Ethics CE Requirements by State for Mental Health Professionals
A state-by-state reference guide to ethics continuing education requirements for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and marriage and family therapists.
Why Ethics CE Is Universally Required
Ethics continuing education is the one CE requirement that every state licensing board shares across all mental health professions. Whether you hold a psychology license, clinical social work license, counseling license, or marriage and family therapy license, your state board requires ethics CE at each renewal cycle.
The rationale is straightforward: the therapeutic relationship is inherently unequal in power, and clinicians face complex ethical situations throughout their careers involving boundaries, confidentiality, dual relationships, mandatory reporting obligations, and decisions about client welfare (Knapp & VandeCreek, 2006). Licensing boards require ongoing ethics training to ensure practitioners are equipped to navigate these situations competently.
Ethics violations are among the most common reasons for licensing board complaints and disciplinary action (Gottlieb & Younggren, 2009). Regular ethics CE helps clinicians stay current with evolving professional standards, case law affecting practice, and emerging issues like telehealth ethics and the use of technology in clinical settings (Reamer, 2013).
Ethics CE vs. Law and Ethics vs. Jurisprudence
General Ethics CE
Covers professional ethics codes (APA, NASW, NBCC, AAMFT), ethical decision-making frameworks, boundary issues, dual relationships, confidentiality, and mandatory reporting. Accepted in all states for ethics CE requirements.
Law and Ethics CE
Covers both professional ethics codes AND the specific state laws and regulations governing mental health practice in a particular state. Required by California, Washington, and other states. A general ethics CE does NOT satisfy a law-and-ethics requirement.
Jurisprudence CE
Focuses specifically on the laws, statutes, and administrative rules governing mental health practice in a state. Texas, Arizona, and some other states require a jurisprudence component separately from ethics CE.
Important: If your state requires "law and ethics" CE, a standard ethics CE course from another state will not satisfy the requirement. You must complete a course that covers your specific state's laws governing mental health practice.
Ethics Hours by State and Profession
| State | Psychologist | Social Worker | Counselor | MFT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Alaska | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Arizona | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| California | 6 hrs | 6 hrs | 6 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Colorado | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 4 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Connecticut | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Florida | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Georgia | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Illinois | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Michigan | 5 hrs | 5 hrs | 5 hrs | 5 hrs |
| New York | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| North Carolina | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 5 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Ohio | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Pennsylvania | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Texas | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Virginia | 2 hrs | 2 hrs | 2 hrs | 2 hrs |
| Washington | 6 hrs | 6 hrs | 6 hrs | 6 hrs |
Approximate values. Verify with your state board. Some states require "law and ethics" which is more specific than general ethics CE.
What Ethics CE Should Cover
Professional Codes of Ethics
APA Ethics Code, NASW Code of Ethics, NBCC Code, AAMFT Code. Licensing board requirements reference these codes, and ethics CE should review and apply them to clinical scenarios.
Confidentiality and Privilege
HIPAA compliance, limits of confidentiality (Tarasoff, child abuse, elder abuse), protecting client records, and managing requests for information from third parties.
Dual Relationships and Boundaries
Managing therapeutic boundaries, understanding transference and countertransference, avoiding exploitative relationships, and navigating small-community challenges (Gottlieb & Younggren, 2009).
Informed Consent
Elements of valid consent, assent vs. consent for minors, capacity assessment, telehealth disclosures, and documenting the consent process.
Mandatory Reporting
Child abuse and neglect reporting obligations, elder abuse, duty to warn (Tarasoff), and navigating ethical tensions in mandatory reporting situations.
Telehealth Ethics
Ethical practice in virtual settings, interstate practice concerns, technology security, client privacy, and informed consent for telehealth modalities (Reamer, 2013).
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Search Free Ethics CEDisclaimer: Ethics CE requirements change and vary by license type within each state. This table is a general reference only. Always verify requirements with your state licensing board before completing CE for renewal credit.