New York LMHC Continuing Education Requirements
New York counselors must complete 36 continuing education hours every 3 years to renew their LMHC license.
36
total hours / 3 years
12
home study / self-study hours cap
Triennial · renewal date depends on the licensee's issue date.
New York LMHC requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 36 hours every 3 years. |
| Renewal | Triennial cycle: counted from your license anniversary. |
| Format limits | Up to 12 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. |
| 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, hospital, and mental health agency and recognized associations in counseling, mft, creative arts therapy, and psychoanalysis. |
| Recordkeeping | Keep CE documentation for 6 years after each course's completion date. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
| Other mandates | Updated child abuse training curriculum covering reducing implicit bias in reporting decisions, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and recognizing signs of abuse via virtual interactions. Mandated reporters who completed the prior child abuse training must complete this updated curriculum by April 1, 2025 (Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2021). Does not count toward the 36-hour CE total. |
| Other mandates | Additional child abuse training component on identifying abuse of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Practitioners who took the prior training must complete this new component by November 17, 2026 (Chapter 25 of the Laws of 2024). Does not count toward the 36-hour CE total. |
| Provisional renewal | The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 12 months before full compliance is required. Per Education Law §8412(3), NYSED may issue a conditional registration (max one year, non-renewable) to a licensee who fails to meet CE requirements but agrees to make up deficiencies and complete any additional education the Department requires. The licensee must pay the standard triennial renewal fee plus an additional conditional registration fee of the same amount. Practicing on an expired registration without a conditional registration is professional misconduct under Education Law §6510. |
Total hours
36 hours every 3 years.
Renewal
Triennial cycle: counted from your license anniversary.
Format limits
Up to 12 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
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, hospital, and mental health agency and recognized associations in counseling, mft, creative arts therapy, and psychoanalysis.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 6 years after each course's completion date.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Other mandates
Updated child abuse training curriculum covering reducing implicit bias in reporting decisions, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and recognizing signs of abuse via virtual interactions. Mandated reporters who completed the prior child abuse training must complete this updated curriculum by April 1, 2025 (Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2021). Does not count toward the 36-hour CE total.
Additional child abuse training component on identifying abuse of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Practitioners who took the prior training must complete this new component by November 17, 2026 (Chapter 25 of the Laws of 2024). Does not count toward the 36-hour CE total.
Provisional renewal
The board allows a provisional/conditional renewal for up to 12 months before full compliance is required. Per Education Law §8412(3), NYSED may issue a conditional registration (max one year, non-renewable) to a licensee who fails to meet CE requirements but agrees to make up deficiencies and complete any additional education the Department requires. The licensee must pay the standard triennial renewal fee plus an additional conditional registration fee of the same amount. Practicing on an expired registration without a conditional registration is professional misconduct under Education Law §6510.
Full board policy details
- No more than 12 of the 36 hours per triennial cycle may be earned through self-instructional/self-study coursework. The remaining 24 hours must be from live or interactive learning (live in-person, live webinars, or other real-time interactive formats). Live webinars with real-time instructor interaction are not considered self-study.
- Course repeat restriction (instructors/presenters): Credit for teaching an approved CE course, teaching a relevant course in an accredited academic program, or presenting at a professional conference is NOT acceptable where the licensee has taught the course on more than one occasion without presenting new or revised material. Instructors may count up to 2 hours of preparation for each hour of presentation (effectively triple the presentation time), one-time per content per cycle. For attendees, taking the identical course twice in one cycle is generally not credited twice.
- Authoring publications: credit is granted only for first-time publications. Authoring a first-time peer-reviewed journal article earns 2 hours; authoring a first-time book earns 5 hours. Subsequent publications of substantially the same content do not yield additional credit.
- Inactive/retired status: Licensees who are not registered (not practicing) are exempt from CE during the period of non-practice. There is no formal 'retired' designation; not renewing the registration places the licensee in a non-practicing status with no CE accrual obligation.
- Reactivation/lapse-in-practice: A licensee returning to practice after a lapse must complete makeup CE equal to 1 hour for each month the license was lapsed (unregistered), up to a maximum of 36 hours, completed in the 12 months before returning. Alternatively, the licensee may complete the 36 hours for the last registration period missed. These makeup hours are IN ADDITION TO completing the standard 36-hour requirement for the new registration period (which can be done after reinstatement, but at least 12 hours per year must be done going forward). If the licensee maintained active practice in another state during the lapse, only the standard 36 hours for the new registration period is required. These rules are governed by 8 NYCRR §79-9.8(e) and §79-10.8(e).
- Hardship adjustments/waivers: NYSED may grant an adjustment or waiver of the CE requirement for documented health issues, active military duty, or other good cause that makes timely completion impossible. Requests are evaluated case-by-case by the State Board for Mental Health Practitioners.
- Dual licensure under Article 163 (e.g. holding both LMHC and LMFT): 36 hours of CE total covers both licenses, but content should be distributed across the scopes of both professions.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your New York LMHC record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track New York LMHC CE free →New York LMHC CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do New York LMHC licensees need?
New York requires 36 continuing education hours every 3 years to renew a LMHC license. Triennial cycle: counted from your license anniversary.
How often do New York LMHC licensees renew?
Triennial cycle: counted from your license anniversary.
Can New York LMHC licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 12 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
Is the first renewal different for new New York 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 York board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the New York 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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