If you hold a Montana LCSW license, the Board of Behavioral Health requires 20 hours of continuing education each year, including 2 hours of suicide prevention. All hours may be home study, and up to 20 excess hours may carry forward. The Board no longer pre-approves courses. Below is the full breakdown of what you need, what counts, and when it is due.
20 hours / year
Twenty CE hours each annual cycle.
Suicide prevention (2)
Two hours of suicide prevention each year.
Carry-forward allowed
Up to 20 excess hours may carry forward to the next year.
Home study OK
All hours may be completed by home study.
How many CE hours Montana clinical social workers need
Montana requires 20 continuing education hours each year, all of which may be home study. Up to 20 excess hours may carry forward.
Mandated subject requirements
- Suicide prevention: 2 hours each year.
- Ethics: recognized CE area; confirm the exact LCSW requirement with the Board.
Renewal cycle and deadlines
Montana social work licenses renew annually. Complete and document your 20 hours before your renewal date.
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View pricingMontana Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) CME at a glance
- Suicide Prevention2 hrs · annual
2 hours in suicide prevention each year.
- Professional EthicsRequired · annual
Ethics is a recognized CE area; the specific LCSW ethics-hour requirement is not clearly stated in current sources. Confirm with the Board.
Double-check this one — our sources varied
Sources disagreed on some figures for this state, so treat the numbers above as a researched starting point and verify the specifics with the board before you rely on them.
The Montana Board of Behavioral Health requires 20 hours of continuing education each year for LCSWs, including 2 hours of suicide prevention; all may be home study. The Board no longer pre-approves courses; licensees take courses relevant to their scope of practice. Up to 20 excess hours may carry forward to the next year.
Continuing education rules change. The exact LCSW ethics-hour requirement was not clearly confirmed; verify current requirements with the Montana Board of Behavioral Health before relying on these figures.
Source: Montana Board of Behavioral Health. Board website · Researched as of 2026-06-01 · CME rules change; this is administrative guidance, not legal or CME-accreditation advice.
Licensed in more than one state?
Social Work Licensure Compact: enacted but not yet active. Enacted by states and a commission is forming, but NOT yet issuing privileges — LCSWs license state-by-state today.
Each state license carries its own CME requirement and renewal date — if you hold more than one, you need a plan for each.
Montana LCSW CE Requirements — Frequently Asked Questions
How many CE hours do Montana clinical social workers need?
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20 continuing education hours each year.
Does Montana require suicide prevention training?
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Yes — 2 hours of suicide prevention each year.
Can Montana CE carry forward?
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Yes — up to 20 excess hours may carry forward to the next year.
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