Illinois LCSW & LSW Continuing Education Requirements
Illinois clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LSW license, including 3 hours of ethics and 3 hours of cultural competence.
30
total hours / 2 years
3
ethics hours
3
cultural competence hours
Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
Illinois LCSW & LSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Ethics | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Cultural Competence | 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. |
| Other mandates | One-hour sexual harassment prevention training required for all Illinois licensees subject to CE. This hour may count toward the 30-hour CE requirement. |
| Other mandates | One-hour implicit bias awareness training required for all Illinois licensees subject to CE. This hour may count toward the 30-hour CE requirement. |
| Other mandates | Mandated reporter training (including implicit bias section) required for social workers as mandated child-abuse reporters under 325 ILCS 5/4. Initial training within 3 months of starting practice, and at least every 3 years thereafter. May count toward CE hours. |
Full board policy details
- Illinois imposes no numerical cap or percentage limit on self-study, online, or remote CE courses, and no minimum live/in-person hours. Any approved format will count toward the 30-hour requirement.
- Remote programs (including self-study and online courses) must be offered by an approved CE sponsor and must include an examination for each course.
- In-person courses must be given by approved CE sponsors. University coursework may also be used at 15 CE credits per semester hour.
- Course repeat restriction: CE credit may not be claimed twice for the same course. Repetitious presentations of the same program earn credit only for the first presentation within a renewal cycle, whether attending or instructing.
- License status rules: Illinois does not provide CE exemptions for inactive or retired licensees while in those statuses. Restoration of an expired or inactive license (whether expired/inactive five years or less, or more than five years) requires 30 hours of CE earned within the two years preceding the restoration application.
- One CE hour equals 50 minutes of instruction. All Illinois LSW and LCSW licensees, including those practicing out of state, must comply with Illinois CE requirements.
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (1 hour) and Implicit Bias Awareness Training (1 hour) are required for all Illinois licensees subject to CE; both may count toward the 30-hour CE total rather than being additional hours.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Illinois LCSW / LSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Illinois LCSW / LSW CE free →Illinois LCSW & LSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Illinois LCSW / LSW licensees need?
Illinois requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LSW license. Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How many ethics hours are required for Illinois LCSW / LSW licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.
How often do Illinois LCSW / LSW licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Illinois LCSW / LSW licensees?
Yes. In addition to ethics, Illinois requires 3 hours of cultural competence.
Is the first renewal different for new Illinois LCSW / 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
- Illinois board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the Illinois 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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