North Dakota LPC & LPCC Continuing Education Requirements
North Dakota counselors must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LPC / LPCC license, including 3 hours of ethics.
The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.
A licensed professional counselor shall complete at least thirty hours of continued professional education in the two years preceding the date of expiration of the license1. At least three of the hours shall primarily focus on counselor ethics2. A continued professional education hour is fifty minutes.
- 30 hours every 2 years
- 3 hours of counselor ethics
It's free for 30 days, and you don't need a card.
North Dakota LPC & LPCC requirements
Total
Topic minimums, counted within the 30
- Ethics
- 3
- You need 3 hours each cycle.
Limits on how the hours are earned
- Home study / self-study
- max 50%
At most 50% of hours may be home study / self-study.
Cycle and record rules
- Renewal
- The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.
- Approved providers
- Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association, regional professional association, state professional association, accredited university, and governmental agency.
- Recordkeeping
- Keep CE documentation for 5 years after each course's completion date.
- Board audit
- The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
- Late renewal
- The board allows a 365-day grace period after expiration. A late renewal adds a late fee.
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.
Check where you stand
Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before your renewal.
Your result appears here as you enter hours.
Open the full LPC CE hours calculatorAlso hold a North Dakota LMFT or LCSW license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the North Dakota LMFT and North Dakota LCSW requirements.
Full board policy details
- LPC/LPCC: No more than 50% of required hours may be earned through self-study or distance learning. Interactive webinars with real-time instructor interaction are considered live (interactive media), not self-study.
- LPC/LPCC: No more than 15 CE hours may be submitted from any one source, event, or topic. Licensees must diversify CE across multiple sources/topics per renewal cycle.
- Acceptable providers include the American Counseling Association (ACA), North Dakota Counseling Association (NDCA) and divisions, American Psychological Association (APA), NBCC, accredited universities, governmental agencies, and other recognized professional organizations. NBCC-approved CE does not require separate NDBCE pre-approval. Programs from board-recognized professional associations, accredited universities, and similar bodies do not require separate pre-approval by NDBCE.
- Instructor credit for teaching or presenting is available only for the first presentation of the material. The reviewed rules and Board guidance do not establish a general same-cycle repeat ban for attendees.
- License status, Inactive/Retired: The counselor board does not offer a formal inactive or retired/emeritus license. A counselor who does not renew lets the license expire (no CE required while expired); they may renew late within 1 year of expiration with late fees and the full CE for the prior cycle. After 1 year past expiration, the individual must reapply as a new applicant.
- License status, Hardship extensions: The board may extend the expiration date and CE deadlines upon proof of medical or other hardship (including military service, serious illness, or family emergency). Extensions are case-by-case at the board's discretion; no fixed maximum duration.
- Supervisor certification (separate from license CE): To become an NDBCE-approved clinical supervisor, applicants must have 5 years of experience and complete a one-time 30-hour supervision training. Supervisor certification renews every 5 years and requires 30 hours of supervision-focused CE per 5-year cycle. This is distinct from the biennial license CE requirement.
North Dakota LPC & LPCC CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do North Dakota LPC / LPCC licensees need?
North Dakota requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LPC / LPCC license. The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.
How many ethics hours are required for North Dakota LPC / LPCC licensees?
Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.
How often do North Dakota LPC / LPCC licensees renew?
The renewal cycle is biennial and is counted from your license anniversary.
Can North Dakota LPC / LPCC licensees complete CE online or by home study?
At most 50% of hours may be home study / self-study.
Sources and verification
- State source
- North Dakota board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
We reviewed this page against the North Dakota 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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North Dakota guides & data
Other North Dakota CE requirement pages
LPC CE requirements in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
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- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
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- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
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- New Hampshire
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- New Mexico
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- North Carolina
- Ohio
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- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
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- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
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