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North Carolina Social Work License Renewal: CE Requirements & What You Need to Know

  • Writer: Elevate Continuing Education
    Elevate Continuing Education
  • Jul 1
  • 3 min read

North Carolina Social Work CE Requirements

If you're a licensed social worker in North Carolina, it's important to stay on top of your continuing education (CE) requirements—not just to maintain your license, but to stay current and confident in your professional practice. Whether you’re an LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, or LCSW-A, understanding how and when to renew your license is essential.


At Elevate Continuing Education, we make it simple to keep up with your CE requirements—whether you prefer live webinars or recorded trainings, we’ve got you covered.


📅 When Do North Carolina Social Workers Renew Their Licenses?

Unlike many states with a fixed deadline, North Carolina’s license renewal date is based on your individual license issuance date. Social workers in North Carolina renew their licenses every two years from the date their license was first issued.


That means your CE deadline is unique to you, and it's a good idea to double-check your renewal period by logging into the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board portal.


🕒 How Many CE Hours Are Required for Renewal?

All North Carolina social workers—regardless of licensure level—must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years.

Here’s the breakdown by license type:

  • LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker): 40 hours

  • LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker): 40 hours

  • LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker): 40 hours

  • LCSW-A (Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate): 40 hours

Note: If your license is issued for less than a full two-year cycle, you may only need 30 CE hours instead of 40.


✅ Required CE Topics for North Carolina Social Workers

While you're free to choose courses that match your professional interests, the North Carolina Board requires that all licensees complete at least 4 hours in Ethics every two years.

Ethics courses must be specific to social work practice and may cover topics like boundaries, confidentiality, professional ethics, or decision-making in clinical settings.


📚 Course Format Requirements: What Counts and What Doesn’t?

North Carolina offers flexibility, but there are specific format rules to follow:

  • At least 20 of the 40 required hours must be completed via live, real-time learning (such as a live webinar).

  • Up to 20 hours can be completed via recorded or self-paced courses.

  • Elevate CE offers both live webinars and recorded trainings that meet these standards.


Other eligible formats include:

  • Academic coursework

  • Agency-based workshops and trainings

  • Cross-disciplinary offerings (from medicine, law, behavioral sciences, etc.)

  • Approved online courses (pre-approved by ASWB, NASW, or NBCC)

  • Study groups (with documentation)


Be aware that:

  • Practitioner self-care content is limited to 6 hours per cycle

  • Presenting a training can earn up to 5 hours per cycle (with documentation)

  • Duplicate courses (repeated in the same cycle) won’t be accepted

  • Supervision and case consultation do not count toward CE credit


🎓 Can I Take My CE Hours Through Elevate CE?

Yes! Elevate Continuing Education is an approved provider through ASWB and NBCC, and our courses are accepted by the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board.

You can complete:

  • All 20 required live hours through our real-time webinars

  • Up to 20 recorded hours through our self-paced on-demand courses

  • Your 4-hour ethics requirement through either live or recorded options

View our Live Webinars or Recorded Webinars to find CE courses that are convenient, high-quality, and aligned with North Carolina’s licensure rules.


💼 Staying in Compliance: Tips for a Smooth Renewal

  • Know your personal renewal cycle—it’s based on your license issue date

  • Track your CE hours throughout the two-year cycle

  • Prioritize your live CE hours early so you're not scrambling later

  • Be sure your ethics training is at least 4 hours and specific to social work

  • Print and save documentation for each course you complete


🔎 Want to Review the Official CE Rules?

The most current regulations can be found on the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board website. As of November 2024, these rules are accurate and apply to all license types in the state.

If you’d like to read the official rule language, see Section .0400 – Renewal of Certification, which covers:

  • What counts toward CE

  • Format limitations

  • Ethics and self-care content

  • Audit preparation and documentation rules


🚀 Ready to Complete Your North Carolina CEUs?

Whether you're looking for a live ethics webinar, a self-paced course on suicide prevention, or a deep dive into cultural competency, Elevate Continuing Education is here to support you.

Our trainings are:

  • 📍 Board-accepted in North Carolina

  • 👩‍💻 Easy to access online

  • ✅ Offered in both live and on-demand formats

  • 🧾 Immediately certified with downloadable completion certificates


Let’s make your next license renewal simple, efficient, and stress-free.

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