Montana LCSW, LMSW & LBSW Continuing Education Requirements
Montana clinical social workers must complete 20 continuing education hours per year to renew their LCSW / LMSW / LBSW license.
20
total hours / year
Annual renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline
Montana LCSW, LMSW & LBSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 20 hours per year. |
| Renewal | Annual cycle: CE due by December 31. |
| Carryover | Up to 20 unused hours can carry into the next cycle. |
| New licensees | First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically. |
| Other mandates | 2 hours of suicide prevention required every 2 years. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 20 hours can come from.
- carryovermax 20 hrs
- first time course or publicationmax 10 hrs
Montana LCSW, LMSW & LBSWrequired trainings & mandates
Beyond the 20-hour CE total, Montana requires specific trainings — some once around initial licensure, some on their own recurring schedule.
Recurring mandates outside the 1 year cycle
- 2 hours of suicide prevention required every 2 years.
Full board policy details
- No format caps apply under Mont. Admin. R. 24.219.435. There is no cap on self-study or asynchronous CE hours, and no minimum number of live/in-person hours is required. All 20 hours may be earned via self-study if the courses meet the Board's quality criteria.
- Course repeat / instructor credit: Up to 10 of the 20 annual CE hours may be earned for first-time preparation of a new course, workshop, or seminar, or for first-time authorship of a paper. Repeating the same course or presentation in the same renewal period does not earn additional first-time-preparation credit. The rule does not otherwise prohibit an attendee from retaking the same course.
- Up to 20 excess hours may carry forward into the next annual renewal.
- Inactive status: Licensees on inactive status are not required to complete CE while inactive and may not practice. To convert an inactive license back to active status, the licensee must complete 10 hours of CE for each year of inactivity, earned within the 24 months immediately before reactivation (Mont. Admin. R. 24.219.430).
- First renewal exempt: CE requirements do not apply until after the licensee's first renewal (Mont. Admin. R. 24.219.435(5)). The full 20-hour CE requirement, including the 2-hour suicide prevention requirement, applies beginning with the second renewal.
- Provider approval: Montana does not require board pre-approval of CE providers for social workers. Licensees may select courses from any legitimate source provided they meet the Board's CE criteria and document completion.
- Conditional registration: Montana does not provide for a conditional or provisional renewal pending completion of CE. Licensees must complete the 20 hours by the renewal deadline (December 31) to maintain an active license.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Montana LCSW / LMSW / LBSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Montana LCSW / LMSW / LBSW CE free →Montana LCSW, LMSW & LBSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Montana LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees need?
Montana requires 20 continuing education hours per year to renew a LCSW / LMSW / LBSW license. Annual cycle: CE due by December 31.
How often do Montana LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees renew?
Annual cycle: CE due by December 31.
Is the first renewal different for new Montana LCSW / LMSW / LBSW 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
- Montana board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
Reviewed against the Montana 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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