Wisconsin LPC Continuing Education Requirements
Wisconsin counselors must complete 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LPC license, including 4 hours of ethics and boundaries.
30
total hours / 2 years
4
ethics and boundaries hours
15
home study / self-study hours cap
Biennial · renewal date varies by licensee.
Wisconsin LPC requirements
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 hours every 2 years. |
| Renewal | Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date. |
| Ethics and Boundaries | 4 hours required each cycle. |
| Format limits | Up to 15 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 national professional association, state professional association, accredited university, governmental agency, and national certification body and recognized associations in counseling, mft, social work, psychology, and psychiatry. |
| Board audit | The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance. |
Total hours
30 hours every 2 years.
Renewal
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Ethics and Boundaries
4 hours required each cycle.
Format limits
Up to 15 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 national professional association, state professional association, accredited university, governmental agency, and national certification body and recognized associations in counseling, mft, social work, psychology, and psychiatry.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.
Full board policy details
- Fixed universal expiration: All Wisconsin LPC and LMFT licenses expire on February 28 of each odd-numbered year, regardless of the individual licensee's issuance date. The CE biennium runs March 1 (odd year) through February 28 (next odd year).
- At least 15 of the 30 required CE hours must come from programs approved, sponsored, endorsed, or authorized by recognized organizations listed in MPSW 19.03(1)(a)-(e) (e.g., ACA, NBCC, AAMFT, APA-approved sponsors, AMA Category I, accredited colleges/universities, Wisconsin Counseling Association, WAMFT, NASW, CRCC). Up to 15 hours may come from in-house training and development programs not approved by a listed organization. The Department does not pre-approve individual courses; acceptability is determined by whether the provider or activity falls within the categories listed in MPSW 19.03.
- Wisconsin does not pre-approve CE courses or providers. Licensees self-determine compliance and retain proof of completion.
- LPCs are not required to take ethics in an interactive learning format (that requirement applies only to social workers under the same chapter). LPC ethics CE may be taken online, self-paced, or live.
- Course repeat restriction (instructors): A presenter receives 1 CE hour per hour of presentation, but no additional CE hours will be granted for subsequent presentations of the same material within the same cycle (MPSW 19.03(2)(a)).
- License status — retired/non-practicing exemption: A licensee who certifies they have retired and no longer use the title or practice may be granted an exemption from CE under MPSW 19.04(2). Status is marked 'non-practicing' and CE is not required during the exempt period.
- License status — reactivation from retired/non-practicing exemption: Before returning to active practice, a previously exempt licensee must submit evidence of having completed at least 30 CE hours for each biennium during which they were exempt (MPSW 19.04(3)).
- Hardship waiver/postponement: Under MPSW 19.04(1), a licensee may apply to the Professional Counselor Section for a postponement, partial waiver, or full waiver of CE due to prolonged illness, disability, or other extreme hardship. Decisions are case-by-case.
- Military extension: Active-duty military members and their spouses may request a renewal extension using DSPS Form R210.
- No conditional/provisional renewal exists for CE shortfalls. A credential holder who fails to meet CE requirements by the renewal deadline must discontinue use of the title (MPSW 19.02).
- Dual-license CE overlap: A licensee holding multiple credentials under the MPSW board need complete only one 4-hour ethics and boundaries course to satisfy the ethics requirement for all credentials (MPSW 19.02(2)(a)). The same 30 CE hours may generally satisfy multiple credentials provided content is relevant to each scope of practice.
- Late renewal (expired less than 5 years): If an LPC or LMFT license has been expired for less than 5 years, the licensee may renew by paying the standard renewal fees plus a $25 late fee and satisfying any due continuing education (the 30-hour biennial CE requirement, including 4 ethics hours).
- Late fee: A $25 late fee applies to renewals submitted after the February 28 odd-year expiration date when the license has been expired less than 5 years.
We turn all of this (every category, format limit, and one-time rule) into a live checklist on your Wisconsin LPC record, and reapply board changes automatically as they happen.
Track Wisconsin LPC CE free →Wisconsin LPC CE: frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Wisconsin LPC licensees need?
Wisconsin requires 30 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LPC license. Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
How many ethics hours are required for Wisconsin LPC licensees?
Of the total, 4 hours must be in ethics and boundaries.
How often do Wisconsin LPC licensees renew?
Biennial cycle: tied to your license's renewal (expiration) date.
Can Wisconsin LPC licensees complete CE online or by home study?
Up to 15 hours may be completed through home study / self-study.
Is the first renewal different for new Wisconsin LPC 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
- Wisconsin board rule
- Profession source
- NBCC continuing education guidance
- Last verified
- May 2026
- Ruleset version
- 2026.1
Reviewed against the Wisconsin 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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