Virginia LCSW Continuing Education Requirements
Virginia clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW license, including 6 hours of ethics standards law.
30
total hours / 2 years
6
ethics standards law hours
20
live hours minimum
5
home study / self-study hours cap
Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
Virginia LCSW requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Ethics Standards Law | 6 hours required each cycle. |
| Format limits | Up to 5 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. |
| Format limits | At least 20 hours must be earned live. |
| New licensees | First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically. |
| Other mandates | Virginia Code § 63.2-1509 designates licensed social workers as mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and requires any mandated reporter without prior training to complete a state-approved training on recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect. This training is a statutory obligation and does NOT count toward the 30-hour CE total. Typically completed once upon qualifying as a mandated reporter. |
| Other mandates | Virginia Code § 63.2-1606 designates licensed health providers (including social workers) as mandated reporters of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of adults. No specific training hours or recurrence are imposed by statute, and this duty is separate from CE. |
| Provisional renewal | The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 12 months before full compliance is required. The Board may grant an extension of up to one year to complete CE requirements for good cause. Only one extension period is provided for; after that, the extension expires. |
Total hours
30 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Ethics Standards Law
6 hours required each cycle.
Format limits
Up to 5 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
At least 20 hours must be earned live.
New licensees
First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Other mandates
Virginia Code § 63.2-1509 designates licensed social workers as mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, and requires any mandated reporter without prior training to complete a state-approved training on recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect. This training is a statutory obligation and does NOT count toward the 30-hour CE total. Typically completed once upon qualifying as a mandated reporter.
Virginia Code § 63.2-1606 designates licensed health providers (including social workers) as mandated reporters of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of adults. No specific training hours or recurrence are imposed by statute, and this duty is separate from CE.
Provisional renewal
The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 12 months before full compliance is required. The Board may grant an extension of up to one year to complete CE requirements for good cause. Only one extension period is provided for; after that, the extension expires.
Full board policy details
- Category I (Formally Organized Learning) — at least 20 of the 30 hours must come from structured learning: accredited college coursework, CSWE-accredited programs, workshops/seminars by agencies, or courses offered by approved social work organizations (NASW, ASWB, etc.).
- Category II (individual professional activities) — capped at 10 hours total. Within Category II, individual study (audio/video/reading) is further capped at 5 of the 30 hours.
- Live interactive online courses (real-time webinars/seminars by an approved sponsor) are generally treated as Category I structured learning, not as self-study/home-study.
- Course repeat restrictions: The regulations do not explicitly prohibit a licensee from retaking the same course for credit within a single renewal period, but duplicate content is generally not creditable. For instructors, teaching a CE program is creditable up to 2 hours maximum, and the program will be accepted only one time — an instructor may not claim credit again by teaching the identical program a second time within the cycle.
- License status — inactive: A licensee may place the license on inactive status by paying half the renewal fee. While inactive, the licensee may not practice and is not required to complete CE. To reactivate, the licensee must document CE hours equal to the number of years inactive, not to exceed four years (i.e. up to four full CE cycles of catch-up).
- License status — retired: Virginia's social work regulations do not define a separate "retired" status. Licensees are either active or inactive; a fully lapsed license must be reinstated under §140-20-110, which similarly requires CE hours equal to the number of years lapsed.
- Reactivation from inactive: Submit fees and documentation of CE hours equal to the years inactive (capped at 4 years' worth). After reactivation, normal 30-hour-per-cycle CE rules resume.
- First renewal exemption: Per 18VAC140-20-105(B), newly licensed individuals are not required to document CE on the first renewal date following initial licensure. The full 30-hour requirement applies beginning with the second renewal (and only at even-year renewals).
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Virginia LCSW record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Virginia LCSW CE free →Virginia LCSW CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Virginia LCSW licensees need?
Virginia requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW license. Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How many ethics hours are required for Virginia LCSW licensees?
Of the total, 6 hours must be in ethics standards law.
How often do Virginia LCSW licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Can Virginia LCSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 5 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. At least 20 hours must be earned live.
Is the first renewal different for new Virginia LCSW 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
- Virginia board rule
- Profession source
- ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the Virginia 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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