LMFT Continuing Education Requirements and License Renewal, by State
Every state asks licensed marriage and family therapists to complete continuing education each renewal cycle: a set number of hours, usually some ethics, and often hours that must be specific to systemic or relational practice. Here is what each state requires, sourced from the board itself. Pick your state to see its hours, topics, deadline, and the board source.
Every tile opens that state’s LMFT requirements page. 50 states covered, 12 to 55 hours per cycle. Most recent board check October 2026.
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All 50 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
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- California
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- Hawaii
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- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
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- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
How LMFT requirements compare across states
Hours, cycle, and ethics minimums differ from board to board. 5 featured states are below, and the full table covers every state we track. Every row links to the board-sourced page for that state.
| State | Total hours | Cycle | Ethics | Other topic minimums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 36 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 6 | – |
| Texas | 30 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 6 | 3 cultural diversity |
| Ohio | 30 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 3 | – |
| New York | 36 | 3 years, renews at the end of your birth month | – | – |
| Florida | 30 | 2 years, due by March 31 of odd years | 3 | 2 medical errors |
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| State | Total hours | Cycle | Ethics | Other topic minimums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 40 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 6 | 10 clinical MFT workshops, 6 diagnosis and treatment |
| Alaska | 45 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 2 | 2 addictions, 2 cross cultural, 2 domestic violence |
| Arizona | 30 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 3 | 3 cultural considerations in psychotherapy, 3 arizona statutes regulations tutorial |
| Arkansas | 24 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 3 | – |
| Colorado | 40 | 2 years, due by August 31 of odd years | – | – |
| Connecticut | 15 | 1 year, renews at the end of your birth month | – | 1 cultural competency |
| Delaware | 40 | 2 years, due by September 30 of even years | 3 | 3 cultural inclusion equity and diversity |
| Georgia | 35 | 2 years, due by September 30 of even years | 5 | 15 MFT core |
| Hawaii | 45 | 3 years, due by December 31 every 3 years | 6 | – |
| Idaho | 12 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 6 | 3 professional boundaries, 3 suicide assessment or intervention |
| Illinois | 30 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | – | 1 sexual harassment prevention |
| Indiana | 40 | 2 years, due by March 31 of even years | – | – |
| Iowa | 40 | 2 years, due by September 30 of even years | 3 | – |
| Kansas | 40 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 3 | 3 diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders |
| Kentucky | 15 | 1 year, counted from your license anniversary | 3 | – |
| Louisiana | 40 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 3 | 6 diagnosis |
| Maine | 55 | 2 years, counted from your license anniversary | 4 | – |
| Maryland | 40 | 2 years, due by January 31 of your renewal year | – | 30 category A |
| Massachusetts | 30 | 2 years, due by December 31 | – | – |
| Michigan | – | 3 years, counted from your license anniversary | – | 3 implicit bias |
| Minnesota | 40 | 2 years, due by December 31 | 3 | 4 cultural competency |
| Mississippi | 24 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 4 | – |
| Missouri | 40 | 2 years, due by February 28 of even years | – | 2 suicide assessment |
| Montana | 20 | 1 year, due by December 31 each year | – | – |
| Nebraska | 32 | 2 years, due by September 1 of even years | 4 | – |
| Nevada | 40 | 2 years, due by January 1 of even years | 6 | 6 cultural competency, 4 suicide prevention |
| New Hampshire | 40 | 2 years, renews on your license expiration date | 6 | 30 category A, 3 suicide prevention |
| New Jersey | 40 | 2 years, due by June 30 of even years | 5 | 3 social and cultural competence, 1 prescription opioid drugs |
| New Mexico | 40 | 2 years, due by September 30 of odd years | 12 | – |
| North Carolina | 20 | 1 year, due by June 30 each year | 3 | – |
| North Dakota | 30 | 2 years, due by December 31 of odd years | 6 | – |
| Oklahoma | 20 | 1 year, CE due by December 31 each year | 3 | – |
| Oregon | 40 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 6 | 4 cultural competency, 2 suicide risk assessment |
| Pennsylvania | 30 | 2 years, due by February 28 of odd years | 3 | 2 child abuse recognition and reporting, 1 suicide prevention |
| Rhode Island | 40 | 2 years, renewal due June 1 of even years | – | 20 category I |
| South Carolina | 40 | 2 years, due by August 31 of odd years | 6 | 1 suicide prevention |
| South Dakota | 40 | 2 years, due by November 30 of even years | 4 | – |
| Tennessee | 20 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 3 | – |
| Utah | 40 | 2 years, due by September 30 of even years | 6 | 2 suicide prevention |
| Vermont | 20 | 2 years, due by January 31 of odd years | 4 | 1 systematic oppression |
| Virginia | 20 | 1 year, due by June 30 of odd years | 2 | – |
| Washington | 32 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 6 | 2 professional roles and boundaries |
| West Virginia | 35 | 2 years, due by June 30 of even years | – | – |
| Wisconsin | 30 | 2 years, due by February 28 of odd years | 4 | – |
| Wyoming | 45 | 2 years, renews at the end of your birth month | 3 | 3 suicide assessment or intervention |
Hours are per renewal cycle, not per year. A dash means the published rule states no figure. Ethics counts within the total wherever the state page says so.
LMFT continuing education: frequently asked
How often do marriage and family therapists renew their license?
It varies by state. Most LMFT licenses renew every two years (biennial), but some states are annual or triennial. Each state page above shows the exact cadence and due date.
How many CE hours do marriage and family therapists need?
Across the 50 states we cover, LMFT continuing education requirements range from 12 to 55 hours per renewal cycle. Open your state above for its exact total.
Do all states require ethics CE for LMFTs?
Most do. 38 of the 50 states we cover set a specific ethics-hours minimum for LMFT renewal; the rest fold ethics into general hours. Your state page lists the exact figure.
What counts as continuing education?
Board-approved courses, workshops, and (within limits) home-study or on-demand programs typically count, along with activities like teaching or publishing in some states. Many boards cap how much can be self-study and require provider approval. Details are on each state page.
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