West Virginia LMFT Continuing Education Requirements
West Virginia marriage and family therapists must complete 35 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LMFT license, including 3 hours of ethics and 2 hours of veterans' mental health.
35
total hours / 2 years
3
ethics hours
2
veterans' mental health hours
Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline
West Virginia LMFT requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 35 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: CE due by June 30 of even years. |
| Ethics | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Veterans' Mental Health | 2 hours required each cycle. |
| Format limits | Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. |
| New licensees | For the first renewal cycle, the three ethics hours must be earned in a formal, in-person program with an approved presenter. |
| Approved providers | Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by board approved sponsor, board approved individual activity, accredited university, and aamft approved provider and recognized associations in mft. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
| Late renewal | A late renewal allows a 60-day grace period after expiration and a late fee. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 35 hours can come from.
- home study / self-studymax 20 hrs
- licensee produced activitymax 15 hrs
- in-house employer trainingmax 15 hrs
- publication journalmax 10 hrs per activity
- publication bookmax 30 hrs per activity
- teaching new coursemax 10 hrs
- first time presentationmax 10 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
- Home study is capped at 20 contact hours per biennium, and only AAMFT-pre-approved home-study programs qualify (27-10-4.9). Materials generally must be no more than six years old; older materials require a statement explaining their continuing relevance (27-10-6.2.d.1.B).
- At least 20 contact hours must come from attendance at offerings taught, conducted, produced, or presented by someone other than the licensee (27-10-4.11). This is an activity-source restriction, not a live-attendance requirement; credits produced or presented by the licensee must carry the licensee_produced_activity category for the structured cap to apply.
- A formal program is attended in person with a presenter (27-10-2.7). On the first renewal cycle, all three ethics hours must be earned through such a formal in-person program; on later renewals, AAMFT home study, AAMFT online programs, or a formal program may be used (27-10-4.1.a). Interactive webinars and teleconferences are approved programs rather than home study, but they do not satisfy the first-cycle in-person ethics rule.
- The Board automatically grants approval for academic graduate courses offered by accredited educational institutions through marriage and family degree programs. Academic graduate coursework uses a conversion ratio, not a biennial cap: one graduate semester credit earns 15 contact hours and one graduate quarter credit earns 10 contact hours (27-10-4.2).
- Qualifying veterans-focused training may include asking whether clients are veterans or family members of veterans; screening for PTSD; readjustment issues; suicide risk and prevention; military sexual assault; and depression and grief (27-10-4.1.b).
- A qualifying journal article earns up to 10 contact hours per article, and a qualifying book earns up to 30 contact hours per book; joint authors divide the credit equally, and a book chapter is treated as a journal article (27-10-4.3 through 4.4).
- Training presented by personnel of the licensee's own employing agency is capped at 15 hours. A program delivered at the employing agency by an out-of-agency presenter is excluded from this cap (27-10-4.5). This is a source classification, not an in-person delivery cap.
- Teaching an approved three-hour graduate course may earn up to 10 hours per renewal period only when outside regular employment duties or when newly developed and presented for the first time (27-10-4.6). First-time preparation and presentation of a workshop, seminar, or conference may earn up to 10 hours per renewal and may be counted only once per biennium (27-10-4.7). These limits do not create a blanket prohibition on attendees repeating courses.
- AAMFT-pre-approved out-of-state MFT continuing-education programs and conferences are automatically granted Board approval and require no additional Board approval application (27-10-4.10). Automatic approval applies specifically to qualifying out-of-state programs or conferences pre-approved by AAMFT.
- A licensee may apply for post-program approval of an otherwise-unapproved qualifying program, relevant out-of-state continuing education, or relevant graduate coursework within 90 days after completing it, using the Board's designated form and supporting presenter, program, and completion documentation (27-10-6.2.c). Once the Board grants individual approval, classify the credit as board_approved_individual_activity.
- An approved provider offering a marriage and family therapy ethics program must incorporate the AAMFT Code of Ethics as a substantial part of the program (27-10-6.2.b.6).
- Inactive-status LMFTs are not required to earn CE while inactive and may not practice. Reactivation within five years requires 35 hours completed during the two years preceding the application, including three ethics hours and two veterans' mental-health hours; the engine does not impose these as an additional 35 hours on top of the ordinary total. After more than five inactive years, the Board may require additional CE, supervision, or coursework (27-8-16.2). Retired-status LMFTs must complete 20 hours per renewal cycle, including three ethics hours, and may earn all 20 through home study (27-8-15.2).
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your West Virginia LMFT record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track West Virginia LMFT CE free →West Virginia LMFT CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do West Virginia LMFT licensees need?
West Virginia requires 35 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LMFT license. Biennial cycle: CE due by June 30 of even years.
How many ethics hours are required for West Virginia LMFT licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.
How often do West Virginia LMFT licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: CE due by June 30 of even years.
Are there subject-specific CE requirements for West Virginia LMFT licensees?
Yes. In addition to ethics, West Virginia requires 2 hours of veterans' mental health.
Can West Virginia LMFT licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
Is the first renewal different for new West Virginia LMFT licensees?
For the first renewal cycle, the three ethics hours must be earned in a formal, in-person program with an approved presenter.
Sources & verification
- State source
- West Virginia board rule
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.2
Reviewed against the West Virginia 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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