California counseling license requirements

We've listed some of the most common questions and answers for California counseling continuing education.

How many CE Credits does California require for counselors?

• Professionals licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences:

  • LPCC, LMFT, and LEP: 36 hours every 2 years. Licenses expire biennially based on the date of issuance.

  • APCC, AMFT: 3 hours in CA laws and ethics every year.

• Professionals licensed by the Addiction Counselor Certification Board of California (CAADE): 

  • CATC, CATC I, CATC II, CATC III, CATC IV, CATC V, CATC N: 40 hours every 2 years.

• Professionals certified by the California SUD Counselor Certification Agency (CADTP):

  • SUDCC, SUDCC II, SUDCC III, SUDCC III-CS, SUDCC-IV, SUDCC-IV-CS: 40 hours every 2 years.
  • SUDRC: 6 hours every year.

• Professionals certified by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP):

  • CADC I, CADC II, CADC III, LAADC: 50 hours every 2 years.
  • LAADC-S: 56 hours every 2 years, including 6 hours in supervision.
  • RADT-I and RADT-II: 3 hours of coursework in ethics and confidentiality, in addition to 45 hours of primary education toward certification.

Can I take my continuing education through Continued counseling?

• LPCC/LMFT/LEP: Yes. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts courses by NBCC approved providers. Continued has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7484. Find courses offered for NBCC credit.

• Addiction Counselors: Yes.

  • The California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators (CAADE) Addiction Counselor Certification Board of California (ACCBC) requires provider approval. Continued is an approved provider #CP40 206 C 0422. Find courses offered under the CAADE approval.
  • The CADTP California SUD Counselor Certification Agency (CADTP) requires provider approval. Continued is an approved provider #241. Find courses offered under the CADTP approval.
  • The California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) requires provider approval. Continued is an approved provider #OS-24-224-0426. Find courses offered under the CCAPP approval.

Licensees are responsible for completing courses that align with the content requirements for their specific license.

LPCC/LMFT:

• There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be completed online.
• For every renewal, 6 CE hours must be obtained in law and ethics. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics course requirement.
• For the first license renewal after 7/1/2023, 3 hours must be obtained in the legal and ethical issues related to telehealth. Continued offers courses that may meet the legal and ethical issues related to telehealth course requirement.
• For the first license renewal after 7/1/2021, 6 hours must be obtained in suicide risk assessment and intervention. Continued offers courses that may meet the suicide course requirement.
• For a new license's first renewal, 7 CE hours must be obtained in HIV/AIDS. Continued offers courses that may meet this requirement.
• For individuals seeking licensure, 10 CE hours must be obtained in human sexuality. Continued offers courses that may meet the human sexuality requirement.
• 15-Hour Training for New Supervisors: Requires persons licensed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences who commence supervision for the first time in California on or after January 1, 2022 to complete 15 hours of supervision training or coursework.
  • Continued offers supervision courses. Please ensure you follow the content guidelines on page 14 of this document. Please also ensure you take courses created within the past two years. The course creation date is listed on the course details page of each course.

LEP:

• There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be completed online.
• For every renewal, 6 CE hours must be obtained in law and ethics. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics course requirement.
• For the first license renewal after 7/1/2023, 3 hours must be obtained in the legal and ethical issues related to telehealth. Continued offers courses that may meet the legal and ethical issues related to telehealth course requirement.
• For the first license renewal after 7/1/2021, 6 hours must be obtained in suicide risk assessment and intervention. Continued offers courses that may meet the suicide course requirement.
• For a new license's first renewal, 7 hours must be obtained in child abuse assessment and reporting. Continued offers courses that may meet the child abuse course requirement.
• For a new license's first renewal, 15 CE hours must be obtained in alcoholism and other chemical substance dependency. The Alcoholism and Other Chemical Substance Dependency training must cover substance abuse (as opposed to only substance dependency). Continued offers courses on chemical substance dependency that may meet this requirement.
• Please note that a newly licensed LEP may be required to complete 37 hours in total due to specific one-time course requirements.

APCC/AMFT:

• 3 hours in California law and ethics

  • Explore our California law and ethics course

Addiction Counselors:

• For professionals credentialed by the California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators (CAADE) Addiction Counselor Certification Board of California (ACCBC):

  • CATC, CATC I, CATC II, CATC III, CATC IV, CATC V, CATC N:

    • There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be completed online.
    • All CEUs must pertain to the field of addiction counseling.
    • 9 hours of laws and ethics each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics course requirement.

• For professionals credentialed by the California SUD Counselor Certification Agency (CADTP):

  • SUDRC, SUDCC, SUDCC II, SUDCC III, SUDCC III-CS, SUDCC-IV, SUDCC-IV-CS: 

    • There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be completed online.

    • 3 hours of ethics each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics course requirement.
    • 3 hours of confidentiality each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the confidentiality course requirement.
  • For supervisors: 6 hours of clinical supervision each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the clinical supervision course requirement.

• For professionals credentialed by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP): There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be completed online.

  • RADT-I/RADT-II: 3 hours of laws, ethics, and confidentiality each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the laws, ethics, and confidentiality course requirements.

  • CADC I, CADC II, CADC III, LAADC: 6 hours of ethics and confidentiality each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics and confidentiality course requirement.

  • LAADC-S: 

    • 6 hours of ethics and confidentiality each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics and confidentiality course requirement.

    • 6 hours of supervision each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the supervision course requirement.