Louisiana LCSW Continuing Education Requirements
Louisiana clinical social workers must complete 20 continuing education hours per year to renew their LCSW license, including 10 hours of clinical content.
20
total hours / year
10
clinical content hours
10
home study / self-study hours cap
Annual · renewal date varies by licensee.
Louisiana LCSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 20 hours per year. |
| Renewal | Annual cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Clinical Content | 10 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 of the required 20 clock-hours per renewal may be obtained through distance learning formats, including home-study, internet courses, teleconferences, telecourses, and similar asynchronous or remote formats. By implication, at least 10 hours must be completed in live or interactive formats.
- Live-interactive online formats (webinars, teleconferences, internet courses) are treated as distance learning under § 317.M.4 and count toward the 10-hour distance learning cap unless specifically pre-approved otherwise by a LABSWE-designated pre-approval organization.
- Acceptable CE includes courses sponsored by social work licensing bodies, state or national social work organizations, CSWE-accredited schools of social work, or ASWB-approved providers. Courses not pre-approved by such entities may still be claimed if the licensee follows the Board's Guide for Assessment of Continuing Education and retains documentation. Distance courses beyond the 10-hour cap must be pre-approved by a LABSWE-designated pre-approval organization.
- Course repeat restrictions: There is no blanket prohibition on a licensee taking the same course more than once for CE credit. However, per § 317.M.6, a licensee who teaches or presents a CE topic may only count presentation and preparation time once per topic; instructor credit cannot be claimed twice for teaching the same content within a renewal period.
- License status rules: Inactive and retired status are not explicitly addressed in the CE rule. CE requirements apply only to active license renewals, so a licensee on inactive or retired status is not obligated to complete CE during that period. Upon reactivation or return to active practice, the licensee must satisfy the current CE requirements for the renewal year. The statutes do not specify a separate CE-hour requirement solely for reactivation; lapsed licenses are governed by R.S. 37:2714(D).
- First renewal proration (LAC 46:XXV § 317.G): Initial-year CE requirements depend on the quarter of license issuance — July–September issuance requires 20 hours, October–December requires 15 hours, January–March requires 10 hours, and April–June requires 0 hours for the first short cycle.
- Extensions: The Board may grant a time-extension for extenuating circumstances per § 317. There is no provisional or conditional credential pending completion of CE; failure to complete CE by August 31 results in license lapse or renewal denial under R.S. 37:2714(A)(2) until requirements are met.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Louisiana LCSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Louisiana LCSW CE free →Louisiana LCSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Louisiana LCSW licensees need?
Louisiana requires 20 continuing education hours per year to renew a LCSW license. Annual cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How often do Louisiana LCSW licensees renew?
Annual cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Louisiana LCSW licensees?
Yes. In addition to ethics, Louisiana requires 10 hours of clinical content.
Can Louisiana LCSW 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 Louisiana LCSW 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
- Louisiana board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the Louisiana 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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