North Dakota LCSW, LMSW & LBSW Continuing Education Requirements
North Dakota clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LMSW / LBSW license, including 2 hours of social work ethics.
Next deadline: November 15, 2027The renewal cycle is biennial. You file your renewal by November 15 of odd years, and the license expires December 31.
A social work practitioner licensed in North Dakota must complete thirty approved continuing education contact hours for the two-year licensing period1 to maintain licensure in North Dakota. No more than ten hours may be completed by independent learning2 which may include activities like online studies without live interaction. At least two hours must concern social work ethics3.
- 30 hours every 2 years
- No more than 10 hours of independent or self-study learning
- 2 hours of social work ethics
It's free for 30 days, and you don't need a card.
North Dakota LCSW, LMSW & LBSW requirements
Total
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
- Social Work Ethics
- 2
- You need 2 hours each cycle.
Limits on how the hours are earned
- Home study / self-study
- max 10 hrs
Up to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
Cycle and record rules
- Renewal
- The renewal cycle is biennial. You file your renewal by November 15 of odd years, and the license expires 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.
- Approved providers
- CE must be earned from a board-approved provider.
Check where you stand
Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before November 15, 2027.
Your result appears here as you enter hours.
Open the full LCSW CE hours calculatorAlso hold a North Dakota LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the North Dakota LPC and North Dakota LMFT requirements.
Full board policy details
- A maximum of 10 contact hours of "independent learning" (self-study, including online study without live interaction) may be applied toward the 30-hour biennial CE requirement. By implication, at least 20 hours must come from live or live-interactive courses (synchronous webinars or in-person events).
- Course repeat restrictions: A licensee who teaches a CE program may claim hour-for-hour credit for that presentation only once per program per renewal cycle. Instructors cannot earn double credit by teaching the same CE course multiple times in one renewal period. The rules do not otherwise prohibit attendees from repeating the same course for credit.
- License status rules: North Dakota law does not recognize inactive or retired social work license statuses (these were repealed). All active licensed social workers must satisfy the CE requirement by renewal. Failure to renew by December 31 of the renewal year causes the license to expire, and the licensee may not practice until reapplying. There is no special CE make-up period for reactivation; reactivating a lapsed license requires a new initial application.
- Conditional registration: North Dakota does not provide a conditional or provisional renewal for licensees who have not completed CE. Verification of required continuing education must accompany the renewal application. The board may waive or extend deadlines for documented hardship, but routine completion is required by the expiration date.
- Provider approval: All credited CE must be presented by providers approved by the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners. National accreditors (e.g., ASWB) may be accepted to the extent the board recognizes them.
North Dakota LCSW, LMSW & LBSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do North Dakota LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees need?
North Dakota requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LMSW / LBSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial. You file your renewal by November 15 of odd years, and the license expires December 31.
How many ethics hours are required for North Dakota LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees?
Of the total, 2 hours must be in social work ethics.
How often do North Dakota LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees renew?
The renewal cycle is biennial. You file your renewal by November 15 of odd years, and the license expires December 31.
Can North Dakota LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 10 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
Is the first renewal different for new North Dakota 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
- North Dakota board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- July 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
We reviewed this page against the North Dakota 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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North Dakota guides & data
Other North Dakota CE requirement pages
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