License portability is the ability to take an individual's qualifications for a license in one state and apply them for licensure in another state. For LMFTs, the process of license portability has been disjointed across the states, largely due to a popular policy of only approving applicants that prove their qualifications are "substantially equivalent" to the requirements of the state they're applying to. In theory, substantially equivalent sounds logical, but practice has shown that this policy creates additional barriers for LMFTs, even those that may have been licensed for years in another state. There are many cases where subjectivity in applying the substantially equivalent policy has resulted in LMFTs having to take the same classes over again, complete additional hours of supervision, and more. AAMFT has developed a model of MFT license portability in order to promote more objectivity in assessing qualifications, as well as standardization between states in our increasingly mobile society.