Updated for 2026

Montana LPC Continuing Education Requirements

Montana counselors must complete 20 continuing education hours per year to renew their LPC license.

20hours per year

Next deadline: December 31, 2026The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.

(1) Licensees are required to obtain 20 hours of continuing education (CE) annually¹, prior to renewal. (2) Licensees completing more than 20 hours of CE may carry forward those hours into the next year². The number of hours carried forward shall not exceed 20 hours². … (4) Of the 20 hours: (a) a minimum of two hours must relate to suicide risk assessment and safety planning every odd year³; and (b) a maximum of ten hours⁴ may be for: (i) first-time preparation of a new course, in-service training workshop, or seminar which meets the criteria in (6); or (ii) preparation time by the author or authors of a paper which meets the criteria in (6) that is published for the first time in a recognized professional journal …

What it means

20 hours every year
Up to 20 extra hours carry into the next year
2 hours on suicide risk assessment and safety planning every odd year
No more than 10 hours from new course preparation or first-time publication

ARM 24.219.435Last verified October 2026Ruleset 2026.4How we verify

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Requirements

Montana LPC requirements

Total

20 hoursYou need 20 hours per year. The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.

Limits on how the hours are earned

New course or publication preparation: max 10 hrs
Carryover: max 20 hrs

Up to 20 unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal: The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.
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.
Board audit: The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.

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 December 31, 2026.

Total hours completedof 20

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LPC CE hours calculator

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

Montana LPC required trainings and mandates

Beyond the 20-hour CE total, Montana requires specific trainings. Some are due once around initial licensure, and others run on their own recurring schedule.

Recurring mandates outside the 1-year cycle

Two hours on suicide risk assessment and safety planning every odd year, counted within the 20 annual hours (ARM 24.219.435(4)(a)).

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 CE until after the first renewal (ARM 24.219.435(5), as amended effective August 22, 2026). The amended rule folds the suicide-risk hours into the 20-hour total, so nothing is due by the first renewal.
Suicide risk: ARM 24.219.435(4)(a), amended effective August 22, 2026 (MAR Notice 2026-512), requires that of the 20 hours a minimum of two hours relate to suicide risk assessment and safety planning every odd year. The two hours count within the annual total in the year they are earned and recur on a two-year clock.
The Board does not preapprove providers or courses. Licensees retain documentation and remain responsible for demonstrating qualifying professional content during audit.

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. The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.

How often do Montana LPC licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is annual, and CE is due by December 31.

Is the first renewal different for new Montana LPC 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: Montana board rule
Profession source: NBCC continuing education guidance
Last verified: October 2026
Ruleset version: 2026.4

We reviewed this page against the Montana 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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Montana guides & data

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.Montana mental health workforce data →5,566 active providers, or 486.2 per 100,000 residents, ranked 20 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Montana CE requirement pages

Montana LMFT Montana LCSW Montana Psychologist Montana Addiction Counselor Montana PMHNP