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Licensee Renewal Information

Licenses for Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), and Licensed Educational Psychologists (LEP) are renewed every two years. The expiration date is shown on the license and renewal notice documents.

Renewing on time is critical, so renew early. Approximately 120 days in advance of a licensee’s expiration date, a courtesy renewal reminder is mailed to the licensee’s address of record. Manual License Renewal Applications are available in Forms and Publications in case you do not receive a courtesy renewal reminder.

ATTENTION LICENSEES

The most frequent cause of delay in renewal processing is an incomplete renewal application. Be sure to double-check that the renewal form is complete. Before mailing, ensure that the continuing education and conviction declaration questions are answered.

Please allow 4-6 weeks from the date the Board receives the renewal application for processing.

Expiration

If the renewal is not postmarked on or before the expiration date, the license is expired. In order to restore an expired license, the licensee must pay all renewal fees and outstanding delinquent fees.

If your MFT, LCSW, or LEP license is expired you should be aware of the following:

• If you are currently practicing, you are practicing with an expired license, which is a violation of law
• An expired license status is public information
• You are not entitled to payment by a client or an insurer for services you perform while your license is expired
• For MFTs and LCSWs only: If you are a supervisor of a registered MFT Intern or Association Clinical Social Worker, the registrants legally may not perform limited practice functions while your license is on an expired status. Furthermore, the Intern or Associate cannot accrue supervised experience during the period that a supervisor’s license is expired. 

Cancellation

Failure to renew within 3 years of license expiration results in license cancellation. In order to receive a new license, the cancelled license holder must apply for the license as if he or she were applying for the first time, meet all requirements, and pass both licensing examinations.

Retired Licensees

The Board does not have a special status for retired licensees. A retired licensee may renew the license as active, renew the license as inactive, or allow it to expire.

Inactive Licenses

Please refer to the Inactive Licenses page for information.

Social Security Number Requirement

Disclosure of a licensee or registrant’s Social Security Number (SSN) is mandatory. The SSN will be used for tax enforcement purposes, for purposes of compliance with any judgment or order for family support, or for verification of licensure or examination status by a licensing or examination entity which utilizes a national examination and where licensure is reciprocal with the requesting state.

Failure to disclose a SSN will prevent issuance of a renewal license or registration.

Family Support Program

The Department of Consumer Affairs is working with the Department of Social Services, as well as other appropriate agencies, to administer the State Licensing Match System Program. This program prohibits the issuance and renewal of a permanent professional license to individuals who are delinquent in their court-ordered child support payments. In place of the permanent license, a 150-day temporary license or registration may be issued.

Updated: February 25, 2008