Music Therapist License Requirements
All 50 States, Verified

Music therapist licensing costs vary significantly by state, ranging from $0 in California to $400 in Illinois, with an average of $136. However, most states (0 out of 51 jurisdictions) don't require state licensure at all - only the national MT-BC certification from CBMT is needed. In states without licensing, you only pay the national exam fee of approximately $325 to become board certified.

All music therapists must pass the N/A administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). This is a 150 multiple-choice question exam taken over 3 hours at Pearson VUE testing centers. The exam covers music therapy assessment, treatment planning and implementation, clinical musicianship, therapeutic relationship, and professional practice and ethics. No additional state exams are required in any jurisdiction.

Continuing education requirements vary by state, ranging from 10 to 100 hours, with an average of 72 hours for states that require licensing. 0 states have no additional CE requirements beyond the national standard. All music therapists must maintain their MT-BC certification through CBMT, which requires 100 continuing education credits every 5 years regardless of state requirements.

0 states with music therapy licensing offer some form of reciprocity or endorsement for licensed music therapists from other states. However, since most states don't require licensing, your national MT-BC certification is recognized everywhere. If moving between licensed states, you'll typically need to maintain your MT-BC credential, provide verification of your current license in good standing, and submit transcripts and background checks.

Music therapists must complete Bachelors Required and pass the national CBMT board certification exam. All programs must be AMTA-approved and include a minimum of 1,200 hours of clinical training with supervised internship experience. Graduate degrees in music therapy are also accepted and may be required in some states like New York, which requires a master's degree for their creative arts therapy license.

After completing your education and passing the CBMT exam (results available within 2-4 weeks), state license processing typically takes 4-8 weeks for complete applications in states that require licensing. However, the majority of states don't require state licensing - you can practice immediately after receiving your MT-BC certification from CBMT. The overall timeline depends primarily on completing your bachelor's degree program and clinical training requirements.

No, only 51 out of 51 jurisdictions require state-level licensing or registration for music therapists. The remaining 0 states rely solely on the national MT-BC (Music Therapist-Board Certified) credential from CBMT. Some states offer title protection or voluntary registration, but full licensing requirements exist in only a minority of states, making music therapy less regulated than many other healthcare professions.