New Mexico
Register / Volume XXXVI, Issue 22 / November 18, 2025
This is an amendment to
16.27.14 NMAC, Section 8, effective 11/18/2025.
16.27.14.8 TEMPORARY LICENSES: Temporary mental health
counselor licenses (LMHC) and associate marriage and family therapist licenses
(LAMFT) shall be granted as follows:
A. Will be granted to individuals
meeting all educational requirements for the license sought. The temporary license is intended to permit
the licensee time to meet examination requirements for the license. The
temporary license shall not be valid for more than [60 days after the results of the next examination
become available] one year and cannot be renewed. [(The temporary license must be
returned to the board office)]. Individuals practicing under
a temporary license shall not provide supervision.
B. A temporary license will be granted
for a period not to exceed [six
months] one year or for a period of time necessary for the
board to ensure that the applicant has met licensure requirements as set out in
that act.
C. [Effective July 1, 2006, the] The board will
grant a temporary license and
exam approval letter if
the applicant has met the educational requirements for licensure in the
given field being sought. If the
applicant fails the required exam, the board [shall schedule the applicant to re-take the
examination and] shall re-issue another exam approval letter. The temporary license may be extended upon
the following conditions:
(1) After one year, the license may be
extended upon the receipt of an extension request and a letter from the
licensee’s supervisor detailing the plans to prepare the temporary license
holder for the exam.
(2) After two years, the license may be
extended upon the receipt of an extension request, proof of enrollment in an
exam preparation class specific to the requisite exam, and a letter from the
licensee’s supervisor detailing the plans to prepare the temporary license
holder for the exam.
D. The licensee may not practice when
the temporary license expires. [a second temporary license. If the applicant fails the second exam, the
board may re-issue a third temporary license.
The board shall not issue more than three temporary licenses.] Should the applicant [fail the required
examination three times,] not pass the required exam within the three
year temporary license period, the
board office shall not issue another
temporary license for that [application
for licensing.] license type. The
board office may however, issue further exam approval
letters if the applicant pays the requisite fee.
E. Upon
passing the requisite examination, the applicant holding the temporary LMHC or
LAMFT shall be issued the LMHC or LAMFT license so that the applicant may
continue to practice under supervision and acquire the requisite clinical hours
and supervision for the independent license (LPCC, LMFT, LPAT, or LADAC).
[D. The time and hours acquired under a temporary license
shall not expire or become null and void upon a gap in licensure as long as the
hours were obtained within the five years preceding the issuance of the LMHC or
LAMFT license.
E. Upon
the expiration of a temporary license, the individual must refrain from
practicing until another temporary license or the full license is issued to
them.]
[16.27.14.8 NMAC – Rp, 16
NMAC 27.15.8, 6/15/2001; A, 7/1/2004; A, 2/10/2006; A, 1/15/2007; A, 11/30/2021;
A, 11/18/2025]