Updated for 2026

Connecticut LCSW & LMSW Continuing Education Requirements

Connecticut clinical social workers must complete 15 continuing education hours per year to renew their LCSW / LMSW license, including 1 hour of cultural competency.

15hours per year
Topic minimums, counted within the 15
1cultural competency

The renewal cycle is annual, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

What the board saysConnecticut board rule
Social workers are required to complete a minimum of fifteen hours of continuing education during each registration period1. For purposes of this section, "registration period" means the twelve-month period for which a license has been renewed and is current and valid. … Not less than five hours shall be earned through in-person or synchronous online education2 with opportunities for live interaction; and not more than ten hours shall be earned through asynchronous online education, distance learning or home study3 … Licensees shall complete not less than one contact hour of training or education in each registration period on the topic of cultural competency4.
What it means
  1. 15 hours each year
  2. At least 5 hours live, in person or synchronous online
  3. No more than 10 hours of asynchronous online or home study
  4. 1 hour of cultural competency each year
DPH Social Work Continuing Education RequirementsLast verified July 2026Ruleset 2026.4How we verify
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Requirements

Connecticut LCSW & LMSW requirements

Total

15 hoursYou need 15 hours per year. The renewal cycle is annual, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

Topic minimums, counted within the 15

The remaining 14 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Cultural Competency
1
You need 1 hour each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Live
min 5 hrs
Home study / self-study
max 10 hrs

Up to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

At least 5 hours must be earned live.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is annual, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.
New licensees
The first renewal is different. New licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements, such as prorated hours or first-cycle-only rules, and we apply them automatically.
Approved providers
CE must be earned from a board-approved provider.
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 Connecticut LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Connecticut LPC and Connecticut LMFT requirements.

Connecticut LCSW & LMSW required trainings and mandates

Beyond the 15-hour CE total, Connecticut requires specific trainings. Some are due once around initial licensure, and others run on their own recurring schedule.

Recurring mandates outside the 1-year cycle

  • You need 2 hours of veterans' mental health every 6 years.
Full board policy details
  • Of the 15 contact hours required per registration period, at least 5 hours must be earned through in-person or synchronous (live, real-time interactive) instruction. No more than 10 hours may be earned through asynchronous/home study (self-paced with no live interaction).
  • Synchronous online courses (real-time interactive) count as live hours toward the 5-hour live minimum, not toward the 10-hour asynchronous cap.
  • Acceptable CE must be offered or approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), or a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The Connecticut Department of Public Health does not review or approve CE courses; the licensee is responsible for ensuring each course meets these criteria.
  • Course repeat / instructor credit: As of 2023, Connecticut no longer allows CE credit for teaching or presenting a course (the prior provision granting up to 5 hours for an original lecture or presentation was repealed). The statute does not explicitly prohibit claiming the same course content twice within a single renewal period, but licensees should not count duplicate content toward the 15-hour requirement.
  • License status, inactive/retired/waiver: A licensee not engaged in social work practice during a registration period may apply for a waiver of CE requirements (request must be filed before the renewal date). On returning to active practice after a waiver, the licensee must complete 7 hours of CE within 6 months of returning to practice.
  • Reinstatement of a lapsed (void) license: Requires completion of 7 hours of CE within the one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for reinstatement, in addition to other reinstatement requirements under CGS 19a-88.
  • Disability extension: The Department may grant a one-year extension of time to complete CE in cases of medical disability or similar special circumstances. This is not a routine conditional renewal for general CE shortfall.
  • First renewal exemption: Pursuant to CGS § 20-195u(e), a licensee applying for the first time for license renewal is exempt from the CE requirements. The full 15-hour requirement (including cultural competency and veterans' mental health topics) applies beginning with the second renewal.
  • Veterans' mental health topic: At least 2 hours on mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans must be completed during the first renewal period in which CE is required, and at least once every six years thereafter. These hours count toward the 15-hour total.
  • Self-attestation and record-keeping: Connecticut does not administer a CE tracking system. Licensees self-attest to their CE compliance at renewal and must retain their own CE certificates of completion as records, pursuant to CGS § 20-195u(c).

Connecticut LCSW & LMSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Connecticut LCSW / LMSW licensees need?

Connecticut requires 15 continuing education hours per year to renew a LCSW / LMSW license. The renewal cycle is annual, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

How often do Connecticut LCSW / LMSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is annual, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Connecticut LCSW / LMSW licensees?

Yes. Connecticut requires 1 hour of cultural competency.

Can Connecticut LCSW / LMSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?

Up to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. At least 5 hours must be earned live.

Is the first renewal different for new Connecticut LCSW / LMSW licensees?

The first renewal is different. New licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements, such as prorated hours or first-cycle-only rules, and we apply them automatically.

Sources and verification

State source
Connecticut board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
July 2026
Ruleset version
2026.4

We reviewed this page against the Connecticut 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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Connecticut 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.Connecticut mental health workforce data →23,913 active providers, or 648.3 per 100,000 residents, ranked 8 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Connecticut CE requirement pages

Connecticut LPCConnecticut LMFTConnecticut PsychologistConnecticut Addiction CounselorConnecticut PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states