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 and 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting.
30
total hours / 2 years
3
ethics hours
2
child abuse recognition and reporting hours
20
home study / self-study hours cap
Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
Pennsylvania LCSW, LBSW & LSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Ethics | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting | 2 hours required each cycle. |
| Format limits | Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. |
| New licensees | First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically. |
| Approved providers | CE must be earned from a board-approved provider. |
| Other mandates | Act 53 of 2020 implicit bias training. Pennsylvania law requires licensed social workers to complete three hours of implicit bias training. This training is mandated by statute and is in addition to the Board's 30-hour CE requirement; it does not count within the 30 hours. |
| Other mandates | Act 105 of 2018 (as amended by Act 139 of 2019) human trafficking awareness training. Health and social service professionals, including social workers, must complete approximately 2 hours of human-trafficking awareness training. This statutory mandate is in addition to the Board's 30-hour CE requirement. |
Full board policy details
- Pennsylvania allows up to 20 of the required 30 clock hours to be earned through approved home study courses with specific learning objectives and provider evaluation. There is no separate minimum live or in-person hour requirement. Approved live, live-interactive online, and self-paced coursework count when the provider is Board-approved per 49 Pa. Code § 47.33(a).
- Provider approval: Only courses or programs offered by Board-approved providers are accepted for CE credit. All 30 hours must come from Board-approved providers or activities approved under § 47.36/§ 47.36a.
- Course repeat restrictions: A licensee may not claim credit more than once for the same course within a single renewal period. For instructors, 49 Pa. Code § 47.36a(2) limits "experience as a teacher" credit to a first-time occurrence — teaching the same course multiple times in one cycle does not yield additional credit.
- Inactive status: Licensees on inactive status are not required to accumulate CE while inactive. However, under § 47.40, to reactivate an inactive or lapsed LCSW license the individual must show proof of having satisfied the CE requirements (30 hours including ethics and child abuse topics) for the most recent biennium.
- Retired status: The Board's regulations do not define a "retired" status for social work licenses. Licensees who stop practicing are treated as inactive, and the standard reactivation CE requirements apply if they later return to practice.
- Reactivation: Per § 47.40, reinstating an inactive or lapsed LCSW license requires demonstrating completion of the CE required for the prior biennium (30 hours including the ethics and child-abuse topic requirements).
- Waivers/extensions: Section 47.39(b) allows the Board to grant case-by- case waivers or extensions of CE requirements in hardship situations. Pennsylvania does not provide a formal conditional or provisional registration period for licensees who fail to complete CE by renewal.
- Child-abuse exemption: Under § 47.58(c)(1), a licensee who has completed equivalent approved child-abuse recognition and reporting training (e.g. under the Pennsylvania School Code) may apply to the Board/Bureau for an exemption from the 2-hour child-abuse CE requirement.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) 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: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
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: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
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.
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?
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
- Pennsylvania board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.2
Reviewed against the Pennsylvania 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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