Maryland LCSW Continuing Education Requirements
Maryland clinical social workers must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW license, including 3 hours of ethics and professional practice, 20 hours of category I, and 3 hours of anti oppressive practice.
40
total hours / 2 years
3
ethics and professional practice hours
3
anti oppressive practice hours
20
category I hours
Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
Maryland LCSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 40 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Ethics and Professional Practice | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Category I | 20 hours required each cycle. |
| Anti Oppressive Practice | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| 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. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 40 hours can come from.
- category IImax 20 hrs
- preparing presenting instructionmax 12 hrs
- professional papermax 12 hrs
- professional publicationmax 12 hrs
- academic teachingmax 12 hrs
- foreign or sign languagemax 6 hrs
Keeping the proof in order: what to keep for a CE audit, with every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.
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, checked September 2026.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Complete the criminal history records check step: print, sign, and upload the FBI privacy statement and attest to enrollment in the Rap Back service.
- 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
- $275 renewal fee for an LCSW-C or LCSW, $200 for an LMSW, and $100 for an LBSW (COMAR 10.42.05.02), plus a $26 Maryland Health Care Commission user fee at LCSW-C, LCSW, and LMSW renewal. 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.
Approved and free CE sources for Maryland LCSW licensees
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.
- Board: continuing education requirements
- Board: continuing education FAQ
- Board-authorized sponsors
- List of Board-authorized sponsors (PDF)
- COMAR 10.42.06, continuing education
State professional association
NASW Maryland Chapter. NASW programs are accepted by the Board under COMAR 10.42.06.05, and the chapter publishes its own Maryland CE calendar and annual clinical conference.
Free, board-recognized modules
- MDH Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities: implicit bias training resources. The Department's list of recognized implicit bias and structural racism training for the one-time renewal attestation. It does not count toward the 40 CE units.
This is the board’s acceptance standard, not a course list. Any provider that meets it qualifies; we do not recommend vendors.
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.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Maryland LCSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Maryland LCSW CE free →Maryland LCSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Maryland LCSW licensees need?
Maryland requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW license. Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How many ethics hours are required for Maryland LCSW licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics and professional practice.
How often do Maryland LCSW licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Maryland LCSW 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 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 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. Free board-recognized modules: MDH Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities: implicit bias training resources.
Sources & verification
- State source
- Maryland board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- September 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.4
Reviewed against the Maryland board source and refreshed 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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