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
15
home study / self-study hours cap
Biennial · Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31.
Massachusetts LMHC requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31. |
| Format limits | Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. |
| 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, regional professional association, state professional association, accredited university, and governmental agency and recognized associations in counseling, mft, rehabilitation counseling, educational psychology, and behavior analysis. |
| 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). |
Total hours
30 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31.
Format limits
Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
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, regional professional association, state professional association, accredited university, and governmental agency and recognized associations in counseling, mft, rehabilitation counseling, educational psychology, and behavior analysis.
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).
Full board policy details
- No more than 15 of the 30 hours (50%) may be completed through home-study/non-interactive self-study. At least 15 hours must be live (in-person or live-interactive online with verified attendance). Live webinars with verified attendance count as live, not home study.
- Course repeat restrictions: Instructors/presenters may claim CE credit for the FIRST presentation of an approved program only; repeat presentations of identical content in the same cycle do not yield additional credit. Licensees cannot claim credit twice for the same course in the same renewal cycle.
- 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 all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Massachusetts LMHC record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Massachusetts LMHC CE free →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.
How often do Massachusetts LMHC licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: CE due by December 31.
Can Massachusetts LMHC licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
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
- State source
- Massachusetts board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the Massachusetts 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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