LCSW Continuing Education Requirements and License Renewal, by State
Every state asks licensed clinical social workers to complete continuing education each renewal cycle: a set number of hours, usually some ethics, and often state-specific categories. Here is what each state requires, sourced from the board itself. Pick your state to see its hours, topics, deadline, and the board source.
Every tile opens that state’s LCSW requirements page. 50 states covered, 15 to 45 hours per cycle. Most recent board check October 2026.
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All 50 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
How LCSW requirements compare across states
Hours, cycle, and ethics minimums differ from board to board. 5 featured states are below, and the full table covers every state we track. Every row links to the board-sourced page for that state.
| State | Total hours | Cycle | Ethics | Other topic minimums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 36 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 6 | – |
| Texas | 30 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 6 | 3 cultural diversity / competency, 1 human trafficking |
| Ohio | 30 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 3 | – |
| New York | 36 | 3 years, renews at the end of your birth month | – | 3 professional boundaries |
| Florida | 30 | 2 years, due by March 31 of odd years | 3 | 2 medical errors |
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| State | Total hours | Cycle | Ethics | Other topic minimums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 30 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 3 | 6 clinical social work, 3 DSM review |
| Alaska | 45 | 2 years, due by June 30 of even years | 3 | 6 substance abuse education, 6 cross cultural education, 3 alaska native cross cultural, 3 teletherapy practice, 3 suicide education |
| Arizona | 30 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 3 | 3 cultural considerations in psychotherapy, 3 arizona statutes regulations tutorial |
| Arkansas | 30 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 3 | – |
| Colorado | 40 | 2 years, due by August 31 of odd years | – | – |
| Connecticut | 15 | 1 year, renews at the end of your birth month | – | 1 cultural competency |
| Delaware | 40 | 2 years, due by January 31 of odd years | 6 | 1 mandatory reporting |
| Georgia | 35 | 2 years, due by September 30 of even years | 5 | 15 social work core |
| Hawaii | 45 | 3 years, due by June 30 every 3 years | 3 | – |
| Idaho | 30 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 2 | – |
| Illinois | 30 | 2 years, due by November 30 of odd years | 3 | 3 cultural competence |
| Indiana | 40 | 2 years, due by March 31 of even years | – | – |
| Iowa | 27 | 2 years, due by December 31 of even years | 3 | – |
| Kansas | 40 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 3 | 3 diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders |
| Kentucky | 30 | 3 years, counted from your license anniversary | 3 | – |
| Louisiana | 20 | 1 year, renews on your license expiration date | – | 10 clinical content |
| Maine | 25 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 4 | – |
| Maryland | 40 | 2 years, due by October 31 of your renewal year | 3 | 20 category I, 3 anti oppressive practice |
| Massachusetts | 20 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | – | 2 anti racism, 1 anti discrimination |
| Michigan | 45 | 3 years, counted from your license anniversary | 5 | 2 pain and symptom management, 2 human trafficking |
| Minnesota | 40 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 2 | 12 clinical content, 4 cultural responsiveness |
| Mississippi | 40 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 4 | 2 cultural diversity, 1 mandated reporting |
| Missouri | 30 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 3 | 2 suicide assessment |
| Montana | 20 | 1 year, due by December 31 | – | – |
| Nebraska | 32 | 2 years, due by September 1 of even years | 4 | – |
| Nevada | 36 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 4 | 12 field of practice, 6 cultural diversity equity inclusion |
| New Hampshire | 40 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 6 | 30 category A, 3 suicide prevention |
| New Jersey | 40 | 2 years, due by August 31 of even years | 5 | 20 clinical practice, 3 social and cultural competence, 1 prescription opioid abuse |
| New Mexico | 30 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 3 | 6 cultural awareness |
| North Carolina | 40 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 4 | – |
| North Dakota | 30 | 2 years, renewal due November 15 of odd years | 2 | – |
| Oklahoma | 16 | 1 year, due by December 31 | 3 | – |
| Oregon | 40 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 6 | 6 cultural competency, 2 suicide risk assessment |
| Pennsylvania | 30 | 2 years, due by February 28 of odd years | 3 | 2 child abuse recognition and reporting, 1 suicide prevention |
| Rhode Island | 30 | 2 years, due by May 1 of odd years | 3 | 3 cross cultural practice |
| South Carolina | 40 | 2 years, due by December 31 of even years | – | 1 suicide assessment treatment and management |
| South Dakota | 30 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 6 | – |
| Tennessee | 30 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 6 | 1 TN law and rules |
| Utah | 40 | 2 years, due by September 30 of even years | 6 | 2 suicide prevention |
| Vermont | 20 | 2 years, due by January 31 of even years | 1.5 | 15 formal education, 1 systematic oppression |
| Virginia | 30 | 2 years, due by June 30 of even years | 6 | 20 category I |
| Washington | 32 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 6 | 2 professional roles and boundaries |
| West Virginia | 30 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 1 | 20 category I, 2 veterans' mental health |
| Wisconsin | 30 | 2 years, due by February 28 of odd years | 4 | – |
| Wyoming | 45 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 3 | 3 suicide prevention |
Hours are per renewal cycle, not per year. A dash means the published rule states no figure. Ethics counts within the total wherever the state page says so.
LCSW continuing education: frequently asked
How often do clinical social workers renew their license?
It varies by state. Most LCSW licenses renew every two years (biennial), but some states are annual or triennial. Each state page above shows the exact cadence and due date.
How many CE hours do clinical social workers need?
Across the 50 states we cover, LCSW continuing education requirements range from 15 to 45 hours per renewal cycle. Open your state above for its exact total.
Do all states require ethics CE for LCSWs?
Most do. 42 of the 50 states we cover set a specific ethics-hours minimum for LCSW renewal; the rest fold ethics into general hours. Your state page lists the exact figure.
What counts as continuing education?
Board-approved courses, workshops, and (within limits) home-study or on-demand programs typically count, along with activities like teaching or publishing in some states. Many boards cap how much can be self-study and require provider approval. Details are on each state page.
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