California LCSW Continuing Education Requirements
What a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) must complete to renew in California: 36 hours every 2 years, including 6 in law & ethics.
Marcus Reyes, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker · California
cycle
2025 – 2027
earned
22.0 hrs
needed
14.0 hrs
deadline
Jun 29, 2027
pace toward deadline
California LCSW CE requirements at a glance
36
total hours / 2 years
Biennial
renewal cadence
6
hours of law & ethics
0
other subject minimums
This is the curated summary. Audit windows, recordkeeping, fees, and edge-case rules (reactivation, supervision-only) live in the full ruleset — we track all of it for you →
California LCSW CE: frequently asked
How many CE hours do California LCSWs need?
California requires 36 continuing education hours every 2 years (a biennial cycle) to renew an LCSW license.
How many ethics hours are required for California LCSWs?
Of the total, 6 hours must be in law & ethics.
How often do California LCSWs renew?
Biennial cycle — tied to your license renewal date.
Is the first renewal different for new California LCSWs?
First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Sources & verification
- Source
- California board rule ↗
- Last verified
- May 8, 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
This page is informational, not legal advice — always confirm with your board. See something wrong? Report it →
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