Alaska · LMSW Renewal
Alaska LMSW CEU Requirements (2026–2028)
If you hold an active LMSW in Alaska, the Board of Social Work Examiners requires 45 contact hours of continuing education every 2-year renewal period, with five distinct content minimums: substance abuse, cross-cultural (Alaska Natives), ethics, teletherapy, and suicide education. Here is the verified breakdown, straight from the source.
Last verified: May 2026 · Source: AS 08.95.040; 12 AAC 18.210; 12 AAC 18.220
The short version
| Requirement | Hours | Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 45 | Every 2 years |
| Substance Abuse Education | 6 | Every 2 years |
| Cross-Cultural Education (Alaska Natives) | 6 | Every 2 years |
| Professional Ethics | 3 | Every 2 years |
| Teletherapy Practice | 3 | Every 2 years |
| Suicide Education | 3 | Every 2 years |
Alaska's social work CE rule applies uniformly across LBSW, LMSW, and LCSW. 12 AAC 18.210 says “a licensee applying for renewal of a social worker license shall complete the continuing education contact hours set out in this section for a biennial licensing period.” Tier differentiation lives at the examination stage (12 AAC 18.105), not at CE.
Substance Abuse Education: 6 hours
12 AAC 18.210(b)(1) requires 6 contact hours in substance abuse education every cycle. Content addressing screening, assessment, treatment, recovery support, or co-occurring disorders qualifies. The 6 hours count toward the 45-hour total.
Cross-Cultural Education (Alaska Natives): 6 hours
12 AAC 18.210(b)(2) requires 6 contact hours in cross-cultural education with explicit attention to issues affecting Alaska Native communities. First biennial renewal: all 6 hours must address Alaska Native issues. Second and subsequent renewals: at least 3 of the 6 must address Alaska Native issues; the remaining 3 may address other cross-cultural content.
Professional Ethics: 3 hours
12 AAC 18.210(b)(3) requires 3 contact hours of professional ethics. Content covering the NASW code, board statutes and rules, or applied clinical-ethics decision-making all qualify.
Teletherapy Practice: 3 hours
Added in the 2023 rule update, 12 AAC 18.210(b)(4) requires 3 contact hours covering teletherapy practice standards. Content addressing virtual-care competence, cross-state practice considerations, or teletherapy-specific risk management qualifies.
Suicide Education: 3 hours
12 AAC 18.210(b)(5) requires 3 contact hours in suicide education every cycle. Content on screening, risk assessment, safety planning, postvention, or AK-specific suicide epidemiology all qualify.
Live or synchronous: 10-hour minimum
12 AAC 18.210(d) requires at least 10 of the 45 contact hours be earned via live, live-online, or synchronous training. The remaining 35 hours can be self-paced or recorded.
Daily cap
12 AAC 18.210(e) caps any single calendar day at 12 contact hours. A two-day intensive can credit at most 24 hours regardless of advertised content length.
No carryover
12 AAC 18.200 through .230 contains no provision permitting carryover. Hours earned beyond 45 in a cycle do not roll forward.
Renewal timing
Alaska social work license expires June 30 of even-numbered years (12 AAC 18.200). Renew online via the Alaska MyLicense portal.
LMSW vs. LCSW: identical CE rule
Same total, same five content minimums, same delivery limits, same renewal cycle. Tier differentiation in Alaska is examination-based (basic / intermediate / clinical ASWB exams), not CE-based.
Accepted CE sponsors and approvers
12 AAC 18.220 accepts ASWB-ACE, NASW, CSWE-accredited social work programs, and academic postgraduate social work courses without requiring a separate AK board approval. Other providers may qualify; check the CE rule before paying.
Documentation
Records must be retained 3 years from the date earned (12 AAC 18.230). The board conducts random audits. Keep certificates and any provider syllabus that proves content alignment to the five content minimums.
Board links
Track these requirements automatically.
Still Licensed keeps your Alaska ethics and total hours up to date as you log each CE. Multi-state support means one entry can count toward every state you're licensed in.
This page is informational. Rules change. Verify against the Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners (BSWE) before acting on anything here.