Updated for 2026

Washington LICSW & LASW Continuing Education Requirements

Washington clinical social workers must complete 32 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LICSW / LASW license, including 6 hours of ethics and law and 2 hours of professional roles and boundaries.

32hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 32
6ethics and law
2professional roles and boundaries

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

What the board saysWashington board rule
A licensed counselor shall complete 32 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years1. (a) At least six of the 32 hours must be in professional ethics and law2, which may include topics under RCW 18.130.180 . (b) At least two of the 32 hours must be in professional roles and boundaries3. These hours must be taken separate from the requirements in (a) of this subsection.
What it means
  1. 32 hours every 2 years
  2. 6 hours of ethics and law
  3. 2 hours on professional roles and boundaries, separate from the ethics hours
WAC 246-809-630Last verified October 2026Ruleset 2026.5How we verify
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Requirements

Washington LICSW & LASW requirements

Total

32 hoursYou need 32 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 32

The remaining 24 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics and Law
6
You need 6 hours each cycle.
Professional Roles and Boundaries
2
You need 2 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Employer sponsored training
max 26 hrs
Other learning experience
max 6 hrs

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.
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 Washington LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Washington LPC and Washington LMFT requirements.

Washington LICSW & LASW required trainings and mandates

Beyond the 32-hour CE total, Washington requires specific trainings. Some are due once around initial licensure, and others run on their own recurring schedule.

Recurring mandates outside the 2-year cycle

  • You need 2 hours of health equity every 4 years.
  • You need 6 hours of suicide prevention every 6 years.
Full board policy details
  • No cap on distance learning. Per WAC 246-809-610(3)(b) and DOH guidance, all 32 hours may be completed via distance learning, synchronous (live interactive online) or asynchronous (self-paced with a comprehension test). There is no minimum live or in-person requirement.
  • Synchronous online (live interactive webinars) qualify as distance learning without a comprehension test; asynchronous home-study courses require a test of comprehension upon completion (WAC 246-809-610(3)(b)).
  • Provider approval: The Washington Department of Health does not approve CE providers. Acceptable CE must come from an "industry-recognized organization" or accredited institution as described in WAC 246-809-620 (e.g. universities, NASW, ASWB, CSWE-accredited programs, professional associations). The licensee is responsible for ensuring each course meets these criteria.
  • WAC 246-12-240 allows the same course to count only once in a reporting cycle. A licensee who presents or teaches a specific topic may likewise claim the preparation/presentation credit only once per reporting period (WAC 246-809-640).
  • Employer-sponsored training is capped at 26 hours per reporting period. Other learning experiences, including panel/board/council service, community service, research, peer consultation, and publication, are collectively capped at 6 hours (WAC 246-809-610).
  • License status, inactive/expired: A license that is not renewed on the practitioner's birthday lapses and the holder may not practice. CE obligations do not accrue while the credential is inactive. To resume practice the licensee must reactivate the credential and meet current CE requirements.
  • License status, retired active: Licensed social workers on retired-active status must complete 18 hours of CE every 2 years, of which at least 6 hours must be in professional ethics and law (DOH retired-active guidance; WAC 246-809-730). This rule file models the standard active LICSW/LASW requirement (32 hours); retired-active licensees follow the reduced requirement separately.
  • Reactivation after expiration is governed by WAC 246-12-040. The required declaration depends on how long the credential has been expired and may include current CE requirements or the requirements for the two most recent years. Those administrative lookbacks remain a manual review.
  • Conditional registration: Washington does not provide a conditional or provisional renewal status for licensees who have not completed CE by the renewal deadline. Licensees must complete CE before renewing or the license will expire and require reinstatement.
  • The Department assigns the two-year CE reporting due date while the credential itself renews annually on the practitioner's birthday. The current profession rule does not state a separate prorated first-cycle hour schedule; licensees should follow the reporting date shown by the Department rather than treating every short initial credential term as a complete two-year reporting period.

Washington LICSW & LASW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Washington LICSW / LASW licensees need?

Washington requires 32 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LICSW / LASW license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

How many ethics hours are required for Washington LICSW / LASW licensees?

Of the total, 6 hours must be in ethics and law.

How often do Washington LICSW / LASW licensees renew?

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

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Washington LICSW / LASW licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Washington requires 2 hours of professional roles and boundaries.

Sources and verification

State source
Washington board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
October 2026
Ruleset version
2026.5

We reviewed this page against the Washington 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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Washington 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.Washington mental health workforce data →53,146 active providers, or 664.2 per 100,000 residents, ranked 7 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Washington CE requirement pages

Washington LPCWashington LMFTWashington PsychologistWashington Addiction CounselorWashington PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states