California accepts Elevate CE's credits for social workers.
The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts:
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved CE Providers.
National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) Approved CE Providers
Visit their Continuing Education page for more information.
Elevate Continuing Education, #1816, formerly Maryland CEU Institute is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program.
Elevate Continuing Education has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.7347. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Elevate Continuing Education is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
California Social Work Continuing Education Requirements
2025 License Renewal Information
Renewal Date/Deadline: Rolling Varies based on license issue date
Renewal Frequency: Every 2 years based on license issuance date
How many CEs do California social workers need for license renewal?
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): 36 Total CE Hours every 2 years
Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW): 3 Hours of California Laws and Ethics every year
SPECIAL TOPIC REQUIREMENTS FOR LCSW LICENSEES:
6 Hours Laws and Ethics each renewal cycle (per 16CCR section 1887.3 (d))
6 Hours Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention (one time requirement)
3 Hours Telehealth (one time requirement)
7 Hours HIV/AIDS (Required for a New Licensee’s FIRST Renewal Only)
Supervision Requirement: 6 hours of Clinical Supervision continuing education every two years.
For more information, please review the California licensee CE requirement chart here.
Can I take my CEs from Elevate CE?
YES, California Social Workers can earn most of their required CEs through Elevate CE. Elevate CE's Live and Recorded Webinars are both accepted by the California Board of Behavioral Science. Elevate CE offers courses that fulfill the general CE requirements as well as the General Laws & Ethics requirement, Telehealth, and the Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention requirement.
Elevate CE is an approved provider through the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) which is listed on the California of Social Work list of approved providers of continuing education. Approved CE Providers – California State Board of Social Work Examiners
View our Live Webinars or Recorded Webinars to get started learning and earning the CEs your need for renewal today!
Are there any course format requirements or limitations for California social workers?
No, California LCSW licensed social workers can earn their 36 hours of Continuing Education and their Special Topic Requirements via Live Webinar or Recorded Webinar.
California Social Work CE Requirement Statutes
This information below has been obtained directly from the California Board of Behavioral Science Website and is current as of December 2024. Please visit California Board of Behavioral Science for full information and details.
§ 1887.1. Continuing Education Requirements and License Renewal.
(a) Except as provided in section 1887.2, a licensee shall certify in writing, when applying for license renewal, by signing a statement under penalty of perjury that during the preceding renewal period the licensee has completed thirty-six (36) hours of continuing education credit as set forth in sections 4980.54, 4989.34, 4996.22, and 4999.76 of the Code.
(b) A licensee who falsifies or makes a material misrepresentation of fact when applying for license renewal or who cannot verify completion of continuing education by producing a record of course completion, upon request by the board, is subject to disciplinary action under sections 4982(b), 4989.54 (b), 4992.3(b), and 4999.90(b) of the Code.
(c) Individuals who hold dual licensure with the board may apply the same continuing education course to both licenses if the subject matter of the course relates to each license's scope of practice.
§ 1887.3. Continuing Education Course Requirements and Credit for Specified Activities.
(a) During each renewal period, a licensee shall accrue at least thirty-six (36) hours of continuing education coursework as defined in section 1887.4.0.
(b) A marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, and professional clinical counselor licensee shall take a continuing education course in the characteristics and methods of assessment and treatment of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) during their first renewal period after the effective date of these regulations. The course shall be at least seven (7) hours in length and its content shall comply with the requirements of section 32 of the Code. This is a one-time requirement for all licensees. Equivalent HIV and AIDS courses taken prior to the effective date of these regulations, or proof of equivalent teaching or practice experience, may be submitted to the board for approval in lieu of this requirement; however, this coursework or experience shall not be credited as hours towards the continuing education requirements.
(c) Any person renewing a license shall complete a minimum of six (6) hours of continuing education in the subject of law and ethics for each renewal period. The six (6) hours shall be considered part of the thirty-six (36) hour continuing education requirement. A course on law and ethics completed by a supervisor in order to fulfill the supervisor training requirement pursuant to Article 3, 4 or 6 shall not be accepted toward meeting the minimum six (6) hours of law and ethics training but shall count toward the 36-hour continuing education requirement.
(d) A licensee may not claim the same course more than once per license type during a single renewal period for hours of continuing education credit.
(e) If a licensee teaches a course provided by a board-accepted provider, the licensee may claim credit for the course, receiving the same amount of hours of continuing education credit as a licensee who attended the course. The licensee may only claim the course one time during a single renewal period. A maximum of 18 hours of continuing education may be met by teaching courses during a single renewal period.
(f) A licensee who takes a course as a condition of probation resulting from disciplinary action by the board may not apply the course as credit towards the continuing education requirement.
(g) A licensee who attends a Board of Behavioral Sciences enforcement case review training shall be credited with up to six (6) hours of continuing education in the renewal cycle during which the case review training was attended. The continuing education hours earned by attending a board enforcement case review training may only be used to satisfy the law and ethics portion of the continuing education requirement.
(h) A licensee who acts as a Board of Behavioral Sciences subject matter expert (SME) for an enforcement case review shall be credited with six (6) hours of continuing education in the renewal cycle during which the enforcement case review was performed. The continuing education hours earned by acting as a board enforcement case SME may only be used to satisfy the law and ethics portion of the continuing education requirement.
(i) A licensee who participates in a Board of Behavioral Sciences examination development workshop shall be credited with six (6) hours of continuing education in the renewal cycle during which the examination development workshop was attended. The continuing education hours earned by participating in a board examination development workshop may only be used to satisfy the law and ethics portion of the continuing education requirement.
(j) A licensee who completes a Board of Behavioral Sciences occupational analysis survey in full shall be credited with six (6) hours of continuing education for the renewal cycle during which the survey was completed.
(k) A licensee who participates in a mental health professional organization's law and ethics review committee shall be credited with up to six (6) hours of continuing education in the renewal cycle during which the participation occurred. The continuing education earned by participating in a professional organization's law and ethics review committee may only be used to satisfy the law and ethics portion of the continuing education requirement.
(l) Documentation of completion for the activities specified in subsections (g) through (j) shall consist of a letter or certificate issued by the board. For subsection (k), documentation of completion shall consist of a letter or certificate from the professional organization. Licensees shall maintain records of completed activities for a minimum of two years and shall make these records available to the board for auditing purposes upon request.
§ 1887.4.1. Board-Recognized Approval Agencies.
(a) The following are board-recognized approval agencies:
(1) American Psychological Association (APA)
(2) Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
(3) California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
(4) California Psychological Association (CPA)
(5) National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
(6) National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
(7) National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)
(b) The board may recognize another entity as an approval agency if the entity can demonstrate in writing the following:
(1) The entity is an organization that represents a licensed health care profession.
(2) The entity has a documented Code of Ethics.
(3) The entity has documented procedures for maintaining a continuing education approval program, including, but not limited to:
(A) Maintaining and managing records and data related to continuing education programs.
(B) Monitoring and approving continuing education providers and courses.
(4) The entity has policies to avoid a conflict of interest between any provider and approval functions.
(5) The entity has the capacity to evaluate courses to ensure compliance with section 1887.4.0.
(c) Upon written confirmation from the board that the entity has been recognized, the entity may advertise that it has been recognized by the board.
(d) Failure of the entity to substantially comply with the provisions as set forth in section 1887.4.2 shall constitute cause for revocation of recognition by the board.
