Arkansas LCSW, LMSW & LSW Continuing Education Requirements
Arkansas clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LMSW / LSW license, including 3 hours of professional ethics.
30
total hours / 2 years
3
professional ethics hours
Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
Arkansas LCSW, LMSW & LSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Professional Ethics | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Format limits | Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 30 hours can come from.
- home study / self-studymax 15 hrs
- first time teachingmax 10 hrs
- first publicationmax 10 hrs
Keeping the proof in order: what to keep for a CE audit, with every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.
Full board policy details
- Independent study is capped at 15 of the 30 hours. A webinar is treated as face-to-face only when it is live and interactive.
- Teaching the initial offering of a course may supply no more than ten hours. Later presentations of the same course do not earn teaching credit.
- The first publication of a professional journal article may supply no more than ten hours.
- The same CE course may not be counted more than once in the renewal period.
- The Board does not pre-approve workshops or providers; the licensee must determine whether an activity meets the social-work CE definition.
- An extension request must be made in writing before expiration and is decided individually. The rule specifies no fixed six-month extension, so no structured conditional-registration duration is asserted.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Arkansas LCSW / LMSW / LSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Arkansas LCSW / LMSW / LSW CE free →Arkansas LCSW, LMSW & LSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Arkansas LCSW / LMSW / LSW licensees need?
Arkansas requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LMSW / LSW license. Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How many ethics hours are required for Arkansas LCSW / LMSW / LSW licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in professional ethics.
How often do Arkansas LCSW / LMSW / LSW licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Can Arkansas LCSW / LMSW / LSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
Sources & verification
- State source
- Arkansas board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
Reviewed against the Arkansas board source and refreshed 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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What to keep for a CE audit
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