Continuing Education Requirements for Texas Mental Health Professionals
By the Open My Practice team · Updated November 8, 2026 · 5 min read
Continuing education is the part of licensure that never ends. Each renewal period, Texas requires a set number of hours, specific topics, and proof you can produce on request. The rules differ by license, and it's easy to lose track of which hours count.
Hours by license type
- Licensed Professional Counselor: 24 hours per renewal period
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist: 30 hours
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker: 30 hours
- Licensed Psychologist: 40 hours of professional development
Every license type requires 6 of those hours in ethics. Cultural diversity or competency hours are required too: 3 for LPCs, LMFTs, and LCSWs, and 6 for psychologists. Supervisors and therapists who provide telehealth may have additional topic requirements depending on their license.
Rules that trip people up
- Where hours come from matters. LPCs and psychologists must earn at least half of their hours from specified provider types, such as professional associations, universities, hospitals, and government entities.
- Hours must fall within the renewal period. Up to 10 unused hours can carry forward to the next period.
- Passing the Texas jurisprudence exam can count as 1 hour of ethics.
- You report hours through CE Broker, and you need certificates to back up every hour if you're audited.
How we handle this for you
- Lets you log each course and upload the certificate from your phone
- Adds up total hours, ethics, cultural diversity, and other required topics against your license's rules
- Counts only hours earned in your current renewal period
- Exports a complete CE record in one click if you're audited
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours does a Texas LPC need?
LPCs need 24 hours each renewal period, including 6 hours of ethics and 3 hours of cultural diversity or competency, and must pass the jurisprudence exam each renewal period.
How many CE hours does a Texas psychologist need?
Licensed psychologists need 40 hours of professional development each renewal period, including 6 hours of ethics and 6 hours of cultural diversity or competency.
Can CE hours carry over in Texas?
Yes. Up to 10 hours earned during a renewal period that you don't need for that renewal can carry forward to the next one.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules change, so confirm requirements with the relevant agency or a qualified professional before acting.