Updated for 2026

Oregon LCSW Continuing Education Requirements

Oregon clinical social workers must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW license, including 6 hours of ethics, 6 hours of cultural competency, and 2 hours of suicide risk assessment.

40hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 40
6ethics
6cultural competency
2suicide risk assessment

The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

What the board saysOregon board rule
(3) A report covering a two-year period must include: … (c) For a licensed clinical social worker, a minimum of 40 hours1 of creditable continuing education, including a minimum of 6 hours in ethics2, 6 hours in cultural competence3, and 2 hours in suicide risk, assessment, treatment and management4 … (4) When reporting more than the total hours required for a two-year reporting period, excess hours may carry over to the next required report. No more than 10 hours may be carried over5 to the next reporting period.
What it means
  1. 40 hours each two-year report
  2. 6 hours of ethics
  3. 6 hours of cultural competence
  4. 2 hours on suicide risk, assessment, treatment and management
  5. Up to 10 extra hours carry into the next period
OAR 877-025-0011Last verified October 2026Ruleset 2026.4How we verify
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Requirements

Oregon LCSW requirements

Total

40 hoursYou need 40 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

Topic minimums, counted within the 40

The remaining 26 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics
6
You need 6 hours each cycle.
Cultural Competency
6
You need 6 hours each cycle.
Suicide Risk Assessment
2
You need 2 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Carryover
max 10 hrs

Up to 10 unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.
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.
Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before your renewal.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LCSW CE hours calculator

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

Full board policy details
  • Oregon does not impose a numeric or percentage cap on self-study or online CE hours. Continuing education may be attended in person, online, or via webcast, and self-study (books, journal articles) is permitted provided the activity meets board criteria.
  • No minimum number of live or in-person hours is required. Live-interactive online courses are treated as equivalent to live attendance.
  • All CE must be provided or approved by a credentialing body recognized and approved by the Board, or be individually approved by the Board under OAR 877-025-0006(2).
  • Carryover: Active LCSWs may carry up to 10 excess CE hours forward to the next reporting period (OAR 877-025-0011). The Board's CE page also lists LMSW and RBSW as eligible to carry up to 10 general CE hours. Semi-retired LCSWs are not eligible, and carryover does not apply to the CSWA.
  • Course repeat restrictions: OAR 877-025 contains no general prohibition on an attendee repeating a course within a cycle. A presenter may claim an accredited course only the first time the presenter teaches it.
  • Inactive/Retired status: Licensees on inactive or retired status are exempt from CE and are not required to submit a biennial CE report (OAR 877-025-0011(1)(b)).
  • Reactivation: Under OAR 877-020-0055, the Board may require CE in specified topics as a condition of reactivation. Generally, no additional CE is imposed if the inactive period was less than two years; for periods over two years, the Board determines required training on a case-by-case basis.
  • First renewal exemption: The initial certification period is excluded from CE reporting under OAR 877-025-0011(1)(a). The full 40-hour CE requirement applies beginning with the second renewal.
  • Suicide risk: OAR 877-025-0011(3)(c), amended by BLSW 1-2026 (filed 9/22/2026, effective 9/23/2026), requires the LCSW's two-year report to include a minimum of 2 hours in suicide risk, assessment, treatment and management, within the 40 hours. The Board has said it applies the amended rule from January 1, 2027. ORS 676.866 already required the same two hours every two years of regulated social workers, so the topic is encoded as a per-cycle minimum without a start date.
  • Semi-Retired LCSW status (not modeled here): Requires 20 CE hours per cycle, including 6 ethics and 6 cultural competency hours. Semi-retired licensees do not qualify for the 10-hour carryover.
  • Hardship waivers/extensions: Under OAR 877-025-0011(2), the Board may grant waivers or extensions for documented hardship. Oregon does not otherwise provide a conditional or provisional renewal pathway for completing CE after the renewal deadline.

Oregon LCSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Oregon LCSW licensees need?

Oregon requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

How many ethics hours are required for Oregon LCSW licensees?

Of the total, 6 hours must be in ethics.

How often do Oregon LCSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Oregon LCSW licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Oregon requires 6 hours of cultural competency, 2 hours of suicide risk assessment.

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

We reviewed this page against the Oregon 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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Oregon 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.Oregon mental health workforce data →40,053 active providers, or 937.2 per 100,000 residents, ranked 4 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Oregon CE requirement pages

Oregon LPCOregon LMFTOregon PsychologistOregon Addiction CounselorOregon PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states