Florida's domestic violence CE requirement, explained
Florida's 491 board — covering clinical social workers (LCSW), mental health counselors (LMHC), and marriage and family therapists (LMFT) — requires domestic violence education twice over: once as a new licensee, then on a recurring 6-year clock. The two are easy to conflate, and missing either shows up at renewal.
2-hour initial course
A board-approved 2-hour domestic violence course is due within 6 months of initial licensure. The 6-month post-licensure deadline is firm — there is no waiver based on when you applied.
2 hours every 6 years
Every third biennial renewal, 2 hours of domestic violence CE are due. In an applicable biennium the hours count within the 30-hour total. In the cycles between, none are owed.
Satisfying the requirement without wasted hours
Choose a course explicitly approved for Florida's domestic violence category and confirm it reports to CE Broker under your license type. General trauma or crisis courses don't automatically map to the domestic violence category, even when the content overlaps.
Because the recurring obligation lands only every third biennium, the most common failure mode is simply losing track of which renewal is the “third” one. Anchor it to your license record rather than memory.
Florida domestic violence CE: frequently asked
How many domestic violence CE hours does Florida require?
Two separate obligations exist for LCSW, LMHC, and LMFT licensees: a one-time 2-hour board-approved domestic violence course due within 6 months of initial licensure, and a recurring 2 hours of domestic violence CE due every third biennial renewal (every 6 years).
Is domestic violence CE due every renewal cycle?
No. The recurring requirement lands every third biennium — every 6 years — not every 2-year cycle. In the cycles between, no domestic violence hours are owed.
Do the 2 domestic violence hours count toward the 30-hour total?
Yes. In a biennium where the requirement applies, the 2 hours count within the 30-hour CE total, not on top of it.
Are there free domestic violence CEUs in Florida?
Some employers, coalitions, and providers periodically offer free or low-cost domestic violence CE. Whatever the price, confirm the provider is board-approved and the course reports to CE Broker — a free course that doesn't report doesn't satisfy the requirement.
Does the initial course excuse the recurring one?
Completing the one-time course at licensure satisfies that initial obligation, but the 2-hour domestic violence CE still comes due at every third biennial renewal afterward. Both requirements apply over a career.
Informational only — not legal, board, or renewal advice. Verify requirements with the Florida board before you renew. Read the CE disclaimer.
More Florida CE guides
Never lose track of a 6-year mandate again.
certification.app knows which renewal is your “every third” one and surfaces the domestic violence hours only when they're actually due.