Montana LPC Continuing Education Requirements
Montana counselors must complete 20 continuing education hours per year to renew their LPC license.
20
total hours / year
Annual renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline
Montana LPC requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 20 hours per year. |
| Renewal | Annual cycle: CE due by December 31. |
| Carryover | Up to 20 unused hours can carry into the next cycle. |
| New licensees | First renewal is different: new licensees have adjusted first-cycle requirements (proration and/or first-cycle-only rules), which we apply automatically. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
| Other mandates | Two hours of suicide-prevention training by first renewal and every 24 months thereafter. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 20 hours can come from.
- new course or publication preparationmax 10 hrs
- carryovermax 20 hrs
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.
Montana LPCrequired trainings & mandates
Beyond the 20-hour CE total, Montana requires specific trainings — some once around initial licensure, some on their own recurring schedule.
Recurring mandates outside the 1 year cycle
- Two hours of suicide-prevention training by first renewal and every 24 months thereafter.
Full board policy details
- Montana requires 20 hours annually after the first renewal. Excess hours may carry into the following year, up to 20 hours.
- Up to 10 hours total may come from first-time preparation of a new course, workshop, or seminar, or from preparing a paper first published in a professional journal or first presented at a statewide or national meeting. These are one combined activity cap, not delivery formats.
- The first-time restriction applies to instructor, course-preparation, and author credit. The rule does not create a blanket attendee repeat-course prohibition.
- Montana does not impose a general live, online, or self-study cap. CE content must contribute to professional competence.
- New licensees are exempt from the ordinary 20-hour total until after first renewal, but the 2-hour suicide-prevention obligation is still due by first renewal and every 2 years thereafter.
- The Board does not preapprove providers or courses. Licensees retain documentation and remain responsible for demonstrating qualifying professional content during audit.
- A June 2026 proposal would amend ARM 24.219.435, but it was still proposed rather than effective when this rule was verified and is not encoded here.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Montana LPC record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Montana LPC CE free →Montana LPC CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Montana LPC licensees need?
Montana requires 20 continuing education hours per year to renew a LPC license. Annual cycle: CE due by December 31.
How often do Montana LPC licensees renew?
Annual cycle: CE due by December 31.
Is the first renewal different for new Montana LPC 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
- Montana board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
Reviewed against the Montana 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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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.
Montana mental health workforce data
5,566 active providers, or 486.2 per 100,000 residents, ranked 20 of 51. County density map and free CSV downloads.