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.
24
total hours / 2 years
6
ethics hours
3
cultural diversity / competency hours
1
jurisprudence / state law hours
1
human trafficking prevention hours
Biennial · renewal date depends on the licensee's birth month.
Texas LPC requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 24 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: renews at the end of your birth month. |
| Ethics | 6 hours required each cycle. |
| Cultural Diversity / Competency | 3 hours required each cycle. |
| Jurisprudence / State Law | 1 hour required each cycle. |
| Human Trafficking Prevention | 1 hour required each cycle. |
| Format limits | Up to 1 hours may be completed through home study / self-study. |
| Carryover | Up to 10 unused hours can carry into the next cycle. |
| Approved providers | Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by international professional association, national 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 | A late renewal allows a 365-day grace period after expiration and a late fee. |
Limits on how the hours are earned
Board caps and floors on where the 24 hours can come from.
- home study / self-studymax 1 hrs
- first time presentationmax 5 hrs
- publicationmax 5 hrs
- academic courseworkmax 5 hrs
- carryovermax 10 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.
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, checked September 2026.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- $141 LPC renewal fee, plus $50 for supervisor status, per the Council fee schedule in 22 TAC 885.1. The jurisprudence exam is $39. BHEC fee schedule (22 TAC 885.1, LPC rulebook)
- Exam
- Texas jurisprudence exam, required every renewal period (22 TAC 681.140). Open book, online, and worth 1 hour of ethics CE when passed. 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.
Approved and free CE sources for Texas LPC licensees
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.
State professional association
Texas Counseling Association. The state professional association, which counts as a 681.140(e) provider. Members get free monthly CE through its online learning center.
Free, board-recognized modules
- HHSC HEART human trafficking training. The free 1.5-hour online course from Texas Health and Human Services. It satisfies the human trafficking prevention condition of renewal, and 1 hour may be claimed toward CE.
- HHSC approved human trafficking course list. Every HHSC-approved course, filterable by cost and delivery method.
This is the board’s acceptance standard, not a course list. Any provider that meets it qualifies; we do not recommend vendors.
Full board policy details
- Self-study (informal solo learning such as independent reading) is capped at 1 hour per renewal period. Organized CE activities from third-party providers that issue a certificate 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.
We turn every category, format limit, and one-time rule on this page into a live checklist on your Texas LPC record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Texas LPC CE free →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. Biennial cycle: 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?
Biennial cycle: renews at the end of your birth month.
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.
Can Texas LPC licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 1 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
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. Free board-recognized modules: HHSC HEART human trafficking training and HHSC approved human trafficking course list.
Sources & verification
- State source
- Texas board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- July 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.3
Reviewed against the Texas 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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