Updated for 2026

Massachusetts LMHC Continuing Education Requirements

Massachusetts counselors must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LMHC license.

30

total hours / 2 years

Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline

Massachusetts LMHC requirements

RequirementNotes
Total continuing education30 hours every 2 years.
RenewalBiennial cycle: CE due by December 31 of odd years.
Renewal fee$155 board renewal fee every 2 years; a late (delinquent) renewal adds a $57 fee.
New licenseesFirst renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically.
Approved providersCE must be earned from a board-approved provider.
RecordkeepingKeep CE documentation for 4 years after each course's completion date.
Board auditThe board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewalA late renewal allows a $57 late fee.
One-time requirementsOne-time domestic and sexual violence training required by M.G.L. c.112 §264 and 262 CMR 7.03(2) as a condition of initial licensure and renewal. Once completed from a Board-approved program it need not be repeated; the ~2 CE hours may count toward the 30-hour cycle total. Waived when proof was submitted with the licensure application. Approved programs include the free online Chapter 260 training from the MA Dept. of Public Health. (2 hours, one time).
Other mandatesApplicants and licensees must complete Board-approved domestic and sexual violence training as a condition of licensure and renewal. It is a one-time lifetime requirement and the two CE hours count in the cycle in which the training is completed.

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.

Total hours
30 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31 of odd years.
Renewal fee
$155 board renewal fee every 2 years; a late (delinquent) renewal adds a $57 fee.
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
CE must be earned from a board-approved provider.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 4 years after each course's completion date.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Late renewal
A late renewal allows a $57 late fee.
One-time requirements
One-time domestic and sexual violence training required by M.G.L. c.112 §264 and 262 CMR 7.03(2) as a condition of initial licensure and renewal. Once completed from a Board-approved program it need not be repeated; the ~2 CE hours may count toward the 30-hour cycle total. Waived when proof was submitted with the licensure application. Approved programs include the free online Chapter 260 training from the MA Dept. of Public Health. (2 hours, one time).
Other mandates
Applicants and licensees must complete Board-approved domestic and sexual violence training as a condition of licensure and renewal. It is a one-time lifetime requirement and the two CE hours count in the cycle in which the training is completed.

Massachusetts LMHCrequired trainings & mandates

Beyond the 30-hour CE total, Massachusetts requires specific trainings — some once around initial licensure, some on their own recurring schedule.

One-time requirements

  • One-time domestic and sexual violence training required by M.G.L. c.112 §264 and 262 CMR 7.03(2) as a condition of initial licensure and renewal. Once completed from a Board-approved program it need not be repeated; the ~2 CE hours may count toward the 30-hour cycle total. Waived when proof was submitted with the licensure application. Approved programs include the free online Chapter 260 training from the MA Dept. of Public Health. (2 hours, one time).

Recurring mandates outside the 2 years cycle

  • Applicants and licensees must complete Board-approved domestic and sexual violence training as a condition of licensure and renewal. It is a one-time lifetime requirement and the two CE hours count in the cycle in which the training is completed.
Full board policy details
  • Massachusetts imposes no delivery-format ratio or cap in 262 CMR 7.00 or current Board Policy 2020-01. All 30 hours may be live, online, or asynchronous when approved through the LMHC Board-recognized entity.
  • Course repeat restrictions: 262 CMR 7.00 does not impose a general duplicate-course or first-presentation restriction. Any credit remains subject to the rules of the Board-recognized entity that approved the activity.
  • License status rules: Massachusetts does not offer a formal inactive or retired status with CE waiver. All licensees who renew an active license must complete CE — there are no exemptions for non-practicing licensees. To reinstate a lapsed license: under 2 years lapsed requires 30 hours plus late fee; 2 to under 4 years requires 30 hours plus two renewal fees and late fee; 4 to under 6 years requires 60 hours completed in the prior 4 years plus two renewal fees and late fee; 6+ years requires 90 hours completed in the prior 6 years, two renewal fees, late fee, AND retaking the licensing exam (unless continuously licensed in another state). Hardship extensions of time may be granted by the Board on case-by-case basis if requested BEFORE renewal with documentation.
  • Recommended (not required) topics each cycle per Board Policy 2020-01: 3 hours Ethics, 3 hours Anti-Discrimination, and (for licensees who supervise) 3 hours Supervision. These are encouraged but not enforced — any 30 hours of approved CE satisfies the requirement.
  • Provider approval by license type: LMHC courses must be approved by MaMHCA (MMCEP) or NBCC. The Board itself does not approve individual courses; all CE must come from a Board-recognized entity's approved sponsor or be retroactively approved by such an entity. No partial allowance — 100% of hours must come from approved sources.
  • Dual-licensee credit reuse: a clinician dually licensed (e.g., LMHC + LMFT) under this board needs only 30 total hours, not 60 — the same CE hour can count toward both licenses, provided the activity meets each profession's provider-approval criteria (e.g., dual-approved by NBCC and NEAFAST, or a split between discipline-specific trainings).

We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Massachusetts LMHC record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.

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Massachusetts LMHC CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Massachusetts LMHC licensees need?

Massachusetts requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LMHC license. Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31 of odd years.

How often do Massachusetts LMHC licensees renew?

Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31 of odd years.

How much does Massachusetts LMHC license renewal cost?

The board's renewal fee is $155 every 2 years, per the Massachusetts board fee schedule. Renewing late adds a $57 delinquency fee on top. CE course costs are separate and set by course providers.

Is the first renewal different for new Massachusetts LMHC 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

Last verified
July 2026
Ruleset version
2026.3

Reviewed against the Massachusetts 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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Massachusettsguides & data

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.

Massachusetts mental health workforce data

67,140 active providers, or 938.5 per 100,000 residents, ranked 3 of 51. County density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Massachusetts CE requirement pages

Massachusetts LMFTMassachusetts LCSWMassachusetts Psychologist

LPC CE requirements in other states

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