Approval for Counselors in California

California Board of Behavioral Sciences CE Information

Accepted Approvals

APA ASWB ACE NBCC 5951

Impact CE home study courses meet qualifications for continuing education credit for MFT’s and/or LCSW’s as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. CE-credit.com maintains responsibility for the courses.

All our distance learning (online/home-study) courses are considered “interactive” and available for your 36 credit hours.

CE Learning Systems has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5951. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE Learning Systems is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Impact CE is a service division of CE Learning Systems.

California requires 36 hours of CE Credits, including 6 hours of Law and Ethics

Effective January 1, 2021, California requires 6 credits in suicide risk and assessment. This is a one time requirement.

Effective July 1, 2023, California requires 3 credits inTelehealth, which must include law and ethics related to telehealth. This is a one time requirement.

For more information about one time requirements, see the BBS requirements graphic here:
https://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/forms/cechart.pdf

All licensees, must certify completion of continuing education on their renewal application. Random CE audits ensure compliance. If audited, you will receive a letter from the Board requesting copies of your continuing education certificates or course documentation as proof of compliance.

Board Contact Info

Board of Behavioral Sciences
Phone: 916-574-7830
http://www.bbs.ca.gov

Applies To:

  • California Social Workers
    • LCSW
    • LCSWA
  • California Counselors
    • LPCC
  • California Marriage & Family Therapists
    • LMFTA
    • LMFT
  • California School Psychologists
    • LEP
Select credential:

Licensed Clincal Social Worker

CE requirement: 36 hours every two years. All special-topic hours count inside this 36; nothing is added on top.

Each Renewal

  • 36 total hours
  • 6 hours in Law & Ethics

One-Time CE Courses (count toward your 36 hours)

  • 6 hours in Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention
    Complete before your first renewal on or after January 2021. Most current licensees have already met this requirement; new licensees or those reactivating after a lapse still need it.
  • 3 hours in Telehealth
    If your last renewal was before July 2023 and you did not take a Telehealth course then, include one in this renewal period. Once completed, neither one-time course needs to be repeated.

First Renewal (counts toward your 36 hours)

  • 7 hours in HIV/AIDS

See the BBS requirements chart for reference: BBS CE Requirements Chart

Credential Renewal
36 CE credit hours required for renewal.

Yes You can use Impact CE for renewing your LCSW credential.

Any course accepted by CBBS is applicable to the LCSW credential.

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Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate

All associates beginning January 1, 2023 are required to complete a minimum 3 hours of continuing education coursework in California law and ethics (Courses for this requirement coming soon!)

Credential Renewal
3 CE credit hours required for renewal.

Yes You can use Impact CE for renewing your LCSWA credential.

Any course accepted by CBBS is applicable to the LCSWA credential.

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View All 443 Courses

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

All associates beginning January 1, 2023 are required to complete a minimum 3 hours of continuing education coursework in California law and ethics (Courses for this requirement coming soon!)

Credential Renewal
3 CE credit hours required for renewal.

Yes You can use Impact CE for renewing your LMFTA credential.

Any course accepted by CBBS is applicable to the LMFTA credential.

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View All 443 Courses

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

CE requirement: 36 hours every two years. All special-topic hours count inside this 36; nothing is added on top.

Each Renewal

  • 36 total hours
  • 6 hours in Law & Ethics

One-Time CE Courses (count toward your 36 hours)

  • 6 hours in Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention
    Complete before your first renewal on or after January 2021. Most current licensees have already met this requirement; new licensees and those reactivating after a lapse still need it.
  • 3 hours in Telehealth
    If your last renewal was before July 2023 and you did not take a Telehealth course then, include one in this renewal period. Once completed, neither one-time course needs to be repeated.

First Renewal (counts toward your 36 hours)

  • 7 hours in HIV/AIDS

See the BBS requirements chart for reference: BBS CE Requirements Chart (rev. May 2025)

Credential Renewal
36 CE credit hours required for renewal.

Yes You can use Impact CE for renewing your LMFT credential.

Any course accepted by CBBS is applicable to the LMFT credential.

View Courses

View All 443 Courses

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

CE requirement: 36 hours every two years. All special-topic hours count inside this 36; nothing is added on top.

Each Renewal

  • 36 total hours
  • 6 hours in Law & Ethics

One-Time CE Courses (count toward your 36 hours)

  • 6 hours in Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention
    Complete before your first renewal on or after January 2021. Most current licensees have already met this requirement; new licensees or those reactivating after a lapse still need it.
  • 3 hours in Telehealth
    If your last renewal was before July 2023 and you did not take a Telehealth course then, include one in this renewal period.

First Renewal (counts toward your 36 hours)

  • 7 hours in HIV/AIDS

See the BBS requirements chart for reference: BBS CE Requirements Chart

Credential Renewal
36 CE credit hours required for renewal.

Yes You can use Impact CE for renewing your LPCC credential.

Any course accepted by CBBS is applicable to the LPCC credential.

View Courses

View All 443 Courses

Licensed Educational Psychologist

CE requirement: 36 hours every two years. All special-topic hours count inside this 36; nothing is added on top.

Each Renewal

  • 36 total hours
  • 6 hours in Law & Ethics

One-Time CE Courses (count toward your 36 hours)

  • 6 hours in Suicide Risk Assessment & Intervention
    Complete before your first renewal on or after January 2021. Most current licensees have already met this requirement; new licensees or those reactivating after a lapse still need it.
  • 3 hours in Telehealth
    If your last renewal was before July 2023 and you did not take a Telehealth course then, include one in this renewal period.

First Renewal (counts toward your 36 hours)

  • 7 hours in Child Abuse Assessment & Reporting
  • 15 hours in Alcoholism & Other Chemical Substance Dependency

See the BBS requirements chart for reference: BBS CE Requirements Chart

Credential Renewal
36 CE credit hours required for renewal.

Yes You can use Impact CE for renewing your LEP credential.

Any course accepted by CBBS is applicable to the LEP credential.

View Courses

View All 443 Courses

General Ethics and Law

6.00 CE credit hours

MFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs are required to complete 6 hours of Law and Ethics training with every renewal. You need to select appropriate ethics courses totaling 6 or more credit hours and then you must review your laws and regulations (https://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/publications/lawsregs.pdf). The two courses listed under the Telehealth requirement can also be used as ethics courses if you have already met the Telehealth requirement.

Impact CE offers 32 courses applicable to this requirement.
View All 32 Courses

HIV/AIDS

7.00 CE credit hours

All licensees are required to complete continuing education coursework in the characteristics and methods of assessment and treatment of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) during their first renewal period after the adoption of these regulations. The coursework must total seven (7) hours.

Impact CE offers 5 courses applicable to this requirement.

Suicide

6.00 CE credit hours

Suicide risk assessment and intervention is a one time requirement.

Impact CE offers 29 courses applicable to this requirement.
View All 29 Courses

Telehealth

3.00 CE credit hours

Legal and ethical issues related to telehealth is a one time requirement. The courses listed here can be used for the ethics requirement if you have already completed the one time Telehealth requirement.

Impact CE offers 2 courses applicable to this requirement.

California specific law and ethics

3.00 CE credit hours

All associates beginning January 1, 2023 are required to complete a minimum 3 hours of continuing education coursework in California law and ethics during each renewal period (the one-year period prior to the registration’s expiration date) to be eligible to renew their registration.

We do not currently offer courses to fulfill this requirement.
Currently 443 of our courses are available for Social Workers, Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, and School Psychologists regulated by CBBS. These are just a few examples!
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Disclaimer

We do our best keep our information current, but rules and regulations sometimes change without notice. Please remember it is ultimately your own responsibility for interpreting your state's laws, board rules, course relevancy and all requirements for your state.

If you are aware of a change in your requirements that is not shown here, please let us know!

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