Updated for 2026

Florida LCSW Continuing Education Requirements

Florida clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW license, including 3 hours of ethics or telehealth and 2 hours of medical errors.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
3ethics or telehealth
2medical errors

Next deadline: March 31, 2027The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.

What the board saysFlorida board rule
A licensee shall not be required to complete continuing education for the first renewal1 of licensure. For each subsequent renewal, licensee must complete 30 hours2 of approved continuing education credit. Courses shall include: (a) Two hours on the prevention of medical errors3; and (b) Three hours relating to professional ethics and boundary issues or telehealth4 … (6) A maximum of six5 of the required 30 hours … may be accrued … by attending programs designed for the purpose of enhancing the licensee’s administrative, office management, or other non-clinical skills5.
What it means
  1. No CE is required for the first renewal
  2. 30 hours each renewal after the first
  3. 2 hours on medical errors
  4. 3 hours on ethics and boundaries or telehealth
  5. No more than 6 hours of non-clinical courses
Rule 64B4-6.001, F.A.C.Last verified August 2026Ruleset 2026.7How we verify
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Requirements

Florida LCSW requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.

Topic minimums, counted within the 30

The remaining 25 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics or Telehealth
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Medical Errors
2
You need 2 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Nonclinical
max 6 hrs
Board meeting attendance
max 3 hrs
Presenter or moderator
max 10 hrs
Graduate course instruction
max 5 hrs

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.
Renewal fee
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$120. On-time biennial total: $115 renewal fee plus the $5 unlicensed-activity surcharge.
Rule 64B4-4.005, F.A.C.Section 456.065(3), F.S.
Inactive renewal$55. On-time biennial total: $50 inactive renewal fee plus the $5 surcharge. The board also lists $55 for active-to-inactive renewal before expiration.
Rule 64B4-4.0052, F.A.C.Section 456.065(3), F.S.
Delinquency (late fee)$105. Adds to renewal fees. After expiration, the board lists $225 for active-to-active and $160 for inactive-to-inactive renewal; status changes cost more.
Rule 64B4-4.007, F.A.C.
Reactivation from inactive$50. Additional reactivation fee, plus current renewal fees: the board lists $170 for inactive-to-active renewal before expiration. CE and other reactivation requirements also apply.
Rule 64B4-4.0051, F.A.C.Section 491.008, F.S.
Change of status$105. Additional processing fee when changing status outside the beginning of a licensure cycle. After expiration, the board lists $265 for active-to-inactive and $380 for inactive-to-active renewal.
Rule 64B4-4.006, F.A.C.

These are renewal totals and additional charges, not amounts to add together in every case. The board has a separate schedule for 120-day notified delinquent renewals. Fingerprint retention may add $43.25 when due; CE courses and other background-screening costs are separate. Confirm the amount for your status with the board.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-26. Board fee schedule.

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.
Late renewal
A late renewal adds a $105 late fee.
Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before March 31, 2027.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LCSW CE hours calculator

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

Florida LCSW required trainings and mandates

Beyond the 30-hour CE total, Florida requires specific trainings. Some are due once around initial licensure, and others run on their own recurring schedule.

One-time requirements

  • Initial-licensure HIV/AIDS course; an affidavit may defer completion until six months after licensure. (3 hours, one time).
  • Initial-licensure domestic-violence course due within six months after licensure. (2 hours, one time).
  • Initial-licensure eight-hour Florida laws and rules course. (8 hours, one time).

Recurring mandates outside the 2-year cycle

  • Three hours of Florida laws and rules every third biennium (every 6 years).
  • Two hours of domestic violence CE every third biennium (every 6 years).
Full board policy details
  • A maximum of 6 hours of nonclinical continuing education (practice management, office administration, and similar non-clinical subject matter) may be applied toward the 30-hour biennial CE requirement. This cap is on content type, not on format: there is no limit on home-study or distance-learning hours, and all 30 hours may be completed via home study.
  • Each biennium, licensees must complete 3 hours in EITHER ethics and boundary issues OR telehealth/teletherapy, alternating between the two topics. The same ethics-and-boundary-issues course or telehealth/teletherapy course may not be taken in consecutive renewal cycles.
  • The 3-hour Florida laws and rules requirement is required every third biennium (every 6 years), not every cycle.
  • The 2-hour domestic violence requirement is required every third biennium / every third renewal (every 6 years / 72 months), not every cycle.
  • LCSWs who serve as Qualified Supervisors must complete 4 hours of supervisory training continuing education every third renewal (every 6 years).
  • LCSWs may earn up to 3 hours of general CE per biennium by attending a full day of a Board meeting at which disciplinary hearings are conducted.
  • LCSWs may claim up to 10 hours per biennium for serving as a presenter or moderator of a CE program.
  • LCSWs may claim up to 5 CE hours per biennium for teaching a graduate-level course.
  • First renewal is exempt from the 30-hour CE requirement. The full CE requirements apply beginning with the second renewal.
  • Inactive status: No automatic CE exemption was verified for licensees on inactive status. The inactive license renewal fee is $50 biennially. Practicing on an inactive, retired, or delinquent license can trigger discipline.
  • Retired status: The fee to change a license to retired status is $50.
  • Reactivation from inactive: Requires an application, completion of CE requirements, compliance with any required background investigation and other Board requirements, and payment of a $50 reactivation fee plus the current biennial renewal fee.
  • Reactivation from retired (less than 10 years in retired status): Requires completion of CE for each biennium spent in retired status and payment of all past renewal fees, in addition to other Board requirements.
  • Military active-duty exemption: LCSWs on active duty in the Armed Forces are exempt from all license renewal provisions, including CE, during active duty and for up to 6 months after discharge, provided they are not practicing in the private sector during that period.
  • Delinquency: If a license is not renewed on time, it becomes delinquent in the cycle following expiration. If the delinquent license is not restored before the end of that cycle, it becomes null and future licensure requires a new application.
  • Florida uses electronic CE tracking through CE Broker / DOH MQA review at renewal. First-time CE violation may be citable at $500; failure to document correction of a CE deficiency within 90 days after notice of noncompliance may be citable at $1,000.
  • Rule 64B4-6.0013 confirms a military-spouse renewal exemption exists; operative details should be confirmed with the Board.

Florida LCSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Florida LCSW licensees need?

Florida requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.

How many ethics hours are required for Florida LCSW licensees?

Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics or telehealth.

How often do Florida LCSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.

How much does Florida LCSW license renewal cost?
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$120. On-time biennial total: $115 renewal fee plus the $5 unlicensed-activity surcharge.
Rule 64B4-4.005, F.A.C.Section 456.065(3), F.S.
Inactive renewal$55. On-time biennial total: $50 inactive renewal fee plus the $5 surcharge. The board also lists $55 for active-to-inactive renewal before expiration.
Rule 64B4-4.0052, F.A.C.Section 456.065(3), F.S.
Delinquency (late fee)$105. Adds to renewal fees. After expiration, the board lists $225 for active-to-active and $160 for inactive-to-inactive renewal; status changes cost more.
Rule 64B4-4.007, F.A.C.
Reactivation from inactive$50. Additional reactivation fee, plus current renewal fees: the board lists $170 for inactive-to-active renewal before expiration. CE and other reactivation requirements also apply.
Rule 64B4-4.0051, F.A.C.Section 491.008, F.S.
Change of status$105. Additional processing fee when changing status outside the beginning of a licensure cycle. After expiration, the board lists $265 for active-to-inactive and $380 for inactive-to-active renewal.
Rule 64B4-4.006, F.A.C.

These are renewal totals and additional charges, not amounts to add together in every case. The board has a separate schedule for 120-day notified delinquent renewals. Fingerprint retention may add $43.25 when due; CE courses and other background-screening costs are separate. Confirm the amount for your status with the board.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-26. Board fee schedule.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Florida LCSW licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Florida requires 2 hours of medical errors.

Is the first renewal different for new Florida LCSW 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
Florida board rule
Fee schedule
Florida board fee schedule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
August 2026
Ruleset version
2026.7

We reviewed this page against the Florida 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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Florida guides & data

First license: become an LCSW in Florida →Start with education, intern registration, supervision and the ASWB Clinical exam, then move to renewal once licensed.Baker Act training in Florida →Find out who actually needs a Baker Act certificate, what the training covers, and how it fits alongside 491-board CE.Florida domestic violence CE requirement →This guide covers the one-time course due after initial licensure and the 2 hours required every third renewal.Florida qualified supervisor training →This guide covers the 12-hour course to become a board-qualified supervisor and the 4-hour refresher every third renewal.Florida laws & rules CE →This guide covers the 8-hour pre-licensure course and the 3-hour laws-and-rules CE due every third renewal.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.Florida mental health workforce data →66,391 active providers, or 283 per 100,000 residents, ranked 45 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Florida CE requirement pages

Florida LPCFlorida LMFTFlorida PsychologistFlorida PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states