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Open free LMFT Law & Ethics Exam prep resources ↗Exam facts & prep options
California Law and Ethics Examination (LMFT)
Find the current format, timing, scoring, fees, eligibility, and testing options for LMFT Law & Ethics Exam, with direct links to official sources.
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Questions50 scored multiple-choice questions plus 25 non-scored pretest questions (75 total)
Testing time90 minutes
ScoringPass/fail score report; passing candidates receive no numeric score. Forms are equated to correct for differences in form difficulty; no numeric cut score is published
Exam feeUSD 75 (temporary reduced fee effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2030; standard fee USD 150 per Title 16 CCR section 1816.2), paid to the BBS at application; a separate fee is required for re-examination
Prep options
Study resources for LMFT Law & Ethics Exam
Independent prep
Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- BBS
- Category
- Marriage & Family Therapy
- Current version
- LMFT Law and Ethics Examination, content outline effective January 2024
- Where it applies
- California, United States
- Exam languages
- English
- Testing provider
- Pearson VUE
- Format
- Computer-based, closed-book, in person at Pearson VUE test centers (including military-base sites)
- Availability
- Year-round by appointment; reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance; Pearson VUE testing centers located throughout California and some out-of-state locations, offering testing 5-6 days a week
- Results
- Score report (pass/fail) received before leaving the test center; the Board receives exam results within 24-48 hours of the exam date
- Score validity
- Once passed, the exam does not need to be retaken; however, if the clinical exam is not passed within seven years of the first attempt, the candidate must retake the current Law and Ethics exam to regain clinical exam eligibility
- Remote testing
- Not available
Exam structure
One computer-based multiple-choice exam in two weighted content areas: Law (44%) and Ethics (56%)
Where rules vary
A California state licensing requirement for LMFT candidates: exam must be taken annually until passed to renew an Associate (AMFT) Registration, and must be passed to become fully licensed.
Eligibility
Must hold an Associate registration (AMFT) and take the exam at least once per renewal cycle until passed, or be an out-of-state applicant with an approved Application for Licensure; exam must be passed to receive a subsequent Associate Registration and to become fully licensed
Retake policy
90-day waiting period between attempts; at least three opportunities to pass per renewal cycle; re-exam application and fee required