Continuing Education
District of Columbia CE Requirements by License
Continuing-education / CPD renewal requirements for behavioral and mental health licenses in District of Columbia — hours or CPD model per cycle, mandated topics, live/interactive rules, and home-study limits. Pick a license for the full breakdown.
District of Columbia requirements at a glance
| License | Profession | CE / CPD | Ethics | Live / interactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LICSW | Social Work | 40 h / 2yr | 6 h | 28 h |
| LPC | Counseling | 40 h / 2yr | 6 h | — |
| Licensed Psychologist | Psychology | 30 h / 2yr | 3 h | 15 h |
| LMFT | Marriage & Family Therapy | 30 h / 2yr | 6 h | 15 h |
| BCBA | Behavior Analysis | 32 h / 2yr | 4 h | — |
Requirements by license
Verified
District of Columbia
LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker)
40hours / 2-year renewal cycle
28 live / interactive hours required
Mandated topics
- Ethics — 6 hMust be completed face-to-face; no online courses accepted for the ethics hours.
- Cultural Competency - LGBTQ — 2 hMay be completed online (D.C. Law 21-95).
- Public Health Priorities — 4 h10% of the 40-hour total; topics designated by the DC Health Director per the public notice (updated effective Oct 1, 2025), e.g., opioid/pain management, sexual/reproductive health, chronic disease, human trafficking/abuse.
Verified
District of Columbia
LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor)
40hours / 2-year renewal cycle
No live / interactive hours required — all hours may be self-study
Mandated topics
- Ethics — 6 h
- Trauma Counseling — 4 h
- LGBTQ Cultural Competence — 2 hMust be completed in addition to (not counted within) the public health priority hours (D.C. Law 21-95).
- Public Health Priorities — 4 h10% of the 40-hour total; topics designated by DC Health per the public notice effective Oct 1, 2025 (e.g., opioid prescribing, human trafficking, implicit bias/cultural competence, sexual health, vaccinations, tobacco use). May be embedded within qualifying courses.
Verified
District of Columbia
Licensed Psychologist
30hours / 2-year renewal cycle
15 live / interactive hours required
Mandated topics
- Ethics — 3 h
- LGBTQ Cultural Competency — 2 hCultural competency training focusing on LGBTQ patients (D.C. Law 21-95).
- DC Public Health Priorities — 3 h10% of the 30-hour total; DC Health-designated topics such as opioid/pain management, nutrition/obesity, abuse/neglect/trafficking/domestic violence, sexual health (per Oct 1, 2025 notice).
Verified
District of Columbia
LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist)
30hours / 2-year renewal cycle
15 live / interactive hours required
Mandated topics
- Ethics — 6 h
- LGBTQ Cultural Competency — 2 hCultural competency focusing on patients who identify as LGBTQ (D.C. Law 21-95).
- Public Health Priority — 3 h10% of the 30-hour total; DC Health Director-designated topics (per Oct 1, 2025 notice), e.g., opioid use disorder, human trafficking, chronic pain/disease, sexual/reproductive health.
Confirm with board
District of Columbia
BCBA (national BACB certification) / DC Licensed Behavior Analyst (framework under DC Code Title 3, Ch. 12)
32hours / 2-year renewal cycle
No live / interactive hours required — all hours may be self-study
Mandated topics
- Ethics — 4 hBACB requirement: minimum 4 ethics CEUs per 2-year cycle.
- Supervision — 3 hBACB requirement: minimum 3 supervision CEUs per cycle, only for certificants who supervise or serve as fieldwork supervisors.
Complete your District of Columbia CE with Triad
AATBS and CE4Less offer board-approved continuing education across social work, counseling, psychology, MFT, and behavior analysis.
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do behavioral health licenses require in District of Columbia?
In District of Columbia, hour-based licenses require 30 to 40 continuing-education hours per renewal cycle depending on the license type; some credentials follow a CPD model instead. See the table above for each credential.
Do CE requirements differ by license type in District of Columbia?
Yes. Social work, counseling, psychology, marriage & family therapy, and behavior-analysis credentials each have their own requirements, mandated topics, and renewal cycles in District of Columbia. This page lists each one separately.
Does District of Columbia require ethics CE?
District of Columbia requires dedicated ethics continuing education for: BCBA, LICSW, LMFT, LPC, Licensed Psychologist. Exact hour counts are on each license's page.
CE requirements in other states
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Updated July 2026 from official licensing-board, regulatory-college, and government sources. CE / CPD requirements change often — always confirm current rules directly with your licensing board or regulator before you renew. Informational only, not legal advice.