Updated for 2026

Wisconsin LCSW, APSW, ISW & SW Continuing Education Requirements

Wisconsin clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / APSW / ISW / SW license, including 4 hours of ethics and boundaries.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
4ethics and boundaries

Next deadline: February 28, 2027The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.

What the board saysWisconsin board rule
every marriage and family therapist, professional counselor, social worker, advanced practice social worker, independent social worker, and clinical social worker shall complete at least 30 continuing education credit hours1 in approved continuing education programs during each 2 year credential period1 … A minimum of 4 continuing education credit hours2, of the required 30 continuing education credit hours, shall be in the area of professional ethics and boundaries2 … Only 15 of the required 30 continuing education credit hours3 shall be met through in-house training and development programs which are not approved by an organization identified in pars. (a) to (e). … No more than 16 continuing education hours4 may be obtained for authorship of chapters or articles. … No more than 16 continuing education hours5 may be obtained for authorship of alternative or electronic media or computer software.
What it means
  1. 30 hours every 2 years
  2. 4 hours of professional ethics and boundaries
  3. No more than 15 hours from unapproved in-house agency training
  4. No more than 16 hours for authoring chapters or articles
  5. No more than 16 hours for authoring media or software
Wis. Admin. Code MPSW 19.02, 19.03Last verified October 2026Ruleset 2026.4How we verify
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Requirements

Wisconsin LCSW, APSW, ISW & SW requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.

Topic minimums, counted within the 30

The remaining 26 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics and Boundaries
4
You need 4 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

In-house training (not otherwise approved)
max 15 hrs
Chapter or article authorship
max 16 hrs
Alternative media authorship
max 16 hrs

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.
New licensees
The first renewal is different. New licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements, such as prorated hours or first-cycle-only rules, and we apply them automatically.
Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before February 28, 2027.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LCSW CE hours calculator

Also hold a Wisconsin LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Wisconsin LPC and Wisconsin LMFT requirements.

Full board policy details
  • No overall cap on self-study or home-study CE. The only format cap is MPSW 19.03(1)(f): no more than 15 of the 30 hours may come from in-house trainings by organizations not otherwise listed as approved sponsors. There is no minimum number of live hours required (aside from the ethics interactive-format rule below).
  • Ethics hours must be earned in an "interactive" format (MPSW 19.02(2)(b)). Per MPSW 19.01(2), "interactive" means a live, synchronous presentation with opportunity for discussion, or certain approved asynchronous programs. Fully live-interactive online courses with real-time discussion qualify as interactive and do not count against the in-house/self-study cap.
  • COURSE REPEAT RESTRICTIONS, MPSW 19.03(2)(a): an instructor or developer may earn CE credit for presenting or authoring a training, but no additional CE credit hours will be granted for subsequent presentations of the same material within a renewal period. The rule does not impose a blanket repeat-course ban on attendees.
  • LICENSE STATUS RULES, MPSW 19.04(2): a licensee who certifies that they have retired and no longer practice receives a full waiver of CE requirements and is reclassified as "non-practicing." The rules do not explicitly define a separate "inactive" status; an inactive/non-renewing licensee who is not practicing is not required to complete CE. MPSW 19.04(3): to reactivate from a retirement or similar exemption, the licensee must complete 30 hours of CE for each biennium during which the exemption was granted before returning to active practice.
  • Hardship / conditional renewal, MPSW 19.04(1): the board section may grant a postponement or partial waiver of CE requirements in cases of illness, disability, or extreme hardship. There is no fixed maximum extension; relief is granted case-by-case.
  • Approved sponsors, Wisconsin does not pre-approve individual courses. CE counts if it is offered or sponsored by an entity listed in MPSW 19.03(1) (e.g. NASW, NBCC, accredited universities, AMA Category I, and similar recognized organizations), or is an in-house training subject to the 15-hour cap above.

Wisconsin LCSW, APSW, ISW & SW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Wisconsin LCSW / APSW / ISW / SW licensees need?

Wisconsin requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / APSW / ISW / SW license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.

How many ethics hours are required for Wisconsin LCSW / APSW / ISW / SW licensees?

Of the total, 4 hours must be in ethics and boundaries.

How often do Wisconsin LCSW / APSW / ISW / SW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by February 28 of odd years.

Is the first renewal different for new Wisconsin LCSW / APSW / ISW / SW licensees?

The first renewal is different. New licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements, such as prorated hours or first-cycle-only rules, and we apply them automatically.

Sources and verification

State source
Wisconsin board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
October 2026
Ruleset version
2026.4

We reviewed this page against the Wisconsin 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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Wisconsin 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.Wisconsin mental health workforce data →20,848 active providers, or 349 per 100,000 residents, ranked 37 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Wisconsin CE requirement pages

Wisconsin LPCWisconsin LMFTWisconsin PsychologistWisconsin Addiction CounselorWisconsin PMHNP

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