North Carolina LCMHC, LCMHCA & LCMHCS Continuing Education Requirements
North Carolina counselors must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LCMHC / LCMHCA / LCMHCS license, including 3 hours of ethics.
40
total hours / 2 years
3
ethics hours
Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
North Carolina LCMHC, LCMHCA & LCMHCS requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 40 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Ethics | 3 hours required each 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. |
| Approved providers | Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association and accredited university and recognized associations in counseling and rehabilitation counseling. |
| Recordkeeping | Keep CE documentation for 7 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 365-day grace period after expiration. |
| One-time requirements | NC jurisprudence exam — must be completed after January 1 of the renewal year and submitted with renewal. Awards 5 contact hours of ethics CE; required every renewal cycle. (5 hours, one time). |
Total hours
40 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Ethics
3 hours required each 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.
Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association and accredited university and recognized associations in counseling and rehabilitation counseling.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 7 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 365-day grace period after expiration.
One-time requirements
NC jurisprudence exam — must be completed after January 1 of the renewal year and submitted with renewal. Awards 5 contact hours of ethics CE; required every renewal cycle. (5 hours, one time).
Full board policy details
- Fully accepted (unlimited hours) providers: American Counseling Association (ACA), American Association of State Counseling Boards (AASCB), National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC), and their approved vendors/affiliates.
- Secondary-tier provider organizations (AACC, AAMFT, APA, NAADAC, NASW, etc.) are capped at 15 contact hours per 2-year renewal period. This is a provider-category cap and applies regardless of delivery method (live, online, or self-study).
- Up to 5 contact hours per cycle for presenting workshops/seminars in approved content areas. The 5-hour cap applies regardless of how many times the licensee presents (including repeat presentations of the same material).
- Up to 10 contact hours per cycle for authoring a published counseling article or book chapter. Multiple publications do not increase the 10-hour cap.
- Up to 10 contact hours per cycle for holding a leadership office or board position in a professional counseling organization (minimum 6 months of service). Multiple roles do not increase the 10-hour cap.
- Up to 10 contact hours per cycle for receiving post-licensure clinical supervision.
- Academic coursework: 1 semester hour = 15 contact hours; must be in counseling-related subjects.
- No CE limit on online/self-study format itself; acceptability depends on whether the activity is offered by an approved provider. No minimum in-person/live requirement. No per-day hour cap.
- Repeat course restriction: duplicate credit for the same course/date within one cycle is not allowed.
- Inactive/retired status: NC LCMHC Board does not offer an inactive or retired license status. Licensees must renew or allow the license to expire; no CE exemption is available.
- Reactivation after expiration (within 1 year): licensee must complete the required CE hours for the missed period PLUS an additional 20 penalty hours. These penalty hours do not count toward the next cycle. The licensee may not practice during this make-up period. After 1 year of lapse, the person must reapply for licensure as new.
- Hardship CE extension (up to 1 year): granted by the Board on written request submitted by May 1 of the expiration year, for (a) active military deployment, (b) major illness of the licensee or immediate family with medical documentation, or (c) death in the immediate family. CE earned during an extension applies only to the missed period, not the next cycle. License is not active for practice during the extension until CE is completed and license renewed.
- Active-duty military waiver: CE may be waived for the period a federal tax-filing extension is granted under G.S. 105-249.2.
- Dual licensure with NC LMFT: each board's CE requirements must be met separately; the same course may count toward both licenses if it satisfies each board's criteria, but each license is audited independently.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your North Carolina LCMHC / LCMHCA / LCMHCS record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track North Carolina LCMHC / LCMHCA / LCMHCS CE free →North Carolina LCMHC, LCMHCA & LCMHCS CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do North Carolina LCMHC / LCMHCA / LCMHCS licensees need?
North Carolina requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LCMHC / LCMHCA / LCMHCS license. Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How many ethics hours are required for North Carolina LCMHC / LCMHCA / LCMHCS licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.
How often do North Carolina LCMHC / LCMHCA / LCMHCS licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Is the first renewal different for new North Carolina LCMHC / LCMHCA / LCMHCS 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
- North Carolina board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the North Carolina 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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