Updated for 2026

Wisconsin CSAC, SAC & SAC-IT Continuing Education Requirements

Wisconsin addiction counselors must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their CSAC / SAC / SAC-IT license, including 4 hours of ethics and boundaries.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
4ethics and boundaries

Next deadline: February 28, 2027The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.

Where this comes from
State source
Wisconsin board rule
Last verified
October 2026
Ruleset version
2026.1

Every figure on this page is read from this rule, and the page refreshes when the ruleset changes. How we verify

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Requirements

Wisconsin CSAC, SAC & SAC-IT requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.

Topic minimums, counted within the 30

The remaining 26 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics and Boundaries
4
You need 4 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

In-house training (not otherwise approved)
max 15 hrs
First time presentation
max 15 hrs
Publication
max 15 hrs

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.
Renewal fee
The board renewal fee is $75 every 2 years, and a late (delinquent) renewal adds a $25 fee.
New licensees
No continuing education is owed at the first renewal. "A new credential holder is not required to satisfy continuing education requirements during the time between initial credentialing and commencement of a full 2-year credential period" (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.01(5)). The 30 hours start with the first full March 1 odd-year biennium after the certificate is granted.
Approved providers
A program counts when it "is relevant to the practice of substance use disorder counseling" and is approved, sponsored, provided, endorsed or authorized by NAADAC or an affiliated division, IC&RC, AAMFT or an affiliated division, the Wisconsin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association, the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, NBCC, CRCC, ASWB, NASW or an affiliated chapter, the Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors, CSWE, the Wisconsin Counseling Association, the American Counseling Association or the American Mental Health Counselors Association; or is offered by a COAMFTE-accredited training program, an APA-approved CE sponsor, or an accredited college or university; or is an employer in-service program (at most 15 hours unless otherwise approved) (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.02(1)). The department does not pre-approve individual courses.
Late renewal
A late renewal adds a $25 late fee.
Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before February 28, 2027.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full Addiction Counselor CE hours calculator
Full board policy details
  • Statewide biennium: the certificates renew on March 1 of each odd-numbered year (Wis. Stat. 440.08(2)(a) 9m.; DSPS renew-by date 02/28/Odd), and continuing education "shall apply only to the 2-year credential period during which the credit hours are completed" (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.01(6)). Hours completed on or after the renewal date to make up a shortfall "will not apply to the period during which they are earned" (168.01(6)).
  • Approved programs (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.02(1), as amended by CR 25-095 effective June 1, 2026): relevance to substance use disorder counseling plus one of: a listed organization (NAADAC, IC&RC, AAMFT, WAMFT, NRCA, ARCA, NBCC, CRCC, ASWB, NASW, the Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors, CSWE, the Wisconsin Counseling Association, ACA, AMHCA); a COAMFTE-accredited training program; an APA-approved CE sponsor; an accredited college or university; or an employee-sponsored in-service program. CR 25-095 removed the Wisconsin Rehabilitation Counseling Association (former item 7) and added the Wisconsin Counseling Association, ACA and AMHCA (items 14 to 16). Wisconsin does not pre-approve courses or providers for this credential; the licensee certifies completion on the renewal application and the program must fall within SPS 168.02(1).
  • Academic coursework: a program or course "offered by an accredited college or university" is approved, and "A credential holder shall receive 15 continuing education credit hours for completing a semester course approved under this paragraph" (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.02(1)(d)). Coursework is approved education, not one of the 168.02(2) activities, so the 15-hour activity limit does not reach it.
  • Activity credits and their shared limit (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.02(2)): presenting professional material earns one hour per hour presented, or 15 for a semester-long course, and nothing for a repeat presentation; developing continuing education material earns one hour per hour spent; authoring a published textbook or professional resource book earns 15; authoring a journal article or a book chapter earns 8. The activity must be relevant to substance use disorder counseling. "A person may earn up to 15 continuing education credit hours that count toward satisfying continuing education requirements" through these activities together (168.02(2)(b)). The engine holds presenting and authoring to 15 each (presenting cap, authoring cap); the shared 15 across presenting, developing and authoring combined cannot be expressed as one cap (a cap matches one category), so a licensee who claims activity credit of more than one kind should keep the combined total at 15.
  • Clinical supervisor floor (not scoped by this rule): "A clinical supervisor shall complete 4 hours of continuing education each 2-year credential period related to the supervision of substance use disorder counselors. The 4 hours completed under this subsection may count toward the continuing education required for renewal of a clinical substance abuse counselor certification" (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.01(4)). A CSAC who also holds a clinical supervisor-in-training, intermediate or independent clinical supervisor certificate therefore owes four supervision hours, which can sit inside the CSAC's 30. The supervisor certificates are separate credentials with no slug yet.
  • Dual licensure: "A credential holder who also holds an active license granted under ss. 457.08 (2) to (4), 457.10, 457.11, 457.12, 457.13, or 457.14 (1) (b) to (f), Stats., may satisfy the continuing education requirements by meeting the continuing education requirements under s. 457.22, Stats." (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.01(3), as amended by CR 25-095). A SAC or CSAC who is also a Wisconsin social worker, marriage and family therapist or professional counselor (including their training licenses) may renew on the MPSW board's 30 hours with 4 in ethics and boundaries (MPSW 19.02) instead of a separate SPS 168 set. Both credentials renew on March 1 of odd years, so one set of hours serves both renewals. The physicians, clinical, advanced practice and independent social workers, psychologists, MFTs and professional counselors who practice substance use disorder counseling within their own license need no 440.88 certificate at all (440.88(3m); SPS 160.015(2)).
  • Scope of the three credentials: each practices under clinical supervision. A clinical supervisor "shall provide a minimum of" two hours of clinical supervision for every 40 hours of work performed by a substance abuse counselor-in-training, two hours for every 40 hours of counseling by a substance abuse counselor, one hour for every 40 hours of counseling by a clinical substance abuse counselor, and one meeting each calendar month with each of them (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 162.01(1)(a)-(d)). A SAC-IT "may provide services if authorized and documented by the clinical supervisor" (SPS 163.02). Only a certified SAC or CSAC may use the titles "addiction counselor", "substance abuse counselor", "alcohol and drug counselor", "substance use disorder counselor" or "chemical dependency counselor" (SPS 160.015(1)).
  • SAC-IT renewal limit: "Renewal of certification as a substance abuse counselor-in-training, a clinical supervisor-in-training, or a prevention specialist-in-training may be made only twice" (Wis. Stat. 440.88(4)). A SAC-IT owes the same 30 hours at each renewal after the first.
  • Late renewal within 5 years: pay "the renewal fee ... and any applicable late renewal fee" and "Certify the completion of continuing education under ch. SPS 168 during the 2-year period preceding the last renewal date" (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 165.01(2)). After 5 years: the fees plus evidence of "a substantially equivalent credential in another state" or "Completion of 60 hours of continuing education in the last 2 years, including 6 hours on ethics and boundaries and 6 hours of psychopharmacology" (SPS 165.01(3)). The 60-hour restoration requirement is a one-time condition, not the recurring rule, and is not modeled as a requirement.
  • Postponement or waiver: "A holder of a credential under s. 440.88, Stats., may apply to the department for a postponement or waiver of the requirements under this chapter on grounds of prolonged illness, disability, or other grounds constituting extreme hardship. The department shall consider each application individually on its merits" (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.03). SPS 168 has no retired or inactive-status exemption.

Wisconsin CSAC, SAC & SAC-IT CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Wisconsin CSAC / SAC / SAC-IT licensees need?

Wisconsin requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a CSAC / SAC / SAC-IT license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.

How many ethics hours are required for Wisconsin CSAC / SAC / SAC-IT licensees?

Of the total, 4 hours must be in ethics and boundaries.

How often do Wisconsin CSAC / SAC / SAC-IT licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.

How much does Wisconsin CSAC / SAC / SAC-IT license renewal cost?

The board's renewal fee is $75 every 2 years, per the Wisconsin board fee schedule. Renewing late adds a $25 delinquency fee on top. CE course costs are separate and set by course providers.

Is the first renewal different for new Wisconsin CSAC / SAC / SAC-IT licensees?

No continuing education is owed at the first renewal. "A new credential holder is not required to satisfy continuing education requirements during the time between initial credentialing and commencement of a full 2-year credential period" (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 168.01(5)). The 30 hours start with the first full March 1 odd-year biennium after the certificate is granted.

Sources and verification

State source
Wisconsin board rule
Fee schedule
Wisconsin board fee schedule
Last verified
October 2026
Ruleset version
2026.1

We reviewed this page against the Wisconsin board source, and we refresh it from the compiled ruleset above. Methodology and disclaimer. Compliance data is for guidance only, not legal or board advice. Always confirm requirements with your licensing board before renewing. See something wrong? Report it

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Wisconsin guides & data

What to keep for a CE audit →Learn what boards ask for in a CE audit, how long each state says to keep certificates, and what the notice looks like, then use the printable checklist.Wisconsin mental health workforce data →20,848 active providers, or 349 per 100,000 residents, ranked 37 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Wisconsin CE requirement pages

Wisconsin LPCWisconsin LMFTWisconsin LCSWWisconsin Psychologist

Addiction Counselor CE requirements in other states