Updated for 2026

Arizona LPC & LAC Continuing Education Requirements

Arizona counselors must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LPC / LAC license, including 3 hours of ethics or mental health law, 3 hours of cultural considerations in psychotherapy, and 3 hours of arizona statutes regulations tutorial.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
3ethics or mental health law
3cultural considerations in psychotherapy
3arizona statutes regulations tutorial

The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

What the board saysArizona board rule
a license issued by the Board under A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 33 and this Chapter is renewable every two years1. … A licensee holding an active license to practice behavioral health in this state shall complete 30 clock hours1 of continuing education as prescribed under R4-6-802 … For each license period, a licensee may report a maximum of: 1. Ten clock hours2 of continuing education for first-time presentations2 by the licensee … 2. Six clock hours3 of continuing education for attendance at a Board meeting … and 3. Ten clock hours4 of continuing education for service as a Board or ARC member. C. For each license period, a licensee shall report: 1. A minimum of three clock hours5 of continuing education sponsored, approved, or offered by an entity listed in subsection (D) in each of the following: a. Behavioral health ethics or mental health law5; b. Cultural considerations in psychotherapy6; … 2. Completion of the three clock hour Arizona Statutes/Regulations Tutorial7.
What it means
  1. 30 hours every 2 years
  2. No more than 10 hours for first-time presentations
  3. No more than 6 hours for attending a Board meeting
  4. No more than 10 hours for Board or ARC service
  5. 3 hours of behavioral health ethics or mental health law
  6. 3 hours on cultural considerations in psychotherapy
  7. The 3-hour Arizona Statutes/Regulations Tutorial
A.A.C. R4-6-801, R4-6-802Last verified August 2026Ruleset 2026.5How we verify
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Requirements

Arizona LPC & LAC requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

Topic minimums, counted within the 30

The remaining 21 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics or Mental Health Law
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Cultural Considerations in Psychotherapy
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Arizona Statutes Regulations Tutorial
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

First time presentation
max 10 hrs
Board meeting attendance
max 6 hrs
Board service
max 10 hrs

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association, regional professional association, state professional association, accredited university, governmental agency, licensed health facility, hospital, and public school district and recognized associations in counseling, mft, social work, addiction counseling, psychiatry, psychiatric nursing, psychology, and pastoral counseling.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 2 years after each renewal.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewal
The board allows a 90-day grace period after expiration. A late renewal adds a late fee.

To keep your proof in order, see what to keep for a CE audit, which covers every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.

Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before your renewal.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LPC CE hours calculator

Also hold a Arizona LMFT or LCSW license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Arizona LMFT and Arizona LCSW requirements.

Full board policy details
  • Arizona does not impose live-vs-online format ratios. All 30 hours may be completed via approved online, self-study, or in-person formats, provided the program is sponsored by an approved category of provider under R4-6-802(D).
  • Academic coursework in a behavioral health subject earns 15 CE hours per semester credit hour. Publications earn credit equal to hours spent preparing, with no specific cap aside from the 30-hour total.
  • Instructor credit is limited to first-time presentations by the licensee, with no general attendee repeat-course prohibition in R4-6-802. Presentation is an activity category, not a delivery format.
  • License status, inactive: Licensees may request inactive status (up to 24 months, extendable once for an additional 24 months for good cause). CE is not required during inactive status, but practice is prohibited. To return to active status, the licensee must complete the 30 CE hours that would have been required for the missed cycle; if the 24-month extension was used, an additional 30 hours of CE must be completed during the extension period (total 60 hours for a 4-year inactive span). The Board may reduce CE for inactive licensees who demonstrate good cause (serious illness, disability, military deployment, etc.).
  • License status, retired: Arizona does not offer a formal retired license status. Practitioners who stop practicing must either go inactive or allow the license to expire. After 90 days past expiration, no late renewal is possible, the individual must reapply as a new applicant.
  • License status, late renewal grace period: Within 90 days after expiration, a licensee may submit a late renewal with all CE and a penalty fee to reinstate the license with no lapse. After 90 days, the license cannot be renewed.
  • Military extension: Under A.R.S. § 32-4301, licensees on federal active duty when their license expires receive an automatic 180-day extension after discharge to complete CE and renew.
  • Substance abuse counselor licensees (LISAC, LASAC, LSAT) must ensure at least 20 of their 30 CE hours are in designated substance use disorder topics. This file applies to LPC/LAC and does not encode that distribution.

Arizona LPC & LAC CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Arizona LPC / LAC licensees need?

Arizona requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LPC / LAC license. The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

How many ethics hours are required for Arizona LPC / LAC licensees?

Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics or mental health law.

How often do Arizona LPC / LAC licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial and is tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Arizona LPC / LAC licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Arizona requires 3 hours of cultural considerations in psychotherapy, 3 hours of arizona statutes regulations tutorial.

Sources and verification

State source
Arizona board rule
Profession source
NBCC continuing education guidance
Last verified
August 2026
Ruleset version
2026.5

We reviewed this page against the Arizona 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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Arizona 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.Arizona mental health workforce data →20,199 active providers, or 264.9 per 100,000 residents, ranked 48 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Arizona CE requirement pages

Arizona LMFTArizona LCSWArizona PsychologistArizona Addiction CounselorArizona PMHNP

LPC CE requirements in other states