Updated for 2026

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.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
3professional ethics

The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

What the board saysArkansas board rule
Each licensee is required to complete thirty (30) credit hours1 of SWCE during each two-year licensure period1. Of the thirty (30) hours, a minimum of three (3) hours must be in professional ethics2 with no more than fifteen (15) hours of independent study3. … Presentation for the first time4 of an academic social work course, inservice training, workshop or seminar, or other professional seminar. … The total number of clock hours for both preparation and presentation of all first time courses shall not exceed ten (10) hours per renewal period4. … Preparation for the first publication5 of a professional social work paper … A maximum of ten (10) clock hours5 will be allowed during each two-year licensure period.
What it means
  1. 30 hours every two years
  2. 3 hours of professional ethics
  3. No more than 15 hours of independent (home) study
  4. No more than 10 hours for first-time teaching or presenting
  5. No more than 10 hours for a first publication
Rule IX, Continuing Education GuidelinesLast verified August 2026Ruleset 2026.3How we verify
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Requirements

Arkansas LCSW, LMSW & LSW requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

Topic minimums, counted within the 30

The remaining 27 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Professional Ethics
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Home study / self-study
max 15 hrs
First time teaching
max 10 hrs
First publication
max 10 hrs

Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.

To keep your proof in order, see what to keep for a CE audit, which covers every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.

Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before your renewal.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LCSW CE hours calculator

Also hold a Arkansas LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Arkansas LPC and Arkansas LMFT requirements.

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.

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. The renewal cycle is biennial and is 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?

The renewal cycle is biennial and is 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 and verification

State source
Arkansas board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
August 2026
Ruleset version
2026.3

We reviewed this page against the Arkansas 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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Arkansas 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.Arkansas mental health workforce data →11,122 active providers, or 357.1 per 100,000 residents, ranked 35 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Arkansas CE requirement pages

Arkansas LPCArkansas LMFTArkansas PsychologistArkansas Addiction CounselorArkansas PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states