South Carolina LISW-CP, LMSW, LISW-AP & LBSW Continuing Education Requirements
South Carolina clinical social workers must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LISW-CP / LMSW / LISW-AP / LBSW license, including 1 hour of suicide assessment treatment and management.
Next deadline: December 31, 2026The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.
As a pre-requisite for biennial renewal1 of the practitioner’s license, the licensee must complete a minimum of 40 contact hours1 of accepted professional continuing education per renewal period.
- 40 hours each two-year renewal period
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South Carolina LISW-CP, LMSW, LISW-AP & LBSW requirements
Total
Topic minimums, counted within the 40
- Suicide Assessment Treatment and Management
- 1
- You need 1 hour each cycle.
Cycle and record rules
- Renewal
- The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.
- 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 December 31, 2026.
Your result appears here as you enter hours.
Open the full LCSW CE hours calculatorAlso hold a South Carolina LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the South Carolina LPC and South Carolina LMFT requirements.
Full board policy details
- South Carolina does not impose any minimum live-hour or maximum self-study/home-study limit. Any format (live, online, self-study) is acceptable so long as the course is approved by the Board.
- Course repeat restriction: Except in unusual circumstances, credits will not be given for repeating an instructional course within the same renewal period (SC Code Regs. 110-1(C)(4)).
- Instructor/teaching credit: A licensee who teaches an approved CE course may not receive credit for teaching the same course more than once per renewal period (SC Code Regs. 110-1(C)(3)).
- Inactive/Retired status: South Carolina law and regulation do not explicitly address inactive or retired status for social workers. Licensees who do not renew are not subject to active CE obligations, since CE is a prerequisite to biennial renewal.
- Reactivation/Reinstatement: If a license has lapsed for more than one year, the Board may impose further educational requirements for reinstatement (SC Code §40-63-250(F)). Specific reactivation CE hour counts are determined by the Board on a case-by-case basis.
- No conditional or provisional renewal is available. Completion of the 40-hour CE requirement (including the 1-hour suicide assessment hour for cycles ending after 2025) is a prerequisite to biennial renewal; failure to complete CE by the December 31 deadline results in a lapsed license subject to reinstatement provisions.
- First renewal: The full 40-hour CE requirement applies to all renewals, including a licensee's first renewal. No prorating or first-cycle exemption is provided in statute or regulation.
South Carolina LISW-CP, LMSW, LISW-AP & LBSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do South Carolina LISW-CP / LMSW / LISW-AP / LBSW licensees need?
South Carolina requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LISW-CP / LMSW / LISW-AP / LBSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.
How often do South Carolina LISW-CP / LMSW / LISW-AP / LBSW licensees renew?
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by December 31 of even years.
Are there subject-specific CE requirements for South Carolina LISW-CP / LMSW / LISW-AP / LBSW licensees?
Yes. South Carolina requires 1 hour of suicide assessment treatment and management.
Sources and verification
- State source
- South Carolina board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- July 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.2
We reviewed this page against the South Carolina 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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