Updated for 2026

Kansas LSCSW, LMSW & LBSW Continuing Education Requirements

Kansas clinical social workers must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LSCSW / LMSW / LBSW license, including 3 hours of professional ethics and 3 hours of diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.

40hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 40
3professional ethics
3diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders

The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.

What the board saysKansas board rule
During each two-year renewal period1, each licensee shall complete 40 units1 of documented and board-approved continuing education … (b) As part of the 40 continuing education units required for each renewal cycle, each applicant for renewal or reinstatement of a license shall complete a program on professional ethics2 consisting of not less than a total of three units2. … (5) if a posttest is not provided3, an activity consisting of completing a computerized interactive learning module, viewing a telecast or videotape, listening to an audiotape, or reading. The maximum number of allowable continuing education hours shall be 103
What it means
  1. 40 hours each two-year renewal period
  2. 3 hours of professional ethics
  3. No more than 10 hours of self-study without a posttest
K.A.R. 102-2-4aLast verified July 2026Ruleset 2026.3How we verify
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Requirements

Kansas LSCSW, LMSW & LBSW requirements

Total

40 hoursYou need 40 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.

Topic minimums, counted within the 40

The remaining 34 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Professional Ethics
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Home study / self-study
max 10 hrs

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

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.
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.
Provisional renewal
The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 3 months before full compliance is required. A licensee who is short on required CE at renewal may request up to three additional months to complete the remaining hours under K.S.A. 65-6313. The extension is not renewable for consecutive cycles.
Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before your renewal.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LCSW CE hours calculator

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

Full board policy details
  • Non-interactive self-study CE (videotapes, audiotapes, reading, or other passive media without a post-test or interaction) is capped at 10 hours per two-year renewal period under K.A.R. 102-2-4a(e).
  • Interactive self-study with a post-test may be used for up to the full 40-hour CE requirement per renewal cycle.
  • All CE must be documented and board-approved. Courses must be sponsored by a BSRB-approved CE provider or be individually approved by the Board.
  • Course repeat restrictions: Identical programs taken in the same renewal period earn no additional CE credit (K.A.R. 102-2-4a(f)(1)). This applies to both attendees and instructors. Instructors may earn up to 10 hours for the first preparation and presentation of a social work course under K.A.R. 102-2-4a(e)(11), but repeating the same course without substantial revision in the same cycle yields no additional credit.
  • License status rules: Kansas statute and regulations do not provide an explicit CE exemption for inactive or retired social work licensees. Reinstatement of an expired license requires documentation of the 40 CE hours for the prior 24-month period (K.S.A. 65-6313(e)). If the license has been expired more than one year, the applicant may obtain a six-month provisional license to complete the 40 hours.

Kansas LSCSW, LMSW & LBSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Kansas LSCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees need?

Kansas requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LSCSW / LMSW / LBSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.

How many ethics hours are required for Kansas LSCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees?

Of the total, 3 hours must be in professional ethics.

How often do Kansas LSCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Kansas LSCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Kansas requires 3 hours of diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.

Can Kansas LSCSW / LMSW / LBSW 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 Kansas LSCSW / 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
Kansas board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
July 2026
Ruleset version
2026.3

We reviewed this page against the Kansas 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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Kansas 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.Kansas mental health workforce data →11,497 active providers, or 386.2 per 100,000 residents, ranked 34 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Kansas CE requirement pages

Kansas LPCKansas LMFTKansas PsychologistKansas Addiction CounselorKansas PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states