Updated for 2026

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 6 hours of ethics.

total hours / 2 years

ethics hours

home study / self-study hours cap

Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.

New Mexico LPCC & LMHC requirements

Requirement	Notes
Total continuing education	40 hours every 2 years.
Renewal	Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Ethics	6 hours required each cycle.
Format limits	Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
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.

Full board policy details

At least 20 of the 40 hours must be live/interactive "contact" hours. Synchronous online webinars count as live contact hours. Asynchronous online courses, reading, and other independent study count as self-study and are capped at 20 hours per cycle (50% maximum).
Self-study credit admissibility: self-study activities (asynchronous online courses, reading, independent study, prerecorded courses) must include a post-test or other proof of completion from the provider in order to earn CE credit. Without such verification, the activity does not count toward the 40-hour requirement.
Academic coursework conversion: 15 CE hours per semester credit hour in a relevant subject from an accredited institution.
Teaching/presenting a CE workshop yields 2 CE hours per 1 hour of first-time presentation. Repeat presentations of the same material do not earn additional credit. Maximum 10 hours per cycle from teaching.
Course repeat restriction: a licensee may not receive CE credit for the same program or course more than once during a single renewal cycle. Instructors may only claim credit for the first presentation of a given course/workshop within a cycle.
Supervision training cross-count to ethics: the 3-hour supervision training requirement (for approved supervisors) counts toward the 40-hour total. If the supervision training includes an ethics component, those hours may also count toward the 6-hour ethics requirement; otherwise they count only toward the overall 40 hours.
License status rules — Inactive: CE accrual is suspended during inactive status; to reactivate, the licensee must show proof of 40 hours of CE (with required topics) earned in the 24 months preceding reactivation. Retired/emeritus: no CE required while retired; resumption of active practice requires recent CE or board-determined proof of competence. Expired/lapsed: reinstatement requires completing the missed cycle's CE hours plus late fees; lapses beyond one cycle may require re-examination or additional CE as determined by the board.
Hardship/military waivers and extensions: the board may grant up to a 90-day extension past the renewal date for documented hardship (illness, injury, active military service, extreme hardship). Waivers are case-by-case and must be requested in writing before the renewal deadline. Not automatic and not typically granted in consecutive cycles.
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 all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) 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: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

How many ethics hours are required for New Mexico LPCC / LMHC licensees?

Of the total, 6 hours must be in ethics.

How often do New Mexico LPCC / LMHC licensees renew?

Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.

Can New Mexico LPCC / LMHC licensees complete CE online or by home study?

Up to 20 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.

Sources & verification

State source: New Mexico board rule
Profession source: NBCC continuing education guidance
Last verified: May 2026
Ruleset version: 2026.1

Reviewed against the New Mexico 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 →

Track your New Mexico LPCC / LMHC CE the easy way.

Log hours, watch every category pace toward biennial renewal, and keep your certificates in one record. Free to start, no card required.

Create your free record

Other New Mexico CE requirement pages

New Mexico LCSW