Updated for 2026

Texas LPC Continuing Education Requirements

Texas counselors must complete 24 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LPC license, including 6 hours of ethics, 3 hours of cultural diversity / competency, 1 hour of jurisprudence / state law, and 1 hour of human trafficking prevention.

24hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 24
6ethics
3cultural diversity / competency
1jurisprudence / state law
1human trafficking prevention

The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

What the board saysTexas board rule
An LPC must complete 24 hours1 of continuing education during each renewal period … must include 6 hours in ethics2 and 3 hours3 designed to ensure competency when providing services to a distinct population3, defined as a group of people who share a common attribute, trait, or defining characteristic of the licensee’s choice … Self-study.4 The maximum number of hours that may be claimed for this activity is 1 hour4 … Time spent individually viewing or listening to audio, video, digital, or print media as part of an organized continuing education activity … is not subject to this self-study limitation.
What it means
  1. 24 hours each renewal period
  2. 6 hours of ethics
  3. 3 hours on a distinct population
  4. No more than 1 hour of self-study
22 TAC 681.140Last verified September 2026Ruleset 2026.6How we verify
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Requirements

Texas LPC requirements

Total

24 hoursYou need 24 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

Topic minimums, counted within the 24

The remaining 13 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics
6
You need 6 hours each cycle.
Cultural Diversity / Competency
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Jurisprudence / State Law
1
You need 1 hour each cycle.
Human Trafficking Prevention
1
You need 1 hour each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

First time presentation
max 5 hrs
Publication
max 5 hrs
Academic coursework
max 5 hrs
Carryover
max 10 hrs

Up to 10 unused hours can carry into the next cycle.

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.
Renewal fee
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$141. Biennial: $135 base + $6 Texas.gov/OPP.
22 TAC 885.1
Expired 90 days or less: total$208.5. 1.5 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)
Expired over 90 days, under one year: total$276. 2 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)

CE courses and designation fees are separate. After one year, reinstatement is required.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-30. Board fee schedule.

Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by international professional association, national professional association, regional professional association, state professional association, local professional association, accredited university, public school district, education service center, governmental agency, nonprofit religious or charitable organization, hospital or hospital system, and board approved supervisor.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 3 years after each renewal.
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.

Your hours

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 calculator

Also hold a Texas LMFT or LCSW license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Texas LMFT and Texas LCSW requirements.

How to renew your Texas LPC license

Renewals are filed with the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC). The steps below follow the board’s own renewal instructions, which we last checked in September 2026.

  1. Step 1. Report all 24 CE hours in CE Broker. Since January 1, 2026 the renewal system will not process a renewal until the hours for the period are on record; the free Basic account is enough.

  2. Step 2. Pass the Texas jurisprudence exam for this renewal period. It is an open-book online exam through eStrategy Solutions, and passing it may be claimed as 1 hour of ethics CE.

  3. Step 3. Complete an HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention training. BHEC requires you to affirm completion as a condition of renewal; HHSC's own HEART course is free.

  4. Step 4. Log in to the BHEC online licensing system, complete the renewal application, attest to your CE, and pay the renewal fee. Supervisor status carries an additional fee.

  5. Step 5. Keep every certificate for 3 years after the renewal. BHEC audits CE through CE Broker and can ask for the records at any point in that window.

Where to file
BHEC online licensing system
Renewal window
Your LPC license renews every two years on the last day of your birth month. You can file the renewal up to 60 days before that date, and BHEC mails a postcard and emails a reminder at least 30 days ahead.
Fee
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$141. Biennial: $135 base + $6 Texas.gov/OPP.
22 TAC 885.1
Expired 90 days or less: total$208.5. 1.5 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)
Expired over 90 days, under one year: total$276. 2 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)

CE courses and designation fees are separate. After one year, reinstatement is required.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-30. Board fee schedule.

Exam
You must pass the Texas jurisprudence exam every renewal period (22 TAC 681.140). It's an open-book online exam, and passing it is worth 1 hour of ethics CE. BHEC jurisprudence examination page
Late or lapsed
Miss the deadline and the license goes delinquent: you may not practice on it. Renewing within 90 days costs 1.5 times the renewal fee, from 91 days to under a year costs 2 times, and after 12 consecutive months the license expires and you must apply for reinstatement.
Records
Keep CE documentation for 3 years after each renewal. What to keep for a CE audit.
Full board policy details
  • Self-study (informal solo learning such as independent reading, with no certificate of completion) is capped at 1 hour per renewal period. Organized CE activities from third-party providers that issue a certificate, including on-demand and self-paced courses, are NOT considered self-study and are not subject to this cap.
  • All 24 hours may be earned via online/distance learning so long as the provider issues a certificate of completion. Texas does not distinguish between live and asynchronous CE for credit purposes; there is no minimum in-person requirement.
  • Effective January 1, 2024, at least 50% of CE hours must come from one of the enumerated approved provider categories (professional associations, accredited universities, governmental agencies, school districts/ESCs, nonprofit religious/charitable mental-health organizations, hospitals/hospital systems, board-approved supervisors, or a provider approved/endorsed by one of these). The remaining hours may be from any provider of the licensee's choosing. Texas does not pre-approve providers or courses.
  • Course repeat restriction: Multiple instances or occurrences of the same continuing education activity may not be claimed within the same renewal period. Instructors may only claim credit once for the same presentation in a cycle (subject to the 5-hour teaching cap). Identical courses, presentations, or publications cannot be double-counted.
  • License status, Inactive: A licensee on inactive status is not required to complete CE while the license is inactive. To return to active status, the licensee must complete the standard CE requirements for the renewal period before reactivation. Retired status similarly imposes no CE obligation, but practice is prohibited; returning to active practice requires reactivation per board approval.
  • License status, Military waiver: Licensees serving on active duty in the military are exempt from CE requirements during the period of duty and may request a waiver through CE Broker.
  • Delinquent renewal: If CE is not completed by the expiration date, the license moves to delinquent status. The licensee has up to 12 months to complete CE and renew late (with late fees); practice is not permitted during delinquency. After one year, the license fully expires and the practitioner must reapply for licensure.
  • Dual licensure (LPC + LMFT): A practitioner holding both an LPC and LMFT license must satisfy each board's CE requirements independently. The same CE course may be reported to satisfy both licenses' requirements where the content qualifies, but each license is renewed and tracked separately.

Texas LPC CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Texas LPC licensees need?

Texas requires 24 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LPC license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

How many ethics hours are required for Texas LPC licensees?

Of the total, 6 hours must be in ethics.

How often do Texas LPC licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and your license renews at the end of your birth month.

How much does Texas LPC license renewal cost?
Renewal fees by license status
Status / feeAmount and conditions
Active renewal$141. Biennial: $135 base + $6 Texas.gov/OPP.
22 TAC 885.1
Expired 90 days or less: total$208.5. 1.5 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)
Expired over 90 days, under one year: total$276. 2 × base + surcharges.
22 TAC 885.1(c)

CE courses and designation fees are separate. After one year, reinstatement is required.

We verified these fees on 2026-09-30. Board fee schedule.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Texas LPC licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Texas requires 3 hours of cultural diversity / competency, 1 hour of jurisprudence / state law, 1 hour of human trafficking prevention.

How do I renew my Texas LPC license?

Your LPC license renews every two years on the last day of your birth month. You can file the renewal up to 60 days before that date, and BHEC mails a postcard and emails a reminder at least 30 days ahead. File through the BHEC online licensing system. 1. Report all 24 CE hours in CE Broker. Since January 1, 2026 the renewal system will not process a renewal until the hours for the period are on record; the free Basic account is enough. 2. Pass the Texas jurisprudence exam for this renewal period. It is an open-book online exam through eStrategy Solutions, and passing it may be claimed as 1 hour of ethics CE. 3. Complete an HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention training. BHEC requires you to affirm completion as a condition of renewal; HHSC's own HEART course is free. 4. Log in to the BHEC online licensing system, complete the renewal application, attest to your CE, and pay the renewal fee. Supervisor status carries an additional fee. 5. Keep every certificate for 3 years after the renewal. BHEC audits CE through CE Broker and can ask for the records at any point in that window.

Where can Texas LPC licensees find approved or free CE?

Texas does not pre-approve CE providers or courses. Instead, at least half of your 24 hours (12) must come from one of the provider types in 22 TAC 681.140(e): a professional association of medical, mental, or behavioral health professionals at any level, an accredited college or university, a governmental entity, a public school district or education service center, a religious or charitable organization devoted to mental health, a hospital or hospital system, a licensee with supervisor status, or a provider endorsed by one of those. The other 12 hours can come from any provider that issues a certificate showing your name, the topic, the dates, and the hours. Self-study is capped at 1 hour, and the Council only accepts hours directly related to counseling practice. The Texas Counseling Association is the state professional association. The board recognizes these free modules: HHSC HEART human trafficking training and HHSC approved human trafficking course list.

Sources and verification

State source
Texas board rule
Fee schedule
Texas board fee schedule
Profession source
NBCC continuing education guidance
Last verified
September 2026
Ruleset version
2026.6

We reviewed this page against the Texas 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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Texas guides & data

What to keep for a CE audit →Learn what boards ask for in a CE audit, how long each state says to keep certificates, and what the notice looks like, then use the printable checklist.Texas mental health workforce data →68,626 active providers, or 216.4 per 100,000 residents, ranked 50 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Texas CE requirement pages

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