Updated for 2026

Florida LMHC Continuing Education Requirements

Florida counselors must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LMHC license, including 3 hours of ethics or telehealth and 2 hours of medical errors.

30hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
3ethics or telehealth
2medical errors

Next deadline: March 31, 2027The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.

What the board saysFlorida board rule
A licensee shall not be required to complete continuing education for the first renewal1 of licensure. For each subsequent renewal, licensee must complete 30 hours2 of approved continuing education credit. Courses shall include: (a) Two hours on the prevention of medical errors3; and (b) Three hours relating to professional ethics and boundary issues or telehealth4 … (6) A maximum of six5 of the required 30 hours … may be accrued … by attending programs designed for the purpose of enhancing the licensee’s administrative, office management, or other non-clinical skills5.
What it means
  1. No CE is required for the first renewal
  2. 30 hours each renewal after the first
  3. 2 hours on medical errors
  4. 3 hours on ethics and boundaries or telehealth
  5. No more than 6 hours of non-clinical courses
Rule 64B4-6.001, F.A.C.Last verified August 2026Ruleset 2026.7How we verify
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Requirements

Florida LMHC requirements

Total

30 hoursYou need 30 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.

Topic minimums, counted within the 30

The remaining 25 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics or Telehealth
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Medical Errors
2
You need 2 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Board meeting attendance
max 3 hrs
Presenter or moderator
max 10 hrs
Graduate course instruction
max 5 hrs
Nonclinical
max 6 hrs

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.
Renewal fee
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$120. On-time biennial total: $115 renewal fee plus the $5 unlicensed-activity surcharge.
Rule 64B4-4.005, F.A.C.Section 456.065(3), F.S.
Inactive renewal$55. On-time biennial total: $50 inactive renewal fee plus the $5 surcharge. The board also lists $55 for active-to-inactive renewal before expiration.
Rule 64B4-4.0052, F.A.C.Section 456.065(3), F.S.
Delinquency (late fee)$105. Adds to renewal fees. After expiration, the board lists $225 for active-to-active and $160 for inactive-to-inactive renewal; status changes cost more.
Rule 64B4-4.007, F.A.C.
Reactivation from inactive$50. Additional reactivation fee, plus current renewal fees: the board lists $170 for inactive-to-active renewal before expiration. CE and other reactivation requirements also apply.
Rule 64B4-4.0051, F.A.C.Section 491.008, F.S.
Change of status$105. Additional processing fee when changing status outside the beginning of a licensure cycle. After expiration, the board lists $265 for active-to-inactive and $380 for inactive-to-active renewal.
Rule 64B4-4.006, F.A.C.

These are renewal totals and additional charges, not amounts to add together in every case. The board has a separate schedule for 120-day notified delinquent renewals. Fingerprint retention may add $43.25 when due; CE courses and other background-screening costs are separate. Confirm the amount for your status with the board.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-26. Board fee schedule.

New licensees
The first renewal is different. New licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements, such as prorated hours or first-cycle-only rules, and we apply them automatically.
Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association, state professional association, accredited university, and governmental agency and recognized associations in counseling, mft, and social work.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewal
A late renewal adds a $105 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 March 31, 2027.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LPC CE hours calculator

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

Florida LMHC required trainings and mandates

Beyond the 30-hour CE total, Florida requires specific trainings. Some are due once around initial licensure, and others run on their own recurring schedule.

One-time requirements

  • One-time 3-hour HIV/AIDS education course required by first renewal (Fla. Stat. §491.0065). New licensees may either complete the course as part of the licensure application, or sign an affidavit at application and complete the course within 6 months of initial licensure. The affidavit path is a deferral, not a waiver — the course must still be completed. Functions as a standalone prerequisite that precedes the first CE-required cycle. (3 hours, one time).
  • One-time 2-hour domestic violence course from a board-approved provider, required within 6 months of initial licensure. No waiver or exemption applies based on submission timing with the licensure application — the 6-month post-licensure deadline is firm. (2 hours, one time).
  • One-time 8-hour Florida laws and rules course required before initial licensure issuance. (8 hours, one time).

Recurring mandates outside the 2-year cycle

  • You need 3 hours of florida laws and rules every 6 years.
  • You need 2 hours of domestic violence every 6 years.
Full board policy details
  • No limit on home-study or online CE hours; all 30 hours may be completed via self-paced or distance learning from approved providers. No minimum in-person or live-classroom requirement.
  • Maximum 6 hours per biennium may be applied from programs that build administrative, office management, or other non-clinical skills (Rule 64B4-6.001(6), F.A.C.). The cap is on content, not delivery format.
  • Maximum 10 hours per biennium may be claimed for serving as a presenter or moderator at CE programs.
  • Maximum 5 hours per biennium may be claimed for teaching a graduate-level course in the field.
  • Up to 3 hours of general CE may be earned per biennium for attending a Board meeting.
  • Course repeat restrictions: The same Ethics or Telehealth course topic may not be taken in consecutive renewal periods, licensees must alternate. Identical courses may not be claimed twice within the same renewal period. Teaching/presenter credit is capped per biennium regardless of how many times the same material is delivered.
  • Approved providers, named credentialing and CE-sponsor bodies: In addition to the generic provider-type categories above, the Florida Board explicitly recognizes named credentialing bodies as approved CE sources. These include the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC, including NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Providers / ACEP) and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB, including ASWB- Approved Continuing Education Providers / ACE). Courses sponsored or approved by these organizations are accepted toward the 30-hour requirement. Accepted named sponsors include but are not limited to NBCC and ASWB, alongside AAMFT, APA, and other national/state professional associations, accredited universities, and governmental agencies in the mental health field. CE Broker is the system of record for approved-provider verification.
  • License status, inactive: Inactive licensees are not required to complete CE while in that status. To reactivate within 4 years of inactivity, the licensee must complete the 30 CE hours required for the immediately preceding biennium (see reactivation CE conditional requirement above).
  • License status, retired: Retired licensees are not required to complete CE while in that status. Reactivating a retired license requires completion of the CE hours that would have been required during the most recent biennium of active practice, and may require additional coursework or an examination if the license has been retired for an extended duration. If the license has been in retired status for more than two consecutive biennia (i.e., 4+ years), the Board may require proof of continued competency before authorizing a return to active status, competency may be demonstrated through additional coursework, a re-examination, supervised practice, or other Board-specified evidence in addition to the standard CE catch-up.
  • Military servicemembers on active duty and their spouses assigned out-of-state are exempt from CE during the qualifying period. The Board may grant case-by-case hardship extensions. Florida does not offer a conditional active license to complete CE after the deadline; failure to complete CE results in delinquent status.
  • Dual licensees (e.g., LMHC + LMFT or LMHC + LCSW) under Chapter 491 may generally apply the same approved CE credits to both licenses since cycles and requirements coincide.
  • Approved sex therapy or hypnosis certification program completion satisfies all 25 general hours of CE for that renewal period.

Florida LMHC CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Florida LMHC licensees need?

Florida requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LMHC license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.

How many ethics hours are required for Florida LMHC licensees?

Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics or telehealth.

How often do Florida LMHC licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by March 31 of odd years.

How much does Florida LMHC license renewal cost?
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$120. On-time biennial total: $115 renewal fee plus the $5 unlicensed-activity surcharge.
Rule 64B4-4.005, F.A.C.Section 456.065(3), F.S.
Inactive renewal$55. On-time biennial total: $50 inactive renewal fee plus the $5 surcharge. The board also lists $55 for active-to-inactive renewal before expiration.
Rule 64B4-4.0052, F.A.C.Section 456.065(3), F.S.
Delinquency (late fee)$105. Adds to renewal fees. After expiration, the board lists $225 for active-to-active and $160 for inactive-to-inactive renewal; status changes cost more.
Rule 64B4-4.007, F.A.C.
Reactivation from inactive$50. Additional reactivation fee, plus current renewal fees: the board lists $170 for inactive-to-active renewal before expiration. CE and other reactivation requirements also apply.
Rule 64B4-4.0051, F.A.C.Section 491.008, F.S.
Change of status$105. Additional processing fee when changing status outside the beginning of a licensure cycle. After expiration, the board lists $265 for active-to-inactive and $380 for inactive-to-active renewal.
Rule 64B4-4.006, F.A.C.

These are renewal totals and additional charges, not amounts to add together in every case. The board has a separate schedule for 120-day notified delinquent renewals. Fingerprint retention may add $43.25 when due; CE courses and other background-screening costs are separate. Confirm the amount for your status with the board.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-26. Board fee schedule.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Florida LMHC licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Florida requires 2 hours of medical errors.

Is the first renewal different for new Florida LMHC licensees?

The first renewal is different. New licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements, such as prorated hours or first-cycle-only rules, and we apply them automatically.

Sources and verification

State source
Florida board rule
Fee schedule
Florida board fee schedule
Profession source
NBCC continuing education guidance
Last verified
August 2026
Ruleset version
2026.7

We reviewed this page against the Florida 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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Florida guides & data

First license: become an LMHC in Florida →Check graduate education, intern registration, supervision and the NCMHCE for your first Florida counseling license.Baker Act training in Florida →Find out who actually needs a Baker Act certificate, what the training covers, and how it fits alongside 491-board CE.Florida domestic violence CE requirement →This guide covers the one-time course due after initial licensure and the 2 hours required every third renewal.Florida qualified supervisor training →This guide covers the 12-hour course to become a board-qualified supervisor and the 4-hour refresher every third renewal.Florida laws & rules CE →This guide covers the 8-hour pre-licensure course and the 3-hour laws-and-rules CE due every third renewal.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.Florida mental health workforce data →66,391 active providers, or 283 per 100,000 residents, ranked 45 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Florida CE requirement pages

Florida LMFTFlorida LCSWFlorida PsychologistFlorida PMHNP

LPC CE requirements in other states