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.

total hours / 2 years

professional ethics hours

home study / self-study hours cap

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.
Provisional renewal	The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 6 months before full compliance is required. Licensees may request a CE extension at least 30 days prior to license expiration when extenuating circumstances prevent completion of the required hours. The Board reviews extension requests on a case-by-case basis; the rule does not specify a fixed maximum extension period or whether extensions can be renewed.

Full board policy details

A maximum of 15 hours (50%) of the 30-hour biennial CE requirement may be satisfied through independent study (e.g., self-study, home study, DVD, or non-interactive online courses).
Webinars and online courses count as face-to-face (live) credit only if the licensee can document that the webinar was live and interactive. Recorded or non-interactive webinars are treated as independent study and are subject to the 15-hour independent study cap.
Course repeat restrictions: The same continuing education course may not be counted more than once during the same renewal period. This applies both to course attendance and to teaching credit — an instructor may not claim credit twice for teaching the same course in one biennium. If a course is repeated under the same name, the licensee must document that the content has changed; otherwise credit will be disallowed.
Teaching credit cap: Teaching credit is capped at a maximum of 10 hours per renewal period, and these hours count toward the 30-hour biennial total.
Teaching credit — initial offering only: Teaching credit may be claimed only for the initial offering of a course. Subsequent presentations of the same course do not qualify for additional teaching credit.
License status rules: Arkansas does not establish formal inactive or retired license status for social workers. Licensees must either renew actively or allow the license to lapse. A license lapsed fewer than 3 months may be renewed upon payment of double fees and an attestation of non-practice; CE for the prior period must still be completed. A license lapsed 3 months or more is not renewable, and the individual must apply as a new applicant. There is no inactive/retired CE exemption.
Provider approval: The Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board does not pre-approve continuing education workshops or providers. It is the licensee's responsibility to determine that each course meets the Board's definition of social work continuing education and to retain documentation.
CE extension: A licensee unable to complete the CE requirement by the expiration date may submit a written extension request to the Board at least 30 days before expiration, including a plan and documentation of hours earned to date. Extensions are reviewed individually; the licensee must attest to non-practice during the extension period.
First renewal: There is no special first-renewal CE rule. Initial licenses are issued for a full two-year term, and the first renewal requires the full 30 hours of CE (including 3 ethics hours), the same as any subsequent renewal.

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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: May 2026
Ruleset version: 2026.2

Reviewed against the Arkansas board source and refreshed from the compiled ruleset above. Methodology and disclaimer. Compliance data is informational only and not legal or board advice. Always verify requirements with your licensing board before you renew. See something wrong? Report it →

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Other Arkansas CE requirement pages

Arkansas LPC