
Virginia accepts Elevate CE's credits for social workers.
The VA Board of Social Work accepts courses approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). More Information can be found:https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/media/dhpweb/docs/sw/leg/Social_Work.pdf [Page 12].
Elevate Continuing Education, #1816, formerly Maryland CEU Institute is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program.
Virginia Social Work Continuing Education Requirements
2026 License Renewal Information
Renewal Deadline: June 30th Yearly Renewal - CE Hours required for Even Year Renewals (next one is 2026)
Renewal Frequency: Every year - CE hours only required on Even Year Renewals
How many CEs do Virginia social workers need for renewal?
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): 30 Total CE Hours every two Years
Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW): 15 Total CE Hours every two Years
Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW): 15 Total CE Hours every two Years
At this time, Registered Social Workers and Associate Social Workers are not required to complete CEs
SPECIAL TOPIC REQUIREMENTS:
For LCSWs: 6 Hours in Ethics or the standards of practice for the behavioral health professions or to laws governing the practice of social work in Virginia (For fully licensed LCSW’s)
For LBSWs and LMSWs: 3 Hours in Ethics or the standards of practice for the behavioral health professions or to laws governing the practice of social work in Virginia (For LBSW and LMSW’s)
For more information, please view the CE Renewal Information Chart provided by the Virginia Board of Social Work.
Can I take my CEs from Elevate CE?
YES! All of our courses (Live Webinars and Recorded Webinars) are ASWB-approved and count for Category I activities for Virginia Social Workers, so Virginia social workers can meet all their CE requirements with Elevate Continuing Education through any combination of our Live Webinars or Recorded Webinars.
Elevate CE is an approved provider through the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). The Virginia Board of Social Work accepts courses approved through ASWB. Please see the regulation here.
View our Live Webinars or Recorded Webinars to get started learning and earning the CEs your need for renewal today!
Are there any course format requirements or limitations for Virginia social workers?
Yes, the Virginia Board of Social Work Categorizes CE hours in Category I and Category II credits. Up to 10 of the 30 required hours may be done via Category II activities (see below) for LCSW social workers and up to 5 of the 15 required hours may be done via Category II for LMSW and LBSW social workers. All of the courses offered by Elevate CE count as Category I credits for Virginia Social Workers.
Virginia Social Work CE Category Chart:
Category I: Formally Organized Learning Activities
LCSWs: 20 hours minimum
LMSW and LSWs: 10 hours minimum
Includes courses, workshops, or seminars from ASWB-approved providers like Elevate Continuing Education.
Category II: Individual Professional Activities
LCSWs: Up to 10 hours
LMSW and LSWs: Up to 5 hours
Includes self-directed activities like teaching, writing, or independent study.
Note: Up to 2 CE hours for renewal can be earned by providing unpaid social work services to low-income individuals through a health department or free clinic (verified by the organization-3 hours of service equals 1 CE hour).
What type of CE credits does Elevate CE offer Virginia Social Workers?
All of Elevate CE's courses provide Category I CE Hours for Virginia Social Workers.
Our courses are formally organized learning activities and our company is approved by the ASWB ACE program to provide social work continuing education. All participants who complete a training, whether a Live Webinar or Recorded Webinar with Elevate CE will receive a CE Certificate to document their participation and the CE Hours they have earned.
Virginia Social Work CE Requirement Statutes
This information below has been obtained directly from the Virginia Board of Social Work Website and is current as of November 2024. Please visit The Virginia Social Work Statutes/Regulations for full information and details.
Virginia Social Work continued competency requirements for renewal of an active license.
A. Licensed clinical social workers shall be required to have completed a minimum of 30 contact hours of continuing education. LBSWs and LMSWs shall be required to have completed a minimum of 15 contact hours of continuing education prior to licensure renewal in even years. Courses or activities shall be directly related to the practice of social work or another behavioral health field. A minimum of six of those hours for licensed clinical social workers and a minimum of three of those hours for licensed social workers must pertain to ethics or the standards of practice for the behavioral health professions or to laws governing the practice of social work in Virginia. Up to two continuing education hours required for renewal may be satisfied through delivery of social work services, without compensation, to low-income individuals receiving health services through a local health department or a free clinic organized in whole or primarily for the delivery of those services, as verified by the department or clinic. Three hours of volunteer service is required for one hour of continuing education credit.
1. The board may grant an extension for good cause of up to one year for the completion of continuing education requirements upon written request from the licensee prior to the renewal date. Such extension shall not relieve the licensee of the continuing education requirement.
2. The board may grant an exemption for all or part of the continuing education requirements due to circumstances beyond the control of the licensee such as temporary disability, mandatory military service, or officially declared disasters upon written request from the licensee prior to the renewal date.
B. Hours may be obtained from a combination of board-approved activities in the following two categories:
1. Category I. Formally Organized Learning Activities. A minimum of 20 hours for licensed clinical social workers or 10 hours for licensed social workers shall be documented in this category, which shall include one or more of the following:
a. Regionally accredited university or college academic courses in a behavioral health discipline. A maximum of 15 hours will be accepted for each academic course.
b. Continuing education programs offered by universities or colleges accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
c. Workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses in the behavioral health field offered by federal, state or local social service agencies, public school systems, or licensed health facilities and licensed hospitals.
d. Workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses in the behavioral health field offered by an individual or organization that has been certified or approved by one of the following:
(1) The Child Welfare League of America and its state and local affiliates.
(2) The National Association of Social Workers and its state and local affiliates.
(3) The National Association of Black Social Workers and its state and local affiliates.
(4) The Family Service Association of America and its state and local affiliates.
(5) The Clinical Social Work Association and its state and local affiliates.
(6) The Association of Social Work Boards.
(7) Any state social work board.
2. Category II. Individual Professional Activities. A maximum of 10 of the required 30 hours for licensed clinical social workers or a maximum of five of the required 15 hours for licensed social workers may be earned in this category, which shall include one or more of the following:
a. Participation in an Association of Social Work Boards item writing workshop. (Activity will count for a maximum of two hours.)
b. Publication of a professional social work-related book or initial preparation or presentation of a social work-related course. (Activity will count for a maximum of 10 hours.)
c. Publication of a professional social work-related article or chapter of a book, or initial preparation or presentation of a social work-related in-service training, seminar, or workshop. (Activity will count for a maximum of five hours.)
d. Provision of a continuing education program sponsored or approved by an organization listed under Category I. (Activity will count for a maximum of two hours and will only be accepted one time for any specific program.)
e. Field instruction of graduate students in a Council on Social Work Education-accredited school. (Activity will count for a maximum of two hours.)
f. Serving as an officer or committee member of one of the national professional social work associations listed under subdivision B 1 d of this section or as a member of a state social work licensing board. (Activity will count for a maximum of two hours.)
g. Attendance at formal staffings at federal, state, or local social service agencies, public school systems, or licensed health facilities and licensed hospitals. (Activity will count for a maximum of five hours.)
h. Individual or group study including listening to audio tapes, viewing video tapes, or reading professional books or articles. (Activity will count for a maximum of five hours.)
Statutory Authority