Wisconsin LMFT Continuing Education Requirements
Wisconsin marriage and family therapists must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LMFT license, including 4 hours of ethics and boundaries.
30
total hours / 2 years
4
ethics and boundaries hours
Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline
Wisconsin LMFT requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: CE due by February 28 of odd years. |
| Ethics and Boundaries | 4 hours required each cycle. |
| New licensees | First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically. |
| Approved providers | Qualifying CE includes programs from the named professional organizations in MPSW 19.03(1)(a), COAMFTE-accredited training programs, APA-approved sponsors, AMA or AOA Category I continuing medical education, accredited colleges and universities, and qualifying in-house agency training. |
| Recordkeeping | Keep CE documentation for 4 years after each course's completion date. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 30 hours can come from.
- in-house training (not otherwise approved)max 15 hrs
- chapter or article authorshipmax 16 hrs
- alternative media authorshipmax 16 hrs
Keeping the proof in order: what to keep for a CE audit, with every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.
Full board policy details
- Fixed universal expiration: Wisconsin LMFT licenses expire on February 28 of each odd-numbered year. The CE biennium runs from March 1 of an odd-numbered year through February 28 of the next odd-numbered year.
- Approved CE providers and programs under MPSW 19.03(1) include the named professional organizations in paragraph (a), including the Wisconsin School Social Workers Association (WSSWA), which was added effective July 1, 2025; programs or courses offered by a training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE); programs from APA-approved sponsors; programs recognized at attendance as Category I continuing medical education by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association or the American Osteopathic Association; accredited colleges and universities; and qualifying public or private agency in-house programs. The Department does not pre-approve individual courses. WSSWA is expressly listed in MPSW 19.03(1)(a)16. COAMFTE-accredited training programs and AMA/AOA Category I CME are distinct approval pathways under MPSW 19.03(1)(b) and (d).
- There is no general self-study, recorded, distance-learning, live, or in-person limit for LMFTs. The only 15-hour limit applies to public or private agency in-house training and development programs that are not approved by an organization identified in MPSW 19.03(1)(a)-(e). The structured cap therefore uses the in_house_training_not_otherwise_approved activity category, not the self_study delivery format.
- LMFT ethics hours do not have to use the interactive learning format required for social work credential holders.
- Authorship awards and caps: authorship of a published textbook or professional resource book earns 20 hours per book and is not a general publication cap; a published chapter or professional journal article earns 8 hours, with no more than 16 hours per cycle from chapters and articles; alternative or electronic media or computer software earns 8 hours, with a separate 16-hour cycle cap.
- Course-repeat restriction for presenters: a presenter or developer earns credit for the professional material, but no additional credit is granted for subsequent presentations of the same material. The rule does not impose a blanket repeat-course ban on attendees.
- Retired/non-practicing exemption and return to practice: a credential holder granted a retirement exemption may not return to active practice or use the title until submitting satisfactory evidence of at least 30 CE hours for each biennium during which the exemption applied. This duration-dependent makeup obligation is manual because the engine cannot multiply the requirement by the number of exempt biennia; it is not a fixed 30-hour add-on to the ordinary active-license renewal total.
- A credential holder who fails to meet the CE requirements by the renewal deadline must discontinue use of the professional title unless granted a postponement or waiver. The section may grant a postponement, partial waiver, or total waiver for prolonged illness, disability, or other extreme hardship after individual review.
- Legacy SUD specialty: the six-hour biennial substance-use-disorder requirement applies only to a credential holder who still holds the legacy specialty authority. It counts toward the 30-hour total and is not a universal LMFT requirement.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Wisconsin LMFT record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Wisconsin LMFT CE free →Wisconsin LMFT CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Wisconsin LMFT licensees need?
Wisconsin requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LMFT license. Biennial cycle: CE due by February 28 of odd years.
How many ethics hours are required for Wisconsin LMFT licensees?
Of the total, 4 hours must be in ethics and boundaries.
How often do Wisconsin LMFT licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: CE due by February 28 of odd years.
Is the first renewal different for new Wisconsin LMFT licensees?
First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Sources & verification
- State source
- Wisconsin board rule
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the Wisconsin board source and refreshed 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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What to keep for a CE audit
What boards ask for in a CE audit, how long each state says to keep certificates, what the notice looks like, and a printable checklist.
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