Indiana LMHC & LMHCA Continuing Education Requirements
Indiana counselors must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LMHC / LMHCA license, including 2 hours of ethics.
40
total hours / 2 years
2
ethics hours
20
live hours minimum
20
home study / self-study hours cap
Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline
Indiana LMHC & LMHCA requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 40 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: CE due by March 31 of even years. |
| Ethics | 2 hours required each cycle. |
| Format limits | Up to 20 hours may be completed through 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. |
| 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, social work, and psychology. |
| Recordkeeping | Keep CE documentation for 4 years after the end of each cycle. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
| Late renewal | A late renewal allows a late fee. |
| Provisional renewal | The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 6 months before full compliance is required. Under IC 25-1-4-5, a licensee who is short on CE at renewal may be issued a conditional license while completing the deficient hours. The licensee must complete the missing CE within 6 months of the board's notice of noncompliance and pay a civil penalty (up to $1,000, set by the board). The conditional license is not renewable or extendable; failure to complete the hours within 6 months results in immediate suspension. A second consecutive cycle of noncompliance may result in outright denial of renewal under IC 25-1-4-6. |
Total hours
40 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: CE due by March 31 of even years.
Ethics
2 hours required each cycle.
Format limits
Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
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.
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, social work, and psychology.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 4 years after the end of each cycle.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewal
A late renewal allows a late fee.
Provisional renewal
The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 6 months before full compliance is required. Under IC 25-1-4-5, a licensee who is short on CE at renewal may be issued a conditional license while completing the deficient hours. The licensee must complete the missing CE within 6 months of the board's notice of noncompliance and pay a civil penalty (up to $1,000, set by the board). The conditional license is not renewable or extendable; failure to complete the hours within 6 months results in immediate suspension. A second consecutive cycle of noncompliance may result in outright denial of renewal under IC 25-1-4-6.
Full board policy details
- Category I (formal, structured programs by board-approved sponsors, including approved online and home-study programs) must comprise at least 50% (20 hours) of the 40-hour biennial requirement. Category II (self-directed activities such as reading, case consultation, in-house trainings, presentations, publications) is capped at 50% (20 hours).
- At least 1 hour of ethics and professional conduct training must be earned each licensure year (April 1 – March 31), from a Category I provider, totaling at least 2 ethics hours per biennial cycle. Ethics hours count toward the 40-hour total.
- Course repeat restriction: instructors, presenters, or supervisors of a professional workshop or seminar may claim CE credit only for the INITIAL presentation of a given course/material — repeat presentations of the same content do not earn additional credit. Academic faculty receive credit only for the first time a course is taught in a semester, not for repeat sessions of the same course. Publications earn a one-time 10 CEU allotment for the initial publication only. By extension, the same course taken twice by an attendee in one cycle should not be double-counted.
- License status / reactivation: CE is not required during periods the license is inactive/lapsed (Indiana has no formal inactive or retired status — the license simply expires if not renewed). To reinstate, the licensee must complete the CE requirements that would have been due for the missed cycle(s) (40 hours per missed cycle), pay applicable penalties, and meet board reinstatement criteria. For lapses over 3 years, formal reinstatement application under IC 25-1-8-6 is required.
- Hardship waiver: a licensee may request a waiver of CE for the current renewal cycle only by applying in writing to the board at least 45 days before license expiration, demonstrating extreme hardship (e.g. active full-time U.S. armed services duty for at least one year of the period, or serious illness/disability of the licensee or an immediate family member under their care, documented by a physician or psychologist). If granted, the waiver applies only to the current renewal period; if denied, full CE must be completed before renewal.
- Multi-license credit reuse: a licensee holding multiple licenses under IC 25-23.6 (e.g. dual LMHC and LMFT) may apply the same CE hours toward the renewal requirements of each license held — separate sets of hours are not required.
- No carry-forward: excess CE hours earned in one cycle cannot be carried over to the next renewal period.
- Supervisor eligibility (one-time, not recurring CE): LMFTs who wish to supervise LMFT Associates must complete a one-time 30-hour supervisor training per 839 IAC 1-4-5 before serving as a supervisor. There is no recurring supervision-specific CE requirement at renewal.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Indiana LMHC / LMHCA record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Indiana LMHC / LMHCA CE free →Indiana LMHC & LMHCA CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Indiana LMHC / LMHCA licensees need?
Indiana requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LMHC / LMHCA license. Biennial cycle: CE due by March 31 of even years.
How many ethics hours are required for Indiana LMHC / LMHCA licensees?
Of the total, 2 hours must be in ethics.
How often do Indiana LMHC / LMHCA licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: CE due by March 31 of even years.
Can Indiana LMHC / LMHCA licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. At least 20 hours must be earned live.
Is the first renewal different for new Indiana LMHC / LMHCA 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
- Indiana board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.2
Reviewed against the Indiana 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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