Pennsylvania LCSW, LBSW & LSW Continuing Education Requirements
Pennsylvania clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LBSW / LSW license, including 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting, and 1 hour of suicide prevention.
30
total hours / 2 years
3
ethics hours
2
child abuse recognition and reporting hours
1
suicide prevention hours
Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline
Pennsylvania LCSW, LBSW & LSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: CE due by February 28 of odd years. |
| Ethics | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting | 2 hours required each cycle. |
| Suicide Prevention | 1 hour required each cycle. |
| Format limits | Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. |
| New licensees | The first biennial renewal after initial Pennsylvania licensure is exempt from ordinary CE, but still requires 2 hours of approved child-abuse recognition and reporting training. |
| Approved providers | CE must be earned from a board-approved provider. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 30 hours can come from.
- home study / self-studymax 20 hrs
Full board policy details
- Thirty approved hours are required each biennium, including 3 ethics hours, 2 child-abuse recognition and reporting hours, and 1 suicide-prevention hour. Each topic counts within the total.
- Up to 20 hours may be approved home-study/self-paced courses. Pennsylvania permits all 30 hours online because synchronous online education is not home study; there is no live or in-person minimum.
- Only Board-approved providers and activities qualify. A licensee may not claim the same course more than once in one renewal period, and teacher credit is limited to a first-time occurrence.
- The first renewal after initial licensure is exempt from the 30-hour total, ethics, and suicide-prevention requirements, while the 2-hour child-abuse training remains due.
- Reactivation of an inactive or lapsed license requires the most recent biennium's 30 hours, including ethics, child-abuse, and suicide-prevention topics.
- The Board may grant hardship waivers or extensions case by case; Pennsylvania does not create a conditional active registration for CE deficiency.
- Act 53 of 2020 is reflected on the Board site as a best-practices guide, not a universal 3-hour implicit-bias renewal mandate. Human-trafficking statutes likewise do not impose a general social-worker renewal course, so neither is encoded.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Pennsylvania LCSW / LBSW / LSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Pennsylvania LCSW / LBSW / LSW CE free →Pennsylvania LCSW, LBSW & LSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Pennsylvania LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees need?
Pennsylvania requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LBSW / LSW license. Biennial cycle: CE due by February 28 of odd years.
How many ethics hours are required for Pennsylvania LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.
How often do Pennsylvania LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: CE due by February 28 of odd years.
Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Pennsylvania LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees?
Yes. In addition to ethics, Pennsylvania requires 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting, 1 hour of suicide prevention.
Can Pennsylvania LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
Is the first renewal different for new Pennsylvania LCSW / LBSW / LSW licensees?
The first biennial renewal after initial Pennsylvania licensure is exempt from ordinary CE, but still requires 2 hours of approved child-abuse recognition and reporting training.
Sources & verification
- State source
- Pennsylvania board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.5
Reviewed against the Pennsylvania board source and refreshed 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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