Article 4 - Revenue

California Business and Professions Code — §§ 4984-4984.9

Sections (13)

Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 836, Sec. 35. Effective January 1, 2001.

(a)Licenses issued under this chapter shall expire no more than 24 months after the issue date. The expiration date of the original license shall be set by the board.
(b)To renew an unexpired license, the licensee, on or before the expiration date of the license, shall do all of the following:
(1)Apply for a renewal on a form prescribed by the board.
(2)Pay a two-year renewal fee prescribed by the board.
(3)Certify compliance with the continuing education requirements set forth in Section 4980.54.
(4)Notify the board whether he or she has been convicted, as defined in Section 490, of a misdemeanor or felony, or whether any disciplinary action has been taken by any regulatory or licensing board in this or any other state, subsequent to the licensee’s last renewal.

Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 520, Sec. 5. (AB 1759) Effective January 1, 2023.

(a)The associate marriage and family therapist registration shall expire one year from the last day of the month in which it was issued.
(b)To renew the registration, the registrant shall, on or before the expiration date of the registration, complete all of the following actions:
(1)Apply for renewal on a form prescribed by the board.
(2)Pay a renewal fee prescribed by the board.
(3)Participate in the California law and ethics examination pursuant to Section 4980.399 each year until successful completion of this examination.
(4)Notify the board whether

they have been convicted, as defined in Section 490, of a misdemeanor or felony, and whether any disciplinary action has been taken against them by a regulatory or licensing board in this or any other state subsequent to the last renewal of the registration.

(5)Certify under penalty of perjury their compliance with the continuing education requirements set forth in Section 4980.54.
(c)An expired registration may be renewed by completing all of the actions described in paragraphs (1) to

(5), inclusive, of subdivision (b).

(d)The registration may be renewed a maximum of five times. No registration shall be renewed or reinstated beyond six years from the last day of the month during which it was issued, regardless of whether it has been revoked. When no further renewals are possible, an applicant may apply for and obtain a subsequent associate registration number if the applicant meets the educational requirements for a subsequent associate registration number and has passed the California law and ethics examination. An applicant who is issued a subsequent associate registration number pursuant to this subdivision shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice.

Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 588, Sec. 66. Effective January 1, 2008.

A licensee may renew a license at any time within three years after its expiration by completing all of the actions described in subdivision (b) of Section 4984 and paying any delinquency fees.

Repealed and added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1365, Sec. 4.

A suspended license is subject to expiration and shall be renewed as provided in this article, but such renewal does not entitle the licensee, while it remains suspended and until it is reinstated, to engage in the activity to which the license relates, or in any other activity or conduct in violation of the order or judgment by which it was suspended.

Repealed and added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1365, Sec. 4.

A revoked license is subject to expiration as provided in this article, but it may not be renewed. If it is reinstated after its expiration, the licensee shall, as a condition precedent to its reinstatement, pay a reinstatement fee in an amount equal to the renewal fee in effect on the last regular renewal date before the date on which it is reinstated, plus the delinquency fee, if any, accrued at the time of its revocation.

Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 573, Sec. 7. (SB 800) Effective January 1, 2018.

A license that is not renewed within three years after its expiration shall not be renewed, restored, reinstated, or reissued; however, the former licensee may apply for and obtain a new license if the following criteria are satisfied:

(a)No fact, circumstance, or condition exists that, if the license were issued, would constitute grounds for its revocation or suspension.
(b)He or she submits an application for licensure and the fee for that application.
(c)He or she takes and passes the current licensing examinations.
(d)He or she submits the fee for initial license issuance.
(e)He or she complies with the fingerprint requirements established by board regulation.

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 787, Sec. 67. (SB 775) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)(1) The board shall issue, upon submission of a completed application as prescribed by this section and payment of the fee fixed by this chapter, a retired license to a marriage and family therapist who holds a license that is current and active or a license that is inactive, and whose license is not suspended, revoked, or otherwise punitively restricted by the board or subject to disciplinary action under this chapter.
(2)A marriage and family therapist license that has expired shall be issued a retired license by the board upon submission of a completed application as prescribed by this section and payment of the fee fixed by this chapter if both of the

following requirements are met:

(A)The license expired within three years from the date of the board’s receipt of a completed application.
(B)Immediately preceding the license expiration, and after the license expiration, the license was not suspended, revoked, or otherwise punitively restricted by the board or subject to disciplinary action under this chapter.
(3)For purposes of this section, “subject to disciplinary action” shall mean that the licensee had an unsatisfied cost recovery, fine or restitution order, an accusation or petition to revoke probation that has been served on the licensee alleging violations of their probation or the chapter, or an unresolved complaint or investigation pending with

the board.

(b)To apply for a retired license, the applicant shall submit a completed application to the board providing all of the following information:
(1)Full name as filed with the board.
(2)Board license type, license number, and expiration date.
(3)Date of birth.
(4)Social security number or individual taxpayer identification number.
(5)A statement signed under penalty of perjury that the information provided on the application is true and correct, that the applicant understands that the holder of a retired license may not

engage in any activity for which the active license was issued, and that the applicant hereby requests their license to be changed to retired status.

(c)The holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section shall not engage in any activity for which an active marriage and family therapist license is required.
(d)The holder of a retired license shall utilize their professional title only with the unabbreviated word “retired” directly preceding or directly following the professional title.
(e)The holder of a retired license shall not be required to renew that license.
(f)The holder of a retired license may apply to restore to active status their

license to practice marriage and family therapy if that retired license was issued less than three years prior to the date the application to restore the retired license is received by the board. A retired license may be restored to active status one time only. To restore a retired license to active status, the applicant shall meet all of the following requirements:

(1)Submit a completed application to the board containing all of the following information:
(A)Full name as filed with the board.
(B)Original board license type and original license number and expiration date.
(C)Date of birth.
(D)Social security number or individual taxpayer identification number.
(E)Whether they have been convicted, as defined in Section 490, of a misdemeanor or felony, or whether any disciplinary action has been taken by any regulatory or licensing board in this or any other state subsequent to the issuance of the retired license.
(F)A statement signed under penalty of perjury that the information provided on the application is true and correct, that the applicant did not engage in any activity for which an active license is required while the license was in retired status, and that the applicant hereby requests their license to be changed to “active” status.
(2)Has not committed an act or crime constituting

grounds for denial of licensure.

(3)Pays the renewal fee required by this chapter.
(4)Completes the required continuing education as specified in Section 4980.54.
(5)Complies with the fingerprint submission requirements established in Section 144.
(g)An applicant requesting to restore their license pursuant to subdivision (f) whose retired license was issued in accordance with this section less than one year from the date the application to restore the retired license is received by the board shall complete 18 hours of continuing education taken within the two years prior to the date the application to restore the retired license is received by

the board. This coursework shall include a minimum of six hours in the subject of California law and ethics.

(h)An applicant requesting to restore their license pursuant to subdivision (f) whose retired license was issued in accordance with this section one or more years from the date the application to restore the retired license is received by the board shall complete 36 hours of continuing education taken within the two years prior to the date the application to restore the retired license is received by the board. This coursework shall include a minimum of six hours in the subject of California law and ethics.
(i)A retired license that was issued three or more years prior shall not be restored. The holder of the retired license may apply for and obtain a new license if all of the

following criteria are satisfied:

(1)Has not committed an act or crime constituting grounds for denial of licensure.
(2)Applies for licensure and pays the fee required by this chapter.
(3)Passes the examinations required for licensure.
(4)Complies with the fingerprint submission requirements established in Section 144.

Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 829, Sec. 87. Effective January 1, 1997.

The board shall report each month to the Controller the amount and source of all revenue received pursuant to this chapter and at the same time pay the entire amount thereof into the State Treasury for credit to the Behavioral Sciences Fund.

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 787, Sec. 68. (SB 775) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)The board shall assess the following fees relating to the licensure of marriage and family therapists:
(1)The application fee for an associate registration shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of three hundred dollars ($300).
(2)The annual renewal fee for an associate registration shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of three hundred dollars ($300).
(3)The fee for the application

for licensure shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of five hundred dollars ($500).

(4)(A) (i) The fee for the board-administered clinical examination, if the board chooses to adopt this examination in regulations, shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of five hundred dollars ($500). If the board chooses to adopt an examination administered by a public or private organization, as specified by the board in regulations, then the examination fee shall be determined by, and paid directly to, that organization.

(ii) The fee for the California law and ethics

examination shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of three hundred dollars ($300).

(B)An applicant who fails to appear for an examination, after having been scheduled to take the examination, shall forfeit the examination fee.
(C)The amount of the examination fees shall be based on the actual cost to the board of developing, purchasing, and grading each examination and the actual cost to the board of administering each examination. The examination fees shall be adjusted periodically by regulation to reflect the actual costs incurred by the board.
(5)The fee for rescoring an examination shall be twenty dollars ($20).
(6)The fee for the issuance of an initial license shall be two hundred dollars ($200). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of four hundred dollars ($400).
(7)The fee for the two-year license renewal shall be two hundred dollars ($200). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of four hundred dollars ($400).
(8)The renewal delinquency fee shall be one-half of the fee for license renewal. A person who permits their license to expire is subject to the delinquency fee.
(9)The fee for issuance of a replacement registration, license, or certificate shall be twenty dollars

($20).

(10)The fee for issuance of a certificate or letter of good standing shall be twenty-five dollars ($25).
(11)The fee for issuance of a retired license shall be forty dollars ($40).
(b)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2021.

Amended (as amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 799, Sec. 44) by Stats. 2013, Ch. 473, Sec. 35. (SB 821) Effective January 1, 2014. Section operative January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.

(a)Effective January 1, 2016, an applicant who fails the clinical examination may, within one year from the notification date of that failure, retake the examination as regularly scheduled without further application upon payment of the fee for the examination. Thereafter, the applicant shall not be eligible for further examination until he or she files a new application, meets all requirements in effect on the date of application, and pays all required fees.
(b)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.

Repealed (in Sec. 3) and added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 557, Sec. 4. (AB 1188) Effective October 7, 2017. Section operative July 1, 2018, by its own provisions.

(a)In addition to the fees charged pursuant to Section 4984.7 for the biennial renewal of a license pursuant to Section 4984, the board shall collect an additional fee of twenty dollars ($20) at the time of renewal. The board shall transfer this amount to the Controller who shall deposit the funds in the Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund.
(b)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2018.

Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 653, Sec. 43. (SB 1489) Effective January 1, 2011.

(a)A licensee may apply to the board to request that his or her license be placed on inactive status.
(b)A licensee on inactive status shall be subject to this chapter and shall not engage in the practice of marriage and family therapy in this state.
(c)A licensee who holds an inactive license shall pay a biennial fee in the amount of one-half of the standard renewal fee and shall be exempt from continuing education requirements.
(d)A licensee on inactive status who has not committed an act or crime constituting grounds for denial of licensure may,

upon request, restore his or her license to practice marriage and family therapy to active status.

(1)A licensee requesting to restore his or her license to active status between renewal cycles shall pay the remaining one-half of his or her renewal fee.
(2)A licensee requesting to restore his or her license to active status, whose license will expire less than one year from the date of the request, shall complete 18 hours of continuing education as specified in Section 4980.54.
(3)A licensee requesting to restore his or her license to active status, whose license will expire more than one year from the date of the request, shall complete 36 hours of continuing education as specified in Section 4980.54.

Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 573, Sec. 9. (SB 800) Effective January 1, 2018.

A licensee or registrant shall give written notice to the board of a name change, giving both the old and new names. The written notice shall be submitted to the board within 30 days of the issuance of a new government-issued photographic identification. The licensee or registrant shall certify the information by signing a statement under penalty of perjury. A copy of both of the following documents evidencing the change shall be submitted with the notice:

(a)A current government-issued photographic identification.
(b)The legal document authorizing the name change, such as a court order or a marriage

certificate.