Colorado LCSW & LSW Continuing Education Requirements
Colorado clinical social workers must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LSW license.
40
total hours / 2 years
Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline
Colorado LCSW & LSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 40 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: CE due by August 31 of odd years. |
| Carryover | Up to 5 unused hours can carry into the next cycle. |
| New licensees | An LSW or LCSW first licensed during a renewal cycle accrues 1.66 PDH for each month or portion of a month licensed in that cycle. |
| Recordkeeping | Keep CE documentation for 5 years after the end of each cycle. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
| Late renewal | A late renewal allows a 60-day grace period after expiration and a late fee. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 40 hours can come from.
- volunteer servicemax 20 hrs per activity
- consultationmax 20 hrs per activity
- supervisionmax 20 hrs per activity
- presentingmax 20 hrs per activity
- publicationmax 20 hrs per activity
- independent learningmax 20 hrs per activity
- carryovermax 5 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
- Other than qualifying coursework, no more than 20 PDH may be credited from any single Professional Development Activity. The structured per-activity caps require credits to carry the Board's volunteer service, consultation, supervision, presenting, publication, or independent learning category.
- A single qualifying coursework activity may count for the full 40-hour requirement.
- Up to five excess PDH earned during the final six months before expiration may be carried into the next cycle. The engine enforces the five-hour amount; the six-month earning condition remains a documentation check.
- Colorado does not maintain a CE-provider approval list. Licensees complete a Professional Practice Rubric, Learning Plan, allowed PDAs, and documentation under the CPD program.
- The rule does not impose a live-delivery minimum or a general repeat-course ban.
- Reactivation requires CPC compliance. After more than two inactive years, the jurisprudence examination and an additional competency demonstration also apply.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Colorado LCSW / LSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Colorado LCSW / LSW CE free →Colorado LCSW & LSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Colorado LCSW / LSW licensees need?
Colorado requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LSW license. Biennial cycle: CE due by August 31 of odd years.
How often do Colorado LCSW / LSW licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: CE due by August 31 of odd years.
Is the first renewal different for new Colorado LCSW / LSW licensees?
An LSW or LCSW first licensed during a renewal cycle accrues 1.66 PDH for each month or portion of a month licensed in that cycle.
Sources & verification
- State source
- Colorado board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
Reviewed against the Colorado 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
What boards ask for in a CE audit, how long each state says to keep certificates, what the notice looks like, and a printable checklist.
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