Updated for 2026

Georgia LCSW & LMSW Continuing Education Requirements

Georgia clinical social workers must complete 35 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LMSW license, including 5 hours of professional ethics.

35

total hours / 2 years

5

professional ethics hours

10

home study / self-study hours cap

Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline

Georgia LCSW & LMSW requirements

RequirementNotes
Total continuing education35 hours every 2 years.
RenewalBiennial cycle: CE due by September 30 of even years.
Professional Ethics5 hours required each cycle.
Format limitsUp to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
New licenseesFirst renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Total hours
35 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: CE due by September 30 of even years.
Professional Ethics
5 hours required each cycle.
Format limits
Up to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
New licensees
First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Full board policy details
  • A maximum of 10 hours of asynchronously delivered (self-paced internet or recorded) CE may be applied toward the 35-hour biennial requirement. Asynchronous activities are those accessed on the licensee's own schedule without live interaction.
  • A maximum of 5 hours of independent study (e.g., reading, writing, or preparing presentations) may be applied toward the 35-hour biennial requirement. Independent study hours count within the 10-hour asynchronous cap context but are separately limited to 5 hours. NOTE: not modeled as a pass/fail format_cap requirement — "independent study" is an activity type, not one of the four delivery formats a logged credit can carry (live / self_study / recorded / in_person), so a format_cap on it would never match a credit. Documented here descriptively.
  • The 5-hour Professional Ethics requirement must be obtained through synchronous (live) activities only. Live-interactive online activities such as webinars or video conferences with real-time interaction are classified as synchronous.
  • Course repeat restrictions: No more than 20 hours of CE credit may be claimed from any one continuing education course, workshop, or presentation, regardless of how many times it is taken. This 20-hour per-activity cap does NOT apply to multi-session professional conferences that offer numerous separate presentations; such conferences are not limited by the 20-hour-per-activity rule. The Board's rules do not otherwise prohibit repeating the same course within a cycle.
  • Instructor presentation credit: Licensees who present approved CE activities receive credit classified as independent study, and is therefore subject to the SAME 5-hour-per-cycle independent study cap described above (it is not a separate, additional 5-hour allowance). Instructor presentation credit cannot count toward the 5-hour Professional Ethics requirement or toward core social work content hour requirements.
  • License status rules — Inactive: A licensee on inactive status is not required to renew the license or satisfy biennial CE requirements while inactive (Rule 135-6-.06(2)). Georgia does not define a separate "retired" license status.
  • License status rules — Reactivation from inactive (within 5 years): Requires submission of proof of 35 CE hours obtained within the two years immediately preceding the reactivation application, along with the reactivation fee. If the license has been inactive or expired for more than 5 years, reinstatement requires 35 hours per missed cycle, with at least 35 of those hours earned within the two years before reinstatement.
  • Conditional renewal: If a CE audit identifies a deficiency, the license may be renewed conditionally provided the licensee obtains the missing hours within 6 months of notice. Failure to cure the deficiency within that period subjects the license to discipline.
  • First renewal exemption: If the license is first issued on or after October 1 of an odd-numbered year (the second year of the biennial cycle), no CE hours are required at the first renewal. Full 35-hour requirements apply at every subsequent renewal.
  • Provider approval: The Georgia Composite Board does not maintain a list of approved CE providers. CE must be sponsored or approved by entities identified in Rule 135-9-.01, including professional social work associations, accredited academic programs, allied mental health associations, licensing boards, and government agencies or hospitals.
  • Documentation retention: Licensees must retain documentation of CE completion (certificates, transcripts, or other proof of attendance and hours) and must produce such records for submission to the Board upon request during a CE audit.
  • External legal mandate (not a CE requirement): LCSWs are mandatory reporters of child abuse under O.C.G.A. §19-7-5. The Board does not require or award CE credit for mandated reporter training, human trafficking awareness, or implicit bias training.

We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Georgia LCSW / LMSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.

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Georgia LCSW & LMSW CE: frequently asked questions

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

Georgia requires 35 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LMSW license. Biennial cycle: CE due by September 30 of even years.

How many ethics hours are required for Georgia LCSW / LMSW licensees?

Of the total, 5 hours must be in professional ethics.

How often do Georgia LCSW / LMSW licensees renew?

Biennial cycle: CE due by September 30 of even years.

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

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

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

First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.

Sources & verification

State source
Georgia board rule
Last verified
May 2026
Ruleset version
2026.1

Reviewed against the Georgia 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 Georgia CE requirement pages

Georgia LPC

LCSW CE requirements in other states

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