Updated for 2026

Maryland LCSW & LMSW Continuing Education Requirements

Maryland clinical social workers must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LMSW license, including 3 hours of ethics and professional practice, 20 hours of category I, and 3 hours of anti oppressive practice.

40hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 40
20category I
3ethics and professional practice
3anti oppressive practice

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by October 31 of your renewal year. Every license expires October 31; the year varies by licensee.

What the board saysMaryland board rule
The Board shall renew a license for an additional 2-year period1 if the social worker: (1) Completes 401 (30 for Licensed Bachelor Social Workers) continuing education units1 within the renewal period, of which a minimum of: (a) 202 (15 for Licensed Bachelor Social Workers) continuing education units shall be obtained from approved programs which are Category I2; (b) 3 of the required Category I or Category II continuing education units3 shall have a content area focusing on ethics and professional conduct3 … (d) 3 of the required Category I continuing education units4 shall have anti-oppressive social work practice content4 focusing on race, culture, or equity … a maximum of 205 (15 for Licensed Bachelor Social Workers) continuing education units may be earned from one or any combination of the following Category II activities5.
What it means
  1. 40 units every two years
  2. At least 20 units from Category I approved programs
  3. 3 units on ethics and professional conduct
  4. 3 Category I units on anti-oppressive practice
  5. No more than 20 units from Category II activities
COMAR 10.42.06.03Last verified October 2026Ruleset 2026.7How we verify
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Requirements

Maryland LCSW & LMSW requirements

Total

40 hoursYou need 40 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by October 31 of your renewal year. Every license expires October 31; the year varies by licensee.

Topic minimums, counted within the 40

The remaining 14 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Category I
20
You need 20 hours each cycle.
Ethics and Professional Practice
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Anti Oppressive Practice
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Category II
max 20 hrs
Preparing presenting instruction
max 12 hrs
Professional paper
max 12 hrs
Professional publication
max 12 hrs
Academic teaching
max 12 hrs
Foreign or sign language
max 6 hrs

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by October 31 of your renewal year. Every license expires October 31; the year varies by licensee.
Approved providers
CE must be earned from a board-approved provider.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 3 years after each renewal.
Provisional renewal
The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 6 months before full compliance is required. Under COMAR 10.42.06.10, the Board may grant a conditional renewal of up to 6 months for licensees unable to complete CE by October 31 due to documented hardship (illness, military service, disaster, financial hardship). The licensee must petition before October 1. The extension is not renewable; if CE is still incomplete after 6 months the license is placed in non-renewed status.

To keep your proof in order, see what to keep for a CE audit, which covers every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.

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 Maryland LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Maryland LPC and Maryland LMFT requirements.

How to renew your Maryland LCSW license

Renewals are filed with the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners. The steps below follow the board’s own renewal instructions, which we last checked in September 2026.

  1. Step 1. Finish your CE before October 31: 40 units for an LCSW-C, LCSW, or LMSW (30 for an LBSW), at least 20 of them Category I, including 3 Category I units in anti-oppressive social work practice and 3 units in ethics. Board-approved supervisors also need 3 units in supervision.

  2. Step 2. Log in to the renewal portal with your license number and the last four digits of your Social Security number, update your personal information, and complete Parts I and II of the application.

  3. Step 3. Enter each program on the Continuing Education Report Form inside the application (Part III) and attest to completion. Keep the certificates: the Board audits a percentage of licensees every renewal period and can ask for them for 3 years.

  4. Step 4. Attest to the one-time implicit bias and structural racism training. It applies to your first renewal after April 1, 2026, does not count toward the 40 units, and courses from Board-authorized sponsors also satisfy it.

  5. Step 5. Complete the criminal history records check step: print, sign, and upload the FBI privacy statement and attest to enrollment in the Rap Back service.

  6. Step 6. Pay by Visa, Mastercard, or Discover. The Board processes online renewals within one to two business days.

Where to file
Board of Social Work Examiners renewal portal
Renewal window
Maryland social work licenses expire October 31 every two years, in the year printed on your license: about half the state renews in even years and half in odd years, so check your own expiration date. The Board opens the online renewal portal in mid-July of your renewal year (July 15 for the 2026 cycle) and it closes October 31.
Fee
The renewal fee is $275 for an LCSW-C or LCSW, $200 for an LMSW, and $100 for an LBSW (COMAR 10.42.05.02). LCSW-C, LCSW, and LMSW renewals also pay a $26 Maryland Health Care Commission user fee. COMAR 10.42.05.02, Board fees
Late or lapsed
Miss October 31 and the Board places the license on non-renewed status: you may not practice on it. Reinstatement is available for 5 years and requires 40 units (30 for an LBSW) earned in the 2 years before you apply plus a reinstatement fee of $300 for an LCSW-C or LCSW, $225 for an LMSW, or $125 for an LBSW. If a documented hardship keeps you from finishing CE, petition the Board by October 1 for an extension of up to 6 months.
Records
Keep CE documentation for 3 years after each renewal. What to keep for a CE audit.

Maryland LCSW & LMSW required trainings and mandates

Beyond the 40-hour CE total, Maryland requires specific trainings. Some are due once around initial licensure, and others run on their own recurring schedule.

Recurring mandates outside the 2-year cycle

  • One-time training on implicit bias and structural racism required of all Maryland health-licensed practitioners, including social workers, at the first renewal occurring after April 1, 2026. Attestation is made on the renewal application. This training does NOT count toward the 40-hour CE total.
Full board policy details
  • At least 20 of the 40 CE units must be Category I: formally organized face-to-face or live, real-time interactive learning provided by an authorized sponsor. Category I is a regulatory activity category, so the structured minimum reads category I rather than the generic live format.
  • Up to 20 units may be Category II. Category II includes online learning such as digital seminars, pre-recorded non-interactive webinars, online courses, distance learning, and home study, as well as peer consultation, publishing, teaching, and other listed activities. It is not equivalent to self-study.
  • Course repeat restrictions: COMAR does not explicitly prohibit retaking the same course for credit within a cycle, though sponsors typically do not award duplicate credit. Instructors may earn Category II credit for preparing and presenting approved programs up to a maximum of 12 units per renewal period, even if the same program is presented multiple times.
  • License status rules, Inactive: CE requirements are paused while a license is inactive, but to reactivate within 5 years the licensee must comply with the full CE requirements in COMAR 10.42.06 for the renewal period. Inactive status beyond 5 years requires a new application meeting initial licensure qualifications. Maryland does not have a separate retired status.
  • License status rules, Reactivation: Reactivation from inactive status within five years requires 40 units completed during the two years immediately preceding the reactivation request, including the required ethics and anti-oppressive-social-work topic areas.
  • First renewal: There is no abbreviated CE requirement at first renewal. A license issued during a year is treated as if issued November 1 of that year, so the first renewal falls at the end of a full 2-year cycle and the full 40-unit requirement applies.
  • Mandated reporter duty: Maryland social workers are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect under Family Law §5-704, but no specific CE hours are required by the Board for this duty.

Maryland LCSW & LMSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Maryland LCSW / LMSW licensees need?

Maryland requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LMSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by October 31 of your renewal year. Every license expires October 31; the year varies by licensee.

How many ethics hours are required for Maryland LCSW / LMSW licensees?

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

How often do Maryland LCSW / LMSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by October 31 of your renewal year. Every license expires October 31; the year varies by licensee.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Maryland LCSW / LMSW licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Maryland requires 20 hours of category I, 3 hours of anti oppressive practice.

How do I renew my Maryland LCSW / LMSW license?

Maryland social work licenses expire October 31 every two years, in the year printed on your license: about half the state renews in even years and half in odd years, so check your own expiration date. The Board opens the online renewal portal in mid-July of your renewal year (July 15 for the 2026 cycle) and it closes October 31. File through the Board of Social Work Examiners renewal portal. 1. Finish your CE before October 31: 40 units for an LCSW-C, LCSW, or LMSW (30 for an LBSW), at least 20 of them Category I, including 3 Category I units in anti-oppressive social work practice and 3 units in ethics. Board-approved supervisors also need 3 units in supervision. 2. Log in to the renewal portal with your license number and the last four digits of your Social Security number, update your personal information, and complete Parts I and II of the application. 3. Enter each program on the Continuing Education Report Form inside the application (Part III) and attest to completion. Keep the certificates: the Board audits a percentage of licensees every renewal period and can ask for them for 3 years. 4. Attest to the one-time implicit bias and structural racism training. It applies to your first renewal after April 1, 2026, does not count toward the 40 units, and courses from Board-authorized sponsors also satisfy it. 5. Complete the criminal history records check step: print, sign, and upload the FBI privacy statement and attest to enrollment in the Rap Back service. 6. Pay by Visa, Mastercard, or Discover. The Board processes online renewals within one to two business days.

Where can Maryland LCSW / LMSW licensees find approved or free CE?

The Board accepts CE from its own authorized sponsors, from ASWB ACE-approved providers, from NASW, from other social work licensing boards, and from CSWE-recognized academic programs (COMAR 10.42.06.05). Category I means a formally organized face-to-face or live, real-time interactive program from an authorized sponsor; at least 20 of your 40 units must be Category I, and that is where the 3 anti-oppressive practice units must come from. Category II covers recorded webinars, home study, and the other listed activities, and is capped at 20 units. Check the certificate states the category and, for anti-oppressive practice, that the program meets that content requirement. The NASW Maryland Chapter is the state professional association. The board recognizes these free modules: MDH Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities: implicit bias training resources.

Sources and verification

State source
Maryland board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
October 2026
Ruleset version
2026.7

We reviewed this page against the Maryland 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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Maryland 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.Maryland mental health workforce data →32,280 active providers, or 515.2 per 100,000 residents, ranked 17 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Maryland CE requirement pages

Maryland LPCMaryland LMFTMaryland PsychologistMaryland Addiction CounselorMaryland PMHNP

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