New Mexico LPCC & LMHC Continuing Education Requirements
New Mexico counselors must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LPCC / LMHC license, including 12 hours of ethics.
40
total hours / 2 years
12
ethics hours
Biennial renewal · calculating the next statewide deadline
New Mexico LPCC & LMHC requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 40 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: CE due by September 30 of odd years. |
| Ethics | 12 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 accredited university, national professional association, regional professional association, state professional association, governmental agency, and nonprofit organization and recognized associations in counseling, mft, social work, psychology, addiction counseling, and art therapy. |
| Recordkeeping | Keep CE documentation for 4 years after each renewal. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
| Late renewal | A late renewal allows a late fee. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 40 hours can come from.
- pro bono servicemax 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.
Full board policy details
- The current rule does not impose a live-attendance minimum or a general online, home-study, or self-study cap. CE must instead be approved or sponsored through one of the pathways in 16.27.16.9.
- Academic coursework conversion: one semester credit equals 15 CE hours and one quarter credit equals 11.25 CE hours. Licensees in master's-level professions may use only relevant graduate or postgraduate coursework beyond the degree used for initial licensure.
- Independently licensed clinicians may earn up to 20 CE hours through qualifying non-remunerated clinical pro bono work for an unaffiliated nonprofit or government entity. One CE hour is awarded for four clock hours of documented service.
- Approved supervisors must complete 9 hours in counseling-and-therapy supervision within the 40-hour total. The rule does not provide a general cross-credit from supervision to the 12-hour ethics minimum.
- Inactive licenses are renewed every two years without CE and may remain inactive indefinitely. Restoration to active status requires the renewal application and compliance with the current 40-hour CE requirement. Retired licensees seeking restoration within five years must complete the current CE requirement; after five years a new application is required.
- Licenses renew by September 30. A 30-day late-renewal period ends October 31 and carries the statutory late penalty; after that the license expires and the person must submit a new application before resuming practice.
- Dual-license credit reuse: licensees holding multiple licenses under the Counseling and Therapy Practice Board (e.g. LPCC + LMFT) may use a single set of 40 CE hours to renew both licenses, provided the content reasonably covers both disciplines.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your New Mexico LPCC / LMHC record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track New Mexico LPCC / LMHC CE free →New Mexico LPCC & LMHC CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do New Mexico LPCC / LMHC licensees need?
New Mexico requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LPCC / LMHC license. Biennial cycle: CE due by September 30 of odd years.
How many ethics hours are required for New Mexico LPCC / LMHC licensees?
Of the total, 12 hours must be in ethics.
How often do New Mexico LPCC / LMHC licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: CE due by September 30 of odd years.
Is the first renewal different for new New Mexico LPCC / 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
- New Mexico board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- August 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
Reviewed against the New Mexico 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.
New Mexico mental health workforce data
13,693 active providers, or 644.2 per 100,000 residents, ranked 9 of 51. County density map and free CSV downloads.