Washington

Washington LICSW CEU Requirements: A Working Guide for 2026

April 15, 2026 · ~7 min read

The short version: 32 hours every two years, with 6 in ethics and law, 6 in suicide assessment, 2 in health equity, and 2 in professional roles. Renewal is annual, CE is biennial, and that mismatch trips people up. Here's the longer version, with the context that makes it usable.

Who this applies to

This guide is for active LICSWs (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers) in Washington. LASWs (Associates) and LSWAICs have different rules. Retired-active status reduces the total requirement. If you hold an associate credential, read this as a preview, but verify your specific hour count against WAC 246-809.

The numbers

• 32 total CE hours every 2-year renewal cycle
• 6 hours of ethics and law (must include WA laws and rules)
• 6 hours of suicide assessment, treatment, and management (6-year cadence after first)
• 2 hours of health equity (4-year cadence)
• 2 hours of professional roles and boundaries

All sub-requirements count toward the 32-hour total. They do not stack on top.

The tricky part: annual renewal, 2-year CE cycle

Washington licenses renew every year, on or before your birthday. The 32-hour CE requirement is tracked on a 2-year cycle. You attest to CE progress every year, but only need the full 32 hours by the end of each 2-year window. This mismatch is where most of the confusion comes from.

The practical implication: if you pace yourself, 16 hours per year is a reasonable target. If you batch, you can do most of it in year two. The board does not care how you distribute them inside the window, as long as the subject-area minimums are met by the end.

Your first renewal

The 6-hour suicide assessment training must be completed within the first year of licensure, before your first renewal. It counts toward your 32-hour total, so you are not losing hours by front-loading it. You just cannot renew without it on file.

Miss this and the board will block renewal. The trainings that satisfy the requirement are listed on the Department of Health approved-model-list page. Take one from that list, save the certificate, and move on.

Suicide assessment: 6 hours every 6 years after the first

RCW 43.70.442 sets a 6-year cadence for the suicide training after your first-year completion. Track the 6-year clock from your last qualifying course, not from your license issue date. A course you took in January 2025 needs to be refreshed by January 2031.

Health equity: 2 hours every 4 years

Under WAC 246-12-830, effective 2024, every Washington health provider must complete 2 hours of health equity CE every 4 years. That includes LICSWs. Courses must be from a board-approved list. The DOH keeps an up-to-date list on the health equity CE page.

What qualifies as health equity content is broader than it sounds. Structural racism in health care, implicit bias, cultural humility, LGBTQ+ affirming care, and disability competency all commonly appear on approved courses. Look at the learning objectives before you buy.

Professional roles and boundaries

2 hours per 2-year cycle. This is separate from ethics and law, though the content overlaps. Dual relationships, scope of practice, supervision boundaries, and fee practices all count. Any reasonable boundaries-focused ethics course will satisfy it.

Distance learning

Washington places no cap on distance learning. Asynchronous self-paced programs must include tests of comprehension to qualify. Synchronous online programs like live webinars have no test requirement. This is more permissive than most states.

Accepted CE sources

• NASW, AAMFT, and other industry-recognized organizations
• Accredited institutions of higher learning
• Board-approved individual providers
• ASWB (Association of Social Work Boards) approved providers

Washington does not maintain a state-specific approved-provider registry beyond these. Trust nationally recognized bodies and keep your certificates.

Carryover

Washington does not document a carryover allowance. Assume excess hours do not roll over to the next 2-year cycle. Plan your pacing so you finish at or slightly above 32, not 60.

Documentation and audits

Keep completion certificates for at least four years. The DOH runs random audits. If you are audited, they will ask for certificates, dates, provider information, and subject-area classification. Store certificates as you go. Retrieving six years of PDFs under deadline pressure is worse than any single CE course.

Late renewal

$50 late fee for advanced social workers, $25 for associates. The license becomes expired after your birthday if you have not renewed, and you cannot practice while expired. Reinstatement involves additional paperwork and possibly additional CE. Renew on time.

Board links

CE info: doh.wa.gov CE page
Renewal portal: doh.wa.gov renewal

Keep it that way.