Group Supervision Hours for MFT Licensure: How Many Count and How State Rules Differ

A practical question pre-licensed MFTs ask often: how many group supervision hours count toward my licensure requirement?

Most state licensing boards let group supervision count, and almost all of them limit it. They do this by requiring a minimum number of individual hours, by capping how many group hours can be credited, or by both. You cannot complete your whole supervision requirement in group.

Here is how that works and what to confirm before you start.

Individual supervision is supervision with your supervisor and few or no other supervisees. Many boards define it as one supervisor with one supervisee. Some allow two. Illinois, for example, defines individual supervision as no more than two supervisees with one supervisor.

Individual supervision is the foundation of MFT licensure requirements. Your supervisor's attention is on your cases and your development, and the parallel process work goes deeper over time.

Group supervision is supervision with several supervisees and one supervisor at the same time. Boards set a maximum group size, often around six, and the exact number varies by state. Illinois sets the maximum at six supervisees.

States handle group hours in different ways. Some count each group hour toward the supervision total up to a cap. Some require that a set share of your supervision hours be individual, which limits group hours indirectly. A few weight group hours differently. Your board's rules are the only reliable source here.

Illinois rules (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1283.15 and 1283.25) require:

• 3,000 hours of professional work experience over two to five years
• 1,000 hours of clinical activities within that total
• 200 hours of clinical supervision, at least 100 of them individual
• Individual supervision of no more than two supervisees, and group supervision of no more than six
• Video supervision only when it is live and allows verbal and visual interaction, and only when it meets confidentiality requirements

Under these rules, up to half of an Illinois MFT Intern's supervision hours can come from group or other formats, as long as at least 100 are individual. Every state's version of this is different, so check your own board's rules the same way.

Before you build a supervision plan, find these four things in your board's statute or administrative rules:

1. The total supervision hours required, and whether they sit inside a larger experience total
2. The minimum individual supervision hours, which is the floor you have to meet no matter how many group hours you log
3. The maximum group size, because a group larger than your board allows may not count
4. How group hours are credited, meaning hour for hour, capped, or weighted

Your supervisor should know the answers for your state. If they don't, note that before you commit.

For each state I am licensed in, the state supervision pages list the licensing board and its contact information so you can confirm current rules directly.

Beyond the licensure mechanics, individual and group supervision offer different clinical experiences. They complement each other.

Individual supervision gives you sustained attention on your own cases and development. Your supervisor comes to know your clinical patterns and your countertransference tendencies over time. The relationship deepens in ways group can't match.

Group supervision exposes you to more clinical material than you'd see on your own. You learn from how other clinicians think about their cases, and you build consultation skills by giving useful feedback to peers. The group can become its own parallel process, with dynamics that echo what happens in therapy rooms.

For queer and trans pre-licensed therapists, group supervision has another layer. Being in a group with clinicians who understand work with LGBTQ+ clients, and who don't need you to translate your experience, creates professional community that individual supervision can't provide.

Do group supervision hours count toward MFT licensure?

In most states, yes, within limits. Boards usually require a minimum number of individual hours and may cap group hours. Check your board's rules.

How many individual supervision hours do I need?

It varies by state. In Illinois, at least 100 of the 200 required supervision hours must be individual. Your board's rules set the number for your state.

Can I complete all my MFT supervision hours in group?

No. Boards require some individual supervision.

Does group size affect whether hours count?

Yes. Boards set a maximum group size, and supervision in a larger group may not qualify. Illinois caps group supervision at six supervisees.

Do telehealth group supervision hours count?

Many boards accept supervision by video when it is live and confidential. Some set conditions or limits. See Does Telehealth Supervision Count for MFT Licensure Hours? for more.

I offer individual and group supervision for pre-licensed MFTs working toward licensure in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin.

My groups are capped at six supervisees so each person gets meaningful attention and the group stays productive. They are queer-affirming by design, so you won't be the only person in the room who understands your clinical work.

If you want to talk through how individual and group hours could work together on your licensure path, request a session.

Mx. Love C. Dialogos is an LMFT and AAMFT Approved Supervisor offering individual and group supervision via telehealth. See the services page for details on supervision formats and fees.

• MFT Licensure Hours by State: A Complete Guide
• Does Telehealth Supervision Count for MFT Licensure Hours?
• How to Track Your MFT Supervision Hours
• How to Choose a Queer-Affirming MFT Supervisor
• What to Expect in Your First MFT Supervision Session