Hawaii LCSW, LBSW & LSW Continuing Education Requirements
Hawaii clinical social workers must complete 45 continuing education hours every 3 years to renew their LCSW / LBSW / LSW license, including 3 hours of ethics.
45
total hours / 3 years
3
ethics hours
Triennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
Hawaii LCSW, LBSW & LSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 45 hours every 3 years. |
| Renewal | Triennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Ethics | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| New licensees | First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically. |
| Approved providers | CE must be earned from a board-approved provider. |
Full board policy details
- Hawaii statute does not impose any cap on self-study or home-study CE hours and does not mandate a minimum number of live or in-person hours. Any course approved by NASW or ASWB (live, online, or home-study) may be applied toward the 45-hour triennial requirement.
- All CE credits must be approved by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) or the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Courses lacking NASW or ASWB approval do not count toward the 45-hour requirement.
- Course repeat restrictions: Hawaii statute (HRS §467E-11) is silent on whether the same course may be taken more than once for credit within a renewal period and is silent on instructor/teaching credit. National NASW/ASWB policies generally discourage duplicative credit for identical content within a single cycle, but Hawaii law itself imposes no explicit prohibition.
- License status rules — Inactive: Hawaii statutes do not codify a CE exemption for inactive social worker licensees, but because an inactive licensee may not practice, CE is generally not required to maintain inactive status. To reactivate, the licensee must fulfill all requirements in effect at the time of the reactivation application, which in practice means completing the current 45-hour (3-hour ethics) triennial CE requirement.
- License status rules — Retired: Hawaii does not have a distinct retired license status for social workers under HRS Chapter 467E.
- First renewal exemption: Per HRS §467E-11(d), a first-time licensee is exempt from the CE requirement at the first renewal. The full 45-hour (3-hour ethics) requirement applies beginning with the second renewal.
- Conditional renewal: Hawaii law contains no provision for conditional or provisional renewal based on incomplete CE. A licensee who has not completed the required 45 hours by the June 30 renewal deadline cannot renew on time and must follow standard restoration procedures.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Hawaii LCSW / LBSW / LSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Hawaii LCSW / LBSW / LSW CE free →Hawaii LCSW, LBSW & LSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Hawaii LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees need?
Hawaii requires 45 continuing education hours every 3 years to renew a LCSW / LBSW / LSW license. Triennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How many ethics hours are required for Hawaii LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.
How often do Hawaii LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees renew?
Triennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Is the first renewal different for new Hawaii LCSW / LBSW / LSW 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
- Hawaii board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the Hawaii 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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