Updated for 2026

Iowa LISW, LMSW & LBSW Continuing Education Requirements

Iowa clinical social workers must complete 27 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LISW / LMSW / LBSW license, including 3 hours of social work ethics.

27hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 27
3social work ethics

Next deadline: December 31, 2026The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.

What the board saysIowa board rule
The biennial continuing education compliance period for social workers … ending on December 31 of the next even-numbered year1. Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as a social worker in this state will be required to complete a minimum of 27 hours2 of continuing education approved by the board. … A minimum of three hours per biennium in social work ethics.3 … A licensee may earn a maximum of 3 of the required 27 hours4 of continuing education for credit during one biennium by performing pro bono or volunteer services4 … Supervision of a social work practicum student(s)5 from an accredited social work education program. A licensee may receive one credit for every 100 hours supervised, not to exceed 6 hours5 of continuing education credit per biennium.
What it means
  1. Cycle ends December 31 of even years
  2. 27 hours every two years
  3. 3 hours of social work ethics
  4. Up to 3 hours for approved pro bono or volunteer service
  5. Up to 6 hours for supervising a practicum student
Iowa Admin. Code 481—881.2Last verified July 2026Ruleset 2026.5How we verify
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Requirements

Iowa LISW, LMSW & LBSW requirements

Total

27 hoursYou need 27 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.

Topic minimums, counted within the 27

The remaining 24 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Social Work Ethics
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Pro bono or volunteer service
max 3 hrs
College instruction
max 3 hrs
CE instruction
max 3 hrs
Authorship or presentation preparation
max 3 hrs
Practicum supervision
max 6 hrs
Carryover
max 13.5 hrs

Up to 13.5 unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.
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.
Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before December 31, 2026.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LCSW CE hours calculator

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

Full board policy details
  • Iowa imposes no percentage cap on home-study or online courses. By statute, the board shall not limit the number of CE credits that may be obtained online. Live-interactive online courses are treated the same as live classroom courses.
  • Course repeat restrictions: Instructor/teaching credit is allowed on a one-time basis only. A licensee who teaches a college-level social work course may claim a maximum of 3 hours of CE credit per biennium for that activity. A licensee who serves as instructor or presenter of an approved CE program may claim credit only once per program, with a maximum of 3 hours of CE credit per biennium. Repeating the same CE course in a single renewal cycle does not produce additional credit.
  • Course repeat restrictions: The rules are silent on licensees retaking the same CE course as a participant within a single biennium. The one-time restrictions apply to specified teaching and presentation activities, not to participant attendance generally.
  • License status rules, Inactive/Retired: Licensees on inactive or retired status are exempt from CE requirements while in that status. Inactive licensees do not need to earn CE until they reactivate the license.
  • License status rules, Reactivation: To reactivate a lapsed or inactive license, the licensee must complete 27 hours of CE for the next renewal. CE earned during the current compliance period (since reactivation) may be applied toward the first full renewal following reactivation. There is no separate make-up CE requirement beyond the normal renewal requirement.
  • Conditional/provisional renewal: Iowa does not provide a conditional or provisional registration to allow completion of CE after renewal. All continuing education requirements must be completed prior to submitting the renewal application.
  • Provider approval: Iowa does not maintain a board-approved provider list. Any CE activity meeting the board's content and instructor criteria is acceptable. Programs approved by ASWB ACE or NASW, and qualifying academic social work courses at accredited colleges or universities, are explicitly recognized as valid CE.
  • Iowa mandatory-reporter training is role-dependent: workers who examine, attend, counsel, or treat children or dependent adults must complete the applicable core course within six months of employment and repeat the applicable training every three years. Applicability cannot be inferred from license type alone and therefore requires manual review.

Iowa LISW, LMSW & LBSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Iowa LISW / LMSW / LBSW licensees need?

Iowa requires 27 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LISW / LMSW / LBSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.

How many ethics hours are required for Iowa LISW / LMSW / LBSW licensees?

Of the total, 3 hours must be in social work ethics.

How often do Iowa LISW / LMSW / LBSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.

Is the first renewal different for new Iowa LISW / LMSW / LBSW 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
Iowa board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
July 2026
Ruleset version
2026.5

We reviewed this page against the Iowa 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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Iowa 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.Iowa mental health workforce data →9,423 active providers, or 291 per 100,000 residents, ranked 43 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Iowa CE requirement pages

Iowa LPCIowa LMFTIowa PsychologistIowa PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states