Updated for 2026

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.

20hours per year

Next deadline: December 31, 2026The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.

What the board saysMontana board rule
(1) Licensees are required to obtain 20 hours of continuing education (CE) annually1, prior to renewal. (2) Licensees completing more than 20 hours of CE may carry forward those hours into the next year2. The number of hours carried forward shall not exceed 20 hours2. … (4) Of the 20 hours: (a) a minimum of two hours must relate to suicide risk assessment and safety planning every odd year3; and (b) a maximum of ten hours4 may be for: (i) first-time preparation of a new course, in-service training workshop, or seminar which meets the criteria in (6); or (ii) preparation time by the author or authors of a paper which meets the criteria in (6) that is published for the first time in a recognized professional journal …
What it means
  1. 20 hours every year
  2. Up to 20 extra hours carry into the next year
  3. 2 hours on suicide risk assessment and safety planning every odd year
  4. No more than 10 hours from new course preparation or first-time publication
ARM 24.219.435Last verified October 2026Ruleset 2026.4How we verify
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Requirements

Montana LCSW, LMSW & LBSW requirements

Total

20 hoursYou need 20 hours per year. The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Carryover
max 20 hrs
First time course or publication
max 10 hrs

Up to 20 unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.
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.
Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before December 31, 2026.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LCSW CE hours calculator

Also hold a Montana LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Montana LPC and Montana LMFT requirements.

Montana LCSW, LMSW & LBSW required trainings and mandates

Beyond the 20-hour CE total, Montana requires specific trainings. Some are due once around initial licensure, and others run on their own recurring schedule.

Recurring mandates outside the 1-year cycle

  • Two hours on suicide risk assessment and safety planning every odd year, counted within the 20 annual hours (ARM 24.219.435(4)(a)).
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.
  • Suicide risk: ARM 24.219.435(4)(a), amended effective August 22, 2026 (MAR Notice 2026-512), requires that of the 20 hours a minimum of two hours relate to suicide risk assessment and safety planning every odd year. The two hours count within the annual total in the year they are earned and recur on a two-year clock.
  • 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.

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. The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.

How often do Montana LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.

Is the first renewal different for new Montana LCSW / LMSW / 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
Montana board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
October 2026
Ruleset version
2026.4

We reviewed this page against the Montana 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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Montana 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.Montana mental health workforce data →5,566 active providers, or 486.2 per 100,000 residents, ranked 20 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Montana CE requirement pages

Montana LPCMontana LMFTMontana PsychologistMontana Addiction CounselorMontana PMHNP

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