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.

20

total hours / year

Annual · renewal date varies by licensee.

Montana LCSW, LMSW & LBSW requirements

RequirementNotes
Total continuing education20 hours per year.
RenewalAnnual cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
New licenseesFirst renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Other mandatesMontana SB 348 (2021) requires all licensees to complete 2 hours of implicit bias training at initial licensure and at every renewal thereafter. This training is separate from and in addition to the 20-hour CE requirement.
Other mandatesMontana requires a one-time training on human trafficking prevention upon initial licensure. This training does not recur and does not count toward the 20-hour CE requirement.
Total hours
20 hours per year.
Renewal
Annual cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
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
Montana SB 348 (2021) requires all licensees to complete 2 hours of implicit bias training at initial licensure and at every renewal thereafter. This training is separate from and in addition to the 20-hour CE requirement.
Montana requires a one-time training on human trafficking prevention upon initial licensure. This training does not recur and does not count toward the 20-hour CE requirement.
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 retaking the same non-instructor course, but no new credit is earned by re-taking identical content.
  • 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 all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Montana LCSW / LMSW / LBSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.

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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: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

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

Annual cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

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
Last verified
May 2026
Ruleset version
2026.1

Reviewed against the Montana board source and refreshed from the compiled ruleset above. Methodology and disclaimer. Compliance data is informational only and not legal or board advice. Always verify requirements with your licensing board before you renew. See something wrong? Report it →

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Other Montana CE requirement pages

Montana LPC

LCSW CE requirements in other states

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