Alaska LPC Continuing Education Requirements
Alaska counselors must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LPC license, including 3 hours of ethics, 3 hours of suicidality, and 3 hours of cultural competency.
40
total hours / 2 years
3
ethics hours
3
suicidality hours
3
cultural competency hours
20
live hours minimum
50%
home study / self-study cap
Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
Alaska LPC requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 40 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Ethics | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Suicidality | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Cultural Competency | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Format limits | At most 50% of hours may be home study / self-study. |
| Format limits | At least 20 hours must be earned live. |
| New licensees | First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
| Other mandates | Alaska law (AS 47.17.020/021) imposes a statutory duty on licensed counselors to report suspected child abuse and neglect. The state provides recommended training resources (e.g., the Office of Children's Services online module), but no specific mandated-reporter training course is required as a condition of LPC licensure or renewal, and completion of such training is not tracked by the licensing board. Any such training does NOT count toward the 40-hour CE requirement. |
Full board policy details
- At least 20 of the 40 hours must be synchronous (live) instruction. Up to one-half of the total hours (20 of 40) may be by correspondence, video, or self-study. Interactive online (synchronous) courses count as live.
- Self-study/correspondence is capped at 50% of total hours. For prorated first-renewal cycles (20 or 30 hours), the 50% cap applies proportionally.
- Per-day cap (12 AAC 62.320): no more than 12 contact hours may be credited toward the CE requirement in any single 24-hour period, regardless of how many programs the licensee attends. Not enforced structurally (the engine does not yet inspect credit timestamps for daily clustering); enforce manually when entering credits.
- Course/presentation repeat restrictions (12 AAC 62.320): first-time preparation/presentation of instructional material earns up to 10 hours (shared among co-presenters); repeating the same course in the same biennium earns no additional credit. Up to 15 hours per cycle may come from otherwise-unlisted professional activities that meet the competency standards (12 AAC 62.320(b)(7)). Courses from recognized organizations (accredited universities, ACA, ACA-Alaska, APA, NBCC, AAMFT, NAADAC, etc.) are automatically accepted. Courses must be directly related to counseling.
- Publication repeat restrictions: first-time publication of an article or book chapter (presented at a state/national meeting OR published by a recognized publisher) earns up to 10 contact hours total, allocated among all counselors involved. Subsequent publications of the same material earn no additional credit. Structurally enforced as the publication_cap requirement above.
- License status rules: CE is not required to maintain an inactive or retired license. To reinstate a lapsed license (<5 years), proof of CE for the last renewal cycle must be submitted. Licenses lapsed more than 5 years cannot be reinstated and require a new application.
- Hardship CE waiver (12 AAC 62.310): a licensee may request a waiver of the CE requirement by submitting a written request describing the reasons and providing supporting documentation. Good cause includes physical disability, serious illness, family emergency, active-duty military service, or other extenuating circumstances determined by the board. When granting a waiver, the board may require an alternative method of demonstrating continued competence in lieu of standard CE hours. This waiver process is separate from inactive/retired status; there is no automatic conditional or provisional renewal for licensees who are merely short on CE.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Alaska LPC record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Alaska LPC CE free →Alaska LPC CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Alaska LPC licensees need?
Alaska requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LPC license. Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How many ethics hours are required for Alaska LPC licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.
How often do Alaska LPC licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Alaska LPC licensees?
Yes. In addition to ethics, Alaska requires 3 hours of suicidality, 3 hours of cultural competency.
Can Alaska LPC licensees complete CE online or by home study?
At most 50% of hours may be home study / self-study. At least 20 hours must be earned live.
Is the first renewal different for new Alaska LPC 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
- Alaska board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.2
Reviewed against the Alaska board source and refreshed from the compiled ruleset above. Methodology and disclaimer. Compliance data is informational only and not legal or board advice. Always verify requirements with your licensing board before you renew. See something wrong? Report it →
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