West Virginia social work license requirements

We've listed some of the most common questions and answers for West Virginia social worker continuing education.

How many CE hours does West Virginia require for social workers?

• LSW/LGSW/LCSW/LICSW: 30 hours every 2 years.

• Provisional License: 20 hours every 2 years.

• Service Worker Registrant: 20 hours every 2 years.

Licenses expire based on the date of issuance.

Can I take my continuing education through Continued Social Work?

Yes. Continued is an ASWB ACE provider, and the West Virginia Board of Social Work accepts courses approved by ASWB ACE.

Please note: Provisional licenses are not eligible to take independent study or online coursework to their continuing education requirement.

Category I Hours: 

• At least twenty hours must be presented by a Board-approved provider, ten hours of which must be face-to-face or synchronous. Continued is considered a board-approved provider through our ASWB ACE provider approval.

Category II Hours: 

• Licensees may use up to 10 hours in Individual Professional Activities that do not require prior approval. Course content must relate to social work or improving your practice and may include :

  • Attendance at workshops that are not provided by an approved CE provider
  • Reading or writing of papers, journals, articles, or books with relevant social work objectives and content
  • Preparation time when serving as a presenter at a social work program;
  • Internet research into specific areas of social work methods and practice, issues, etc.
  • Online courses in excess of the approved ten hours
  • Viewing videos of prevalent and problematic social, health, and family issues; this does not include movies or shows where the primary goal is to entertain

LSW/LGSW/LCSW/LICSW:

• 30 hours required.
  • There is no limit to the number of continuing education hours that can be completed online; however, at least 10 of the 40 required hours must be through live interactive webinars. Continued offers live courses.
  • There is a limit of 10 hours that can be taken through online coursework that is asynchronous (self-paced online training). Continued offers asynchronous courses.
  • 1 hour of ethics each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics requirement.
  • 2 hours of mental health specific to veterans and their families each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the Veteran requirement.

Service Worker Registrant:

• 20 hours required.
  • 1 hour of ethics each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the ethics requirement.
  • 2 hours of mental health specific to veterans and their families each renewal period. Continued offers courses that may meet the Veteran requirement.
• Courses must be taken either online or face to face, and Service Worker Registrants are not eligible to use independent study.

Provisional License:

• 20 hours required.
• Provisional licensees are not required to earn hours on veterans mental health.
• Provisional licenses are not eligible to take independent study or online coursework to their continuing education requirement.

CE Broker Reporting:

• Proof of required CE must be electronically submitted directly to CE Broker. Continued will report course completions to CE Broker for approved courses. You may also self-report to CE Broker. The Continued provider number for CE Broker is 50-29950.