Updated for 2026

West Virginia LCSW, LICSW, LGSW & LSW Continuing Education Requirements

West Virginia clinical social workers must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCSW / LICSW / LGSW / LSW license, including 1 hour of ethics, 20 hours of category I, and 2 hours of veterans' mental health.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
20category I
2veterans' mental health
1ethics

The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.

What the board saysWest Virginia board rule
all regular licensed social workers (LSW, LGSW, LCSW, LICSW) must earn thirty (30) hours1 of WV Board of Social Work (WVBSW) approved continuing social work education hours in each two-year licensing period1 … At least twenty hours MUST be presented by a Board approved provider2, ten of which must be face to face/synchronous3. 1. At least 2 of the 20 Category I contact hours shall be in mental health conditions specific to veterans and family members of veterans4 … 2. At least 1 of the 20 contact hours shall be in social work ethics5 … Licnensees may use up to 10 hours in Individual Professional Activities6 that do not require prior approval.
What it means
  1. 30 hours every 2 years
  2. 20 hours of Category I from a Board approved provider
  3. At least 10 Category I hours face to face or synchronous
  4. 2 hours on veterans' mental health
  5. 1 hour of social work ethics
  6. No more than 10 Category II hours
Continuing Education Requirements for Licensed Social WorkersLast verified August 2026Ruleset 2026.4How we verify
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Requirements

West Virginia LCSW, LICSW, LGSW & LSW requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.

Topic minimums, counted within the 30

The remaining 7 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Category I
20
You need 20 hours each cycle.
Veterans' Mental Health
2
You need 2 hours each cycle.
Ethics
1
You need 1 hour each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Category I via live
min 10 hrs
Category II
max 10 hrs

At least 10 hours of category I must be earned live.

Unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewal
A late renewal adds a late fee.

To keep your proof in order, see what to keep for a CE audit, which covers every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.

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 West Virginia LPC or LMFT license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the West Virginia LPC and West Virginia LMFT requirements.

Full board policy details
  • Of the 30 required hours, at least 20 must come from Category I (Board-approved or otherwise authorized) providers, including programs endorsed by ASWB, NASW, another state social work board, or a CSWE-accredited school. Up to 10 hours may be earned from Category II independent study activities.
  • Of the 20 Category I hours, at least 10 must be synchronous (live in-person or live interactive online). No more than 10 of the Category I hours may be asynchronous online. Live webinars count toward the synchronous minimum, not the asynchronous cap. This is enforced by `category I synchronous minimum`, a category-scoped format minimum: a credit satisfies it only when it is tagged category I AND recorded as live or IN person.
  • Self-study / Category II activities (independent reading, research, writing, preparing presentations) are capped at 10 of the 30 hours. On-the-job training does not count toward the CE requirement.
  • Course repeat restrictions: The WV rule (25 CSR 25-5-3) is silent on repeating courses within a cycle. Credit is only granted for activities that meet Board specifications, and credit is intended to reflect new learning, so licensees should not submit duplicate course content within the same renewal period. Instructors may receive Category II credit for preparing a presentation, but the rule does not provide for repeated credit for teaching the same content multiple times.
  • License status, inactive / emeritus: Licensees on inactive or emeritus (retired) status are exempt from CE while in that status (25 CSR 25-5-3). A licensee changing to inactive or emeritus status must submit all accrued CE at the time of the status change. Temporary permit holders do not renew and have no CE requirement.
  • Reactivation from inactive/emeritus: The regulations do not specify a separate make-up CE quantity for returning to active status beyond satisfying the standard 30-hour renewal-cycle requirement. Licensees reactivating should confirm current expectations with the Board.
  • First renewal: WV does not provide a prorated or reduced CE requirement for the first renewal. The full 30 hours apply to every two-year cycle, including the initial license term (WV Code §30-30-19(a)).
  • Delinquency: A license that is not renewed with CE complete by the expiration date becomes delinquent the following day. The Board does not offer a conditional permit to complete CE post-expiration; the licensee must stop practicing and may reinstate within 36 months by completing all required CE and paying late fees.

West Virginia LCSW, LICSW, LGSW & LSW CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do West Virginia LCSW / LICSW / LGSW / LSW licensees need?

West Virginia requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCSW / LICSW / LGSW / LSW license. The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.

How many ethics hours are required for West Virginia LCSW / LICSW / LGSW / LSW licensees?

Of the total, 1 hour must be in ethics.

How often do West Virginia LCSW / LICSW / LGSW / LSW licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for West Virginia LCSW / LICSW / LGSW / LSW licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, West Virginia requires 20 hours of category I, 2 hours of veterans' mental health.

Can West Virginia LCSW / LICSW / LGSW / LSW licensees complete CE online or by home study?

At least 10 hours of category I must be earned live.

Sources and verification

State source
West Virginia board rule
Profession source
ASWB ACE continuing education guidance
Last verified
August 2026
Ruleset version
2026.4

We reviewed this page against the West Virginia 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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West Virginia 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.West Virginia mental health workforce data →5,546 active providers, or 314 per 100,000 residents, ranked 40 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other West Virginia CE requirement pages

West Virginia LPCWest Virginia LMFTWest Virginia PsychologistWest Virginia PMHNP

LCSW CE requirements in other states