Updated for 2026

Missouri LCSW, LMSW, LAMSW & LBSW Continuing Education Requirements

Missouri clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LMSW / LAMSW / LBSW license, including 3 hours of ethics and 2 hours of suicide assessment.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
3ethics
2suicide assessment

The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

What the board saysMissouri board rule
(1) As a condition for renewing a license to practice, all licensed social workers shall be required to have completed thirty (30) clock hours1 of acceptable continuing professional education courses prior to the renewal of the license. (2) As part of the thirty (30) continuing education (CE) hours required for each renewal cycle1, each applicant for renewal or reinstatement of a license shall complete … (A) Three (3) clock hours of ethics2 presented by a social worker who has graduated from an accredited school of social work or by a professional who has knowledge of ethics as it relates to the practice of social work; and (B) Two (2) hours of suicide assessment, referral, treatment, and management training3. … (7) Up to ten (10) continuing education hours may be carried over into the next reporting period4.
What it means
  1. 30 hours each renewal cycle
  2. 3 hours of ethics
  3. 2 hours of suicide assessment, referral, treatment, and management
  4. Up to 10 extra hours carry into the next cycle
20 CSR 2263-2.082Last verified October 2026Ruleset 2026.3How we verify
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Requirements

Missouri LCSW, LMSW, LAMSW & LBSW requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

Topic minimums, counted within the 30

The remaining 25 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Suicide Assessment
2
You need 2 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Home study / self-study
max 15 hrs
Instructor preparation
max 5 hrs
Supervision
max 3 hrs
Carryover
max 10 hrs

Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

Up to 10 unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
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.
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 Missouri LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Missouri LPC and Missouri LMFT requirements.

Full board policy details
  • The ordinary requirement is 30 hours. The first renewal uses the Committee's issue-month proration chart; the structured total uses the engine's first-cycle proration support.
  • The 3 ethics and 2 suicide-assessment hours apply in full to each renewal, including a prorated first renewal; they are not themselves prorated. The former 3-hour bias/diversity/cultural-competency minimum (20 CSR 2263-2.082(2)(C)) was removed by the amendment effective Nov. 30, 2025 and no longer applies.
  • Correspondence or self-study may supply no more than 50 percent of required hours. The 15-hour structured cap is exact for full cycles. The first-cycle proportional cap remains manual because the engine cannot cap against the prorated required total.
  • Live, interactive webinars from approved sponsors count as live CE and do not use the correspondence allowance.
  • The special correspondence-cap waiver applied to the 2022 and 2023 renewal periods only. The ordinary cap is restored for current and future cycles unless the Committee issues new relief.
  • Initial preparation and presentation credit is capped at 5 hours and is unavailable for repetitive presentation of the same course. Qualifying supervision credit is capped at 3 hours. These restrictions do not create a blanket attendee repeat ban.
  • Up to 10 excess hours may carry to the next renewal cycle.
  • All CE must be sponsored by a listed acceptable organization or approved by the Committee.
  • Inactive licensees owe no CE while inactive. Returning to active status requires the current renewal CE or Committee-approved relief.

Missouri LCSW, LMSW, LAMSW & LBSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Missouri LCSW / LMSW / LAMSW / LBSW licensees need?

Missouri requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LMSW / LAMSW / LBSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

How many ethics hours are required for Missouri LCSW / LMSW / LAMSW / LBSW licensees?

Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.

How often do Missouri LCSW / LMSW / LAMSW / LBSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Missouri LCSW / LMSW / LAMSW / LBSW licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Missouri requires 2 hours of suicide assessment.

Can Missouri LCSW / LMSW / LAMSW / LBSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?

Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

Is the first renewal different for new Missouri LCSW / LMSW / LAMSW / 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
Missouri board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
October 2026
Ruleset version
2026.3

We reviewed this page against the Missouri 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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Missouri 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.Missouri mental health workforce data →21,153 active providers, or 337.3 per 100,000 residents, ranked 38 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Missouri CE requirement pages

Missouri LPCMissouri LMFTMissouri PsychologistMissouri PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states