The MFT Exam, or Marriage and Family Therapist Exam, is the licensing examination that all aspiring MFTs much take before they can practice independently. The purpose of this exam is to ensure that each MFT meets a certain level of competence and expertise, in an effort to protect the public from unqualified therapists. In all states (except California), the AMFTRB administers the National MFT Exam. In California, it is the Bureau of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) that administers the CA MFT Clinical Exam, or LMFT Exam.