Updated for 2026 · Board-sourced

New Jersey LCSW Continuing Education Requirements

What a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) must complete to renew in New Jersey: 40 hours every 2 years, including 5 in ethics.

LCSW

Marcus Reyes, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker · New Jersey

cycle

2025 – 2027

earned

25.0 hrs

needed

15.0 hrs

deadline

Jun 29, 2027

Total25 / 40 hrs
Ethics5 / 5 hrs
Clinical Practice20 / 20 hrs
Social and Cultural Competence0 / 3 hrs
Illustrative pacing for a fictional licensee. Required hours are New Jersey’s actual board rule.

pace toward deadline

63%

New Jersey LCSW CE requirements at a glance

40

total hours / 2 years

Biennial

renewal cadence

5

hours of ethics

3

other subject minimums

Total hours
40 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle — tied to your license renewal date.
Ethics
5 hours required each cycle.
Clinical Practice
20 hours required each cycle.
Social and Cultural Competence
3 hours required each cycle.
Prescription Opioid Abuse
1 hour required each cycle.
Carryover
Up to 8 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.

This is the curated summary. Audit windows, recordkeeping, fees, and edge-case rules (reactivation, supervision-only) live in the full ruleset — we track all of it for you →

New Jersey LCSW CE: frequently asked

How many CE hours do New Jersey LCSWs need?

New Jersey requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years (a biennial cycle) to renew an LCSW license.

How many ethics hours are required for New Jersey LCSWs?

Of the total, 5 hours must be in ethics.

How often do New Jersey LCSWs renew?

Biennial cycle — tied to your license renewal date.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for New Jersey LCSWs?

Yes. In addition to ethics, New Jersey requires 20 hours of clinical practice, 3 hours of social and cultural competence, 1 hour of prescription opioid abuse.

Is the first renewal different for new New Jersey LCSWs?

First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.

Sources & verification

Last verified
May 8, 2026
Ruleset version
2026.1

This page is informational, not legal advice — always confirm with your board. See something wrong? Report it →

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