Florida's laws & rules courses: 8 hours once, 3 hours every 6 years
Florida's 491 board requires every LCSW, LMHC, and LMFT to study the statutes and administrative rules that govern their practice — once in depth before licensure, then on a recurring 6-year refresher. The two courses are frequently confused; here's how they differ.
8-hour initial course
An 8-hour Florida laws and rules course is required around initial licensure — many applicants submit it with the licensure application. It's a licensure prerequisite, not renewal CE.
3 hours every 6 years
Every third biennial renewal, 3 hours of laws-and-rules CE are due, counting within that cycle's 30-hour total. In the bienniums between, none are owed.
Picking a course that actually counts
The course must be approved for Florida's laws-and-rules category for your license type and report to CE Broker. An out-of-state jurisprudence course — or a general ethics course that touches on Chapter 491 — does not substitute.
If you hold more than one 491 license, one approved laws-and-rules course generally serves both, but the reporting must land on each license's CE Broker record. Keep the certificate either way.
Florida laws & rules CE: frequently asked
What is the Florida laws and rules course?
A board-approved course covering Chapter 491 (and related Florida statutes and administrative rules) that govern clinical social work, mental health counseling, and marriage and family therapy practice. Florida requires it in two forms: an 8-hour course before initial licensure and a 3-hour refresher every third biennial renewal.
Is the laws and rules requirement 8 hours or 3 hours?
Both, at different career stages. The 8-hour course is a one-time requirement tied to initial licensure. After that, 3 hours of laws-and-rules CE are due every third renewal — every 6 years — and count within that biennium's 30-hour total.
Is there a 10-hour Florida laws and rules course?
Not for the 491 professions (LCSW, LMHC, LMFT) — their requirements are the 8-hour initial course and the 3-hour recurring CE. Other Florida boards set different hour counts for their own laws-and-rules courses, so check the rule for your specific license.
Can I take the laws and rules course online?
Yes. Board-approved providers offer both the 8-hour initial course and the 3-hour renewal course online. Confirm the provider is approved for your license type and reports completions to CE Broker.
Is laws and rules the same as the ethics requirement?
No. Florida separately requires 3 hours alternating between ethics-and-boundaries and telehealth each biennium. The laws-and-rules requirement is its own item on a 6-year clock — a course must be approved for the right category to count.
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
Which renewal is your laws & rules renewal?
certification.app tracks Florida's 6-year mandates against your actual license dates, so the 3-hour course shows up on your checklist only when it's due.