MFT Licensure in Hawaii: The New Associate License and Supervision Requirements
Hawaii created a provisional Associate MFT license in July 2026. What pre-licensed MFTs in Hawaii need to know about hours, supervision, and supervisors.
By Mx. Love C. Dialogos, LMFT · AAMFT Approved SupervisorHawaii changed its path to MFT licensure in 2026. A provisional Associate Marriage and Family Therapist license took effect on July 1, 2026, giving pre-licensed MFTs a formal status while they complete supervised experience. This guide covers what Hawaii requires and what is still unsettled.
Hawaii regulates MFTs through the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Professional and Vocational Licensing division, without a separate board. The figures below come from HRS Chapter 451J and the department's guidance, checked in October 2026. Confirm current requirements before you plan your hours.
The Requirements
Pre-licensed title: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (provisional license), created by Act 93 (2024) and effective July 1, 2026 (HRS 451J-7.2). The provisional license lasts one year and can be renewed once. It does not require an exam.
Experience: 1,000 hours of direct MFT experience after the degree, in addition to a one-year practicum with 300 hours of supervised client contact (HRS 451J-7).
Supervision: 200 hours of clinical supervision over at least 24 months.
Exam: the national MFT exam for full LMFT licensure.
Who Can Supervise
Hawaii's application allows supervision from an LMFT in good standing for the two years before supervision starts, or from a licensed mental health professional who has been an AAMFT Clinical Member in good standing for two years. The department's associate FAQ says supervisors for post-master's experience must be Hawaii-licensed. Hawaii does not register supervisors separately. Your current supervisor signs a verification form.
What Is Still Unclear
Hawaii's statute and guidance don't spell out the split between individual and group supervision, or whether video supervision counts. Because the associate license is new, ask the MFT program directly before you rely on group or video hours, and keep their answer in writing.
The timing also needs attention. The provisional license covers one year plus one renewal, while supervised experience must span at least 24 months. Plan your experience and your application dates together.
Planning Your Hours
- Apply for the provisional license as soon as you're eligible
- Confirm your supervisor is Hawaii-licensed and meets the two-year standing requirement
- Ask the MFT program in writing how it treats group and video supervision
- Keep a detailed supervision log from your first session
Supervision in Hawaii
Clinical work in Hawaii calls for cultural humility, given its Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities and its many island settings with limited local supervision. Queer and trans clinicians on the neighbor islands often have no affirming supervisor nearby.
I hold an active Hawaii LMFT license. See the Hawaii supervision page or request a session.
Mx. Love C. Dialogos is an LMFT and AAMFT Approved Supervisor offering queer-affirming clinical supervision via telehealth, licensed in thirteen states. Verify credential in the AAMFT directory.
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Mx. Love C. Dialogos
Mx. Love C. Dialogos (they/them) is a queer, genderless womxn, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, and AAMFT Approved Supervisor offering queer-affirming clinical supervision for LMFT-Associates across 15 U.S. states via telehealth. They write about queer-affirming clinical practice, supervision, and the intersection of Buddhist Psychology and therapy.