. may request waiver of continuing education requirements for any renewal year.  

The Board does not pre approve courses.  It is the responsibility of the licensee to use their professional judgment as to the content meeting the requirements for MFT therapeutic or Ethics coursework.  If a course is submitted and you are subsequently audited and a course is rejected, you will be given up to 90 days from the notification of course rejection to submit a replacement course.

LMFTAs should be mindful of the maximum allotted time frame (3 years, 4 with request for an extension approved) for completing all requirements for the LMFT as non-practicing status inactive status does not 'stop the clock' LMFTAs who do not meet the requirements within the maximum allotted time will be required to reapply for LMFTA.  The National MFT Examination score will not expire, nor will clinical and supervision hours earned while in the qualifying degree program.  However, hours accrued during the initial LMFTA will not carry over.

Implementing the new system requires consistency in formatting. Previous data systems (last year's renewal process and the main database) were not compatible. To avoid inconsistencies or inaccurate data in some instances as well as security of date of birth, social security number, etc. you will need to update the information requested as much as possible. Data such as your name, license number, license issue date and expiration date are considered 'static' data and cannot be changed by the licensee. Some fields such as exam score are optional for those who are currently licensed. Exam scores will be required for all new applicants. 

No, a late fee will be automatically added to your account and cannot be waived.  Essentially, your license must be reinstated and the fee is $200.

No, there is no retired status.

It is the licensee’s responsibility to obtain and maintain CE documentation with their professional records for three years. Licensees will need documentation of attendance for renewal purposes. The original certificate of attendance or other written verification of attendance should reflect the sponsor’s name, date of training, title of training/course title, number of hours awarded and your name.

20 hours and at least three of the 20 hours must be MFT Ethics coursework.  Refer to the Administrative Rules for more information.

Upon written request from a licensee prior to the renewal date explaining the circumstances and/or verification from a licensed medical professional, the Board may grant an extension or exemption for all or part of the required hours.

Hours shall be granted for actual time spent as a learner in a structured, educational format. Breaks, lunches, business meetings, and committee meetings may not be counted. Proof of attendance must include a certificate denoting contact hour(s). In addition, the following (on line or traditional) may be utilized for continuing education: a 3 semester hour graduate level course = 45 contact hours, a 1 semester hour graduate level course = 15 contact hours or a 1 quarter hour graduate level course - 10 credit hours. Evidence of completion is a transcript verifying course completion.

Refer to the Administrative Rules for more information.

Related Links

• Administrative Rules for Continuing Education (effective 7/1/2011)

To verify your expiration date log-in to the licensee portal and review your profile.  Your expiration date is located there and you may also print a current license that indicates your expiration date.

Licensees may acquire/count continuing education hours from the initial date of licensure until the first renewal date.  After the first renewal, continuing education hours must be acquired between July 1 and June 30 of each renewal period/year.  Carryover hours are not permitted.

These are optional fields, not published and are used for determining things such as eligibility for board appointments (appointments are required to be from different districts). The state is committed to diversity as well and having this data assists with the process.  The advocacy organization for MFTs (the NCAMFT) often asks the Board for lists of licensees by Congressional District when there is an issue before the legislature that may affect MFTs in the State of North Carolina.  The NCAMFT can more effectively provide legislative alerts and calls to action with this data.

The Board is required by state statutes to collect this information for State of NC required reports.  Social Security numbers may be used for background checks.