Updated for 2026

Texas LCSW, LMSW & LBSW Continuing Education Requirements

Texas clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LMSW / LBSW license, including 6 hours of ethics, 3 hours of cultural diversity / competency, and 1 hour of human trafficking.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
6ethics
3cultural diversity / competency
1human trafficking

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

What the board saysTexas board rule
A licensee must complete 30 hours1 of continuing education during each renewal period that they hold a license. The 30 hours of continuing education must include 6 hours in ethics2 and 3 hours3 designed to ensure competency when providing services to a distinct population3 … A licensee may carry forward4 to the next renewal period, a maximum of 10 hours4 accrued during the current renewal period if those hours are not needed for renewal. … Self-study.5 The maximum number of hours that may be claimed for this activity is 1 hour5. … Successful completion of a training course on human trafficking prevention6 … Licensees who complete this training may claim 1 hour6 of continuing education credit.
What it means
  1. 30 hours each renewal period
  2. 6 hours of ethics
  3. 3 hours on a distinct population
  4. Up to 10 unused hours carry into the next period
  5. No more than 1 hour of self-study
  6. 1 hour for a human trafficking prevention course
22 TAC 781.501Last verified July 2026Ruleset 2026.5How we verify
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Requirements

Texas LCSW, LMSW & LBSW requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 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 30

The remaining 20 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics
6
You need 6 hours each cycle.
Cultural Diversity / Competency
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Human Trafficking
1
You need 1 hour each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Home study / self-study
max 1 hrs
First time presentation
max 5 hrs
Publication
max 5 hrs
Academic coursework
max 5 hrs
Field supervision
max 10 hrs
Carryover
max 10 hrs

Up to 1 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

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.
Renewal fee
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$108. Biennial: $102 base + $6 Texas.gov/OPP.
22 TAC 885.1
Expired 90 days or less: total$159. 1.5 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)
Expired over 90 days, under one year: total$210. 2 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)

CE courses and designation fees are separate. After one year, reinstatement is required.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-30. Board fee schedule.

Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by international professional association, national professional association, regional professional association, state professional association, local professional association, accredited university, public school district, education service center, governmental agency, nonprofit religious or charitable organization, hospital or hospital system, and board approved supervisor.
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 Texas LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Texas LPC and Texas LMFT requirements.

Full board policy details
  • Self-study is capped at 1 hour per renewal cycle. Organized third-party audio, video, digital, or print CE offerings are not treated as self-study for purposes of this cap.
  • Instructor/teaching credit: A licensee may claim credit for presenting at CE programs for up to 5 hours per renewal cycle.
  • Publication credit is capped at 5 hours per renewal cycle.
  • Teaching or attending a qualifying college or university course is capped at 5 hours per renewal cycle.
  • Providing field instruction or supervision to a social-work practicum student is capped at 10 hours per renewal cycle.
  • Carry-forward: Up to 10 excess CE hours may be carried into the next renewal period if not needed for the current renewal.
  • Provider mix: At least 50% of CE hours must come from listed provider types under 22 TAC § 781.501; the remaining 50% may come from any provider chosen by the licensee. BHEC does not pre-approve CE providers or individual courses.
  • CE Broker is the official CE tracking platform and is required for all BHEC licensees starting January 1, 2026.
  • Inactive status: A license on inactive status does not require CE while inactive, but the licensee may not practice.
  • Retired/emeritus status: Grandfathered emeritus licensees as of September 1, 2020 do not owe renewal fees or CE, but must still renew biennially through the online system and may not return to paid employment or active status under that status.
  • Reactivation from inactive: Requires proof of CE completion for renewal, payment of the reactivation or renewal fee, and, if inactive for four years or more, passage of the jurisprudence exam unless another active license in the same profession is held.
  • Active-duty military licensees may request a waiver of CE requirements and renewal fees for the renewal period by submitting a written request before the renewal date with official verification.
  • Human-trafficking training is required each renewal cycle as a condition of renewal and may be claimed for 1 CE hour.
  • Multiple instances or occurrences of the same continuing-education activity may not be claimed during the same renewal period.
  • CE on state or federal laws, including agency rules, may qualify as ethics content toward the 6-hour ethics requirement.

Texas LCSW, LMSW & LBSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Texas LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees need?

Texas requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LMSW / LBSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

How many ethics hours are required for Texas LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees?

Of the total, 6 hours must be in ethics.

How often do Texas LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees renew?

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

How much does Texas LCSW / LMSW / LBSW license renewal cost?
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$108. Biennial: $102 base + $6 Texas.gov/OPP.
22 TAC 885.1
Expired 90 days or less: total$159. 1.5 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)
Expired over 90 days, under one year: total$210. 2 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)

CE courses and designation fees are separate. After one year, reinstatement is required.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-30. Board fee schedule.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Texas LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Texas requires 3 hours of cultural diversity / competency, 1 hour of human trafficking.

Can Texas LCSW / LMSW / LBSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?

Up to 1 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

Sources and verification

State source
Texas board rule
Fee schedule
Texas board fee schedule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
July 2026
Ruleset version
2026.5

We reviewed this page against the Texas 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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Texas 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.Texas mental health workforce data →68,626 active providers, or 216.4 per 100,000 residents, ranked 50 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

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