Updated for 2026

New Jersey LMFT Continuing Education Requirements

New Jersey marriage and family therapists must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LMFT license, including 5 hours of law & ethics, 3 hours of social and cultural competence, and 1 hour of prescription opioid drugs.

40hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 40
5law & ethics
3social and cultural competence
1prescription opioid drugs

Next deadline: June 30, 2028The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by June 30 of even years.

What the board saysNew Jersey board rule
A marriage and family therapist applying for licensure renewal shall have completed a minimum of 40 contact hours1 of continuing education directly related to the profession of marriage and family therapy during the biennial renewal period1. At least 20 of the 40 contact hours2 of continuing education shall be obtained by a licensee through face-to-face instruction2. … A marriage and family therapist shall complete at least five of the 40 contact hours3 of continuing education as required by N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.1 in ethical and legal standards3 related to marriage and family therapy … at least three of the 40 contact hours4 of continuing education as required by N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.1 in the subject area of social and cultural competence4 … the licensee may carry those extra hours, up to a maximum of 10 contact hours5, into the next succeeding biennial period as long as those contact hours were earned within the last six months of the biennial period. … at least one of the 40 contact hours6 of continuing education shall, pursuant to P.L. 2017, c. 341, be in educational programs or topics concerning prescription opioid drugs6, including the risks and signs of opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion. This one credit shall not be eligible for carry-over as described in (e) above.
What it means
  1. 40 contact hours every two years
  2. At least 20 hours face-to-face
  3. 5 hours in ethical and legal standards
  4. 3 hours in social and cultural competence
  5. Up to 10 extra hours earned in the last 6 months carry into the next cycle
  6. 1 hour on prescription opioid drugs; this credit cannot carry over
N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.2Last verified October 2026Ruleset 2026.5How we verify
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Requirements

New Jersey LMFT requirements

Total

40 hoursYou need 40 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by June 30 of even years.

Topic minimums, counted within the 40

The remaining 31 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Law & Ethics
5
You need 5 hours each cycle.
Social and Cultural Competence
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Prescription Opioid Drugs
1
You need 1 hour each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

In person
min 20 hrs
Home study / self-study
max 20 hrs
First time presentation
max 9 hrs
Publication
max 30 hrs
Carryover
max 10 hrs

Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

At least 20 hours must be earned in person.

Up to 10 unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by June 30 of even years.
Renewal fee
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
LMFT active renewal$250. Biennial fee.
Board fee schedule
Late renewal surcharge$100. Additional charge, not the renewal total.
Board fee schedule

CE course costs are separate. Late renewal does not authorize practice on an expired license.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-30. Board fee schedule.

Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association, state professional association, accredited university, national certifying body, and credentialing body and recognized associations in counseling, mft, social work, psychology, psychiatry, addiction counseling, and rehabilitation counseling.
Late renewal
A late renewal adds a $100 late fee.
Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before June 30, 2028.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LMFT CE hours calculator

Also hold a New Jersey LPC or LCSW license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the New Jersey LPC and New Jersey LCSW requirements.

Full board policy details
  • Carryover: a marriage and family therapist who earns more than 40 contact hours in a biennial period may carry up to 10 contact hours into the next biennial period, but only hours earned within the last six months of the period (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.2(e)). The one-credit opioid course is not eligible for carry-over.
  • At least 20 of the 40 contact hours must be obtained through face-to-face instruction (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.2(b)). By implication up to 20 hours (50%) may be non-face-to-face. The rule does not define "face-to-face," so it is not stated whether live-interactive/synchronous webinars count as face-to-face or as self-study, verify with the Board.
  • A contact hour = a 60-minute clock hour with no less than 50 minutes of content; one 10-minute break allowed per contact hour. Credit only for courses at least one contact hour long (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.4(a)).
  • NJ credit-conversion ratios (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.4(b)): graduate/post-graduate coursework beyond licensure standards = 15 contact hours per semester credit; teaching a NEW graduate/post-graduate course = 15 contact hours per semester credit; authoring an article in a professional refereed journal = 15 contact hours per article, max 30 per biennium; doctoral dissertation completion and acceptance = 40 contact hours per biennium; attending conferences/programs/ courses/workshops = 1 contact hour per hour attended (or the organization's calculation, whichever is greater); presenting a course/program/workshop = 1.5 contact hours per new course, max 9 per biennium; developing and completing distance-learning programs (Internet, video, audio, CD-ROM) = as calculated by the endorsing organization, max 20 per biennium.
  • Carry-over: up to 10 CEUs may be carried into the next biennial period, and only if earned within the last six months of the biennial period (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.2(e)). The one mandatory opioid credit is NOT carry-over eligible (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.2(f)).
  • COURSE REPEAT RESTRICTIONS: Teaching/presenting credit is limited to NEW material, "new" means a course the licensee has not taught previously in any educational setting (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.4(b)2, (b)6). Re-teaching or re-presenting previously taught material earns no additional credit. The rule does not expressly prohibit re-taking the same course for attendance credit within a cycle.
  • LICENSE STATUS RULES: CE is required for ACTIVE license renewal; a licensee may renew as INACTIVE (may not practice) and the rule does not require CE to maintain inactive status. Chapter 34 recognizes only active and inactive renewal, there is no separate retired/emeritus CE tier. Reactivation from inactive (N.J.A.C. 13:34-1.11) and reinstatement after suspension for non-renewal (N.J.A.C. 13:34-1.12) each require evidence of completing one biennium's worth of CE (40 contact hours including the 5/3/1 topic distribution) for the biennial period immediately prior to the period sought. An applicant currently, actively licensed in good standing in another state who has met that state's CE is deemed compliant; specific required courses may be completed within 12 months following reactivation/ reinstatement. The Board may additionally require an exam/assessment, refresher course, or supervision on a finding of possible practice deficiencies.
  • Hardship waiver (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.6): the Board may waive CE requirements on an individual basis for reasons of hardship such as illness, disability, active service in the military, or other good cause. The licensee must submit the request in writing, during the biennial period for which waiver is sought, stating specific reasons and any additional documentation the Board requests. No fixed maximum duration is specified. There is NO exam-substitution pathway or conditional/ provisional registration for a CE shortfall at renewal in NJ.
  • Deemed-acceptable social/cultural competence course: a course in that subject area approved by the Board of Social Work Examiners, the Professional Counselor Examiners Committee, or the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee is deemed acceptable (N.J.A.C. 13:34-5.3(d)).

New Jersey LMFT CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do New Jersey LMFT licensees need?

New Jersey requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LMFT license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by June 30 of even years.

How many ethics hours are required for New Jersey LMFT licensees?

Of the total, 5 hours must be in law & ethics.

How often do New Jersey LMFT licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by June 30 of even years.

How much does New Jersey LMFT license renewal cost?
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
LMFT active renewal$250. Biennial fee.
Board fee schedule
Late renewal surcharge$100. Additional charge, not the renewal total.
Board fee schedule

CE course costs are separate. Late renewal does not authorize practice on an expired license.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-30. Board fee schedule.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for New Jersey LMFT licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, New Jersey requires 3 hours of social and cultural competence, 1 hour of prescription opioid drugs.

Can New Jersey LMFT licensees complete CE online or by home study?

Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. At least 20 hours must be earned in person.

Sources and verification

State source
New Jersey board rule
Fee schedule
New Jersey board fee schedule
Last verified
October 2026
Ruleset version
2026.5

We reviewed this page against the New Jersey 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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New Jersey 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.New Jersey mental health workforce data →38,996 active providers, or 408.4 per 100,000 residents, ranked 28 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other New Jersey CE requirement pages

New Jersey LPCNew Jersey LCSWNew Jersey PsychologistNew Jersey Addiction CounselorNew Jersey PMHNP

LMFT CE requirements in other states