Updated for 2026

Maine LCSW Continuing Education Requirements

Maine clinical social workers must complete 25 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW license, including 4 hours of social work ethics.

25

total hours / 2 years

4

social work ethics hours

Biennial · renewal date depends on the licensee's issue date.

Maine LCSW requirements

RequirementNotes
Total continuing education25 hours every 2 years.
RenewalBiennial cycle: counted from your license anniversary.
Social Work Ethics4 hours required each cycle.
Format limitsUp to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
Format limitsAt least 15 hours must be earned live.
One-time requirementsOne-time 12-hour training in family or intimate partner violence required for all licensees renewing on or after January 1, 2020. Hours count toward the 25-hour biennial CE total. The Board may accept equivalent IPV training or practice experience completed before January 1, 2020 in satisfaction of this requirement. (12 hours, one time).
Other mandatesMaine law requires licensed social workers, as mandated reporters of child abuse/neglect and abuse of incapacitated/dependent adults, to complete the State's mandated reporter training every 4 years. This training is required by law but does NOT count toward the 25-hour biennial CE total.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Board caps and floors on where the 25 hours can come from.

  • livemin 15 hrs
  • home study / self-studymax 10 hrs
Total hours
25 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: counted from your license anniversary.
Social Work Ethics
4 hours required each cycle.
Format limits
Up to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
At least 15 hours must be earned live.
One-time requirements
One-time 12-hour training in family or intimate partner violence required for all licensees renewing on or after January 1, 2020. Hours count toward the 25-hour biennial CE total. The Board may accept equivalent IPV training or practice experience completed before January 1, 2020 in satisfaction of this requirement. (12 hours, one time).
Other mandates
Maine law requires licensed social workers, as mandated reporters of child abuse/neglect and abuse of incapacitated/dependent adults, to complete the State's mandated reporter training every 4 years. This training is required by law but does NOT count toward the 25-hour biennial CE total.

Maine LCSWrequired trainings & mandates

Beyond the 25-hour CE total, Maine requires specific trainings — some once around initial licensure, some on their own recurring schedule.

One-time requirements

  • One-time 12-hour training in family or intimate partner violence required for all licensees renewing on or after January 1, 2020. Hours count toward the 25-hour biennial CE total. The Board may accept equivalent IPV training or practice experience completed before January 1, 2020 in satisfaction of this requirement. (12 hours, one time).

Recurring mandates outside the 2 years cycle

  • Maine law requires licensed social workers, as mandated reporters of child abuse/neglect and abuse of incapacitated/dependent adults, to complete the State's mandated reporter training every 4 years. This training is required by law but does NOT count toward the 25-hour biennial CE total.
Full board policy details
  • All 25 contact hours of continuing education must be directly related to the practice of social work. CE content must meet the Board's content criteria under 02-416 C.M.R. Ch. 14 and be relevant to social work practice in order to be admissible toward the 25-hour cycle total.
  • At least 15 of the 25 contact hours must be earned in activities with immediate interaction with the instructor (Category 1). Live in-person and live virtual (e.g., interactive webinar or Zoom) courses where immediate interaction with the instructor is available qualify as live interactive training.
  • A maximum of 10 contact hours per renewal cycle may be earned in non-interactive or independent study formats (combined Category 2 and Category 3 activities, including self-study, teaching, and writing).
  • Course repeat restrictions: Credit for teaching a CE course may be claimed only the first time the course is presented. Independent or self-study credit for a specific course may be claimed only once per renewal period — repeating the same course or substantially similar independent study within the same renewal period does not earn additional credit.
  • License status rules: Licensees who are no longer practicing and who hold inactive status are exempt from the 25-hour CE requirement under 32 M.R.S. §7060, but must still renew and pay the applicable fee. Maine does not define a separate "retired" status for social workers. Reactivation of an inactive or lapsed license requires meeting the current renewal CE requirement (25 hours). Maine allows late renewal within 90 days of expiration with payment of a late fee; if a license has been expired for more than 90 days, the applicant must reapply as a new candidate.
  • Provider approval: Maine law requires CE to be "approved by the board," but the Board does not publish an approved-provider list or fixed approved-provider percentage. CE must meet the Board's content and format criteria under 02-416 C.M.R. Ch. 14.
  • Conditional/provisional registration: Maine does not provide a formal conditional registration period for licensees with incomplete CE. Aside from the 90-day late-renewal grace window (with fee), CE must be completed before renewal is granted.
  • LSX (Licensed Social Worker — Conditional) licensees are subject to different topic requirements (6 hours ethics and 6 hours psychosocial assessment per renewal). This rule file applies to LCSW (LC) only.

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Maine LCSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Maine LCSW licensees need?

Maine requires 25 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW license. Biennial cycle: counted from your license anniversary.

How many ethics hours are required for Maine LCSW licensees?

Of the total, 4 hours must be in social work ethics.

How often do Maine LCSW licensees renew?

Biennial cycle: counted from your license anniversary.

Can Maine LCSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?

Up to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. At least 15 hours must be earned live.

Sources & verification

State source
Maine board rule
Last verified
July 2026
Ruleset version
2026.3

Reviewed against the Maine 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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Maineguides & data

What to keep for a CE audit

What boards ask for in a CE audit, how long each state says to keep certificates, what the notice looks like, and a printable checklist.

Maine mental health workforce data

9,452 active providers, or 668 per 100,000 residents, ranked 6 of 51. County density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Maine CE requirement pages

Maine LPCMaine LMFTMaine Psychologist

LCSW CE requirements in other states

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