MFT · cost · checked Oct 30, 2026
MFT exam cost, 2026 and 2027 fees
As of Oct 2026 the fee is $370 ($389 from Jan 2027), and it already includes the test-center seat. The rest of the bill depends on three things: whether you move your date, whether you pass the first time, and what your state board charges for the license itself.
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Updated Oct 30, 2026 · Not affiliated with NBCC, CCE, AMFTRB, CRCC, ACA or AAMFT.
- exam fee$370 ($389 from Jan 2027)
- retakes, full fee eachOnce per quarter
- official practice$70 practice exam
MFT exam fees, sourced
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $370 for 2026 windows; $389 from the January 2027 windowThe fee includes the test-center fee; the 2027 fee includes a $75 non-refundable administrative fee. | AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2026 edition, rev. Apr 30, 2026 (PDF) · AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2027 edition, rev. Aug 24, 2026 (PDF) · Virginia Board of Counseling: examination information [1][2][3] | |
| Other fees | 2026: transfer to another window $180, reschedule inside the window $50, score verification $35. 2027: transfer $199, reschedule $60, score verification $50 | AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2026 edition, rev. Apr 30, 2026 (PDF) · AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2027 edition, rev. Aug 24, 2026 (PDF) [1][2] | |
| Retakes | At most once per calendar quarter, with a new application, approval code and full feeAfter three fails AMFTRB recommends waiting at least a year; state rules can add a longer wait. | AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2026 edition, rev. Apr 30, 2026 (PDF) · AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2027 edition, rev. Aug 24, 2026 (PDF) [1][2] | |
| Official prep material | Two AMFTRB practice exams of 90 retired questions each, $70 per attempt, with domain feedback and no answer key | AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2026 edition, rev. Apr 30, 2026 (PDF) · AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2027 edition, rev. Aug 24, 2026 (PDF) [1][2] |
Facts checked Oct 30, 2026 against the testing organizations; sources are listed under Source notes. Fees from the 2026 and 2027 AMFTRB handbooks. The other counseling exams side by side: counseling licensure exams.
Which fee you pay
The fee follows the testing window: a 2026 window is billed at the 2026 price and the first 2027 window at the 2027 price, although you apply for it in 2026. Apply about six weeks ahead: the December 1, 2026 deadline is for the January 2–16, 2027 window. If you are deciding between a December 2026 window and a January 2027 one, the difference is the gap between the two figures in the table, and the January window comes with the 2027 form (what changes).
Costs beyond the first sitting
- Moving your date. Rescheduling inside a 2026 window is priced by how much notice you give ($50 when moved 5–29 days ahead; free 30 or more days ahead; not allowed under 5 days); in 2027 the late fee becomes $60. A move to another window is a one-time transfer, priced in the table.
- Failing. There is no discounted retake: each new attempt is allowed at most once per calendar quarter, with a new application, approval code and full fee. Your state can add a longer wait.
- Checking a fail. A hand score verification is sold to failing candidates; scores within a few points of the pass point are re-checked anyway (passing score).
- Moving states. Sending your score to another board later: $65 in 2026; $75 from 2027.
- Extra time for English learners. Only where your board allows it; from 2027 it costs $85 for one extra hour, $135 for two.
- Official practice (optional). Priced per attempt in the table; it gives domain feedback but no answer key.
Fees outside AMFTRB
AMFTRB's fee covers only the exam. The license comes from your state board, and that board charges its own application, license and renewal fees, and some boards add a law or jurisprudence exam (state requirements). Passing gives no separate credential with its own renewal fee: the license is the credential. Counselors who sit the NCE or NCMHCE can add one through NBCC (NCC (National Certified Counselor)). Exam fees of the other counseling exams: NCE cost · NCMHCE cost.
More on the MFT exam
- MFTThe national LMFT exam: six domains, the 2026 form, the 2027 change
- MFT practice testOne set over the six domains, sized by the 2026 blueprint weights
- MFT exam factsQuestions, time, windows, test day, results and retakes, 2026 and 2027
- MFT passing scoreHow the AMFTRB pass point is set, why no rate is published, and what 2027 changes
- MFT study guidePlan by the 2026 blueprint weights, check your material's edition, think in systems
Source notes
- [1]AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2026 edition, rev. Apr 30, 2026 (PDF) ptcny.com · checked Oct 30, 2026
- [2]AMFTRB Handbook for Candidates, 2027 edition, rev. Aug 24, 2026 (PDF) ptcny.com · checked Oct 30, 2026
- [3]Virginia Board of Counseling: examination information dhp.virginia.gov · checked Oct 30, 2026
MFT exam cost, quick answers
Does the fee include the Prometric seat?
Yes. The test-center fee is part of the exam fee in both handbooks; there is no separate Prometric charge.
Is a retake cheaper?
No. Each attempt is a new application with a new approval code and the full fee of its window.
Are the official AMFTRB practice exams worth buying?
They are AMFTRB's only release of retired items and give a domain breakdown, but no answer key. One taken mid-way through prep shows which domain to fix; this site's practice test explains every option.