Tennessee Social Workers CE Requirements, Accreditations & Approvals

Tennessee Social Workers

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, NetCE is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. NetCE maintains responsibility for this course.

The Tennessee Board of Social Work Certification and Licensure accepts NetCE courses per rule 1365-01-.09.

Continuing Education Requirement

Attention Tennessee Social Workers: The Commissioner has been designated the authority through Executive Order 50, and through incorporation into later Orders, to waive in-person/live continuing education requirements. For the audit of continuing education credits/hours required to be obtained in any period that encompasses the calendar year of 2020 or 2021, all continuing education credits/hours that are obtained through non in-person/live methods during 2020 or 2021 will be accepted as proof of completing any continuing education requirements that are a condition of renewing and reinstating a license, certification or registration. The Commissioner will not audit the in-person or live event component for hours obtained during this time.

Beginning January 1, 2022, any continuing education credits/hours taken in calendar year 2022 must be obtained as required by each individual profession's rule. For boards requiring in-person/live credits/hours, the 2021/2022 audit cycle will include review for that requirement unless all hours for the 2021/2022 cycle were obtained in 2021.

The Tennessee Board of Social Work accepts NetCE courses.

LBSWs are required 9* hours each calendar year (18* hours every two years), including:

• Three (3) hours shall be in professional ethics annually (6 hours every two years).
• One (1) hour shall be specific to TCA 63-23-101 et seq., and the Rules & Regs of the TN Board of Social Workers Licensure, every two years.
• Beginning January 1, 2020, two (2) hours shall be in suicide prevention, every 4 years.
• Those licensees who hold more than one (1) category of licensure to practice social work must separately satisfy the continuing education requirements for each level of licensure.

LMSWs are required 12* hours each calendar year (24* hours every two years), including:

• Three (3) hours shall be in professional ethics annually (6 hours every two years).
• One (1) hour shall be specific to TCA 63-23-101 et seq., and the Rules & Regs of the TN Board of Social Workers Licensure, every two years.
• Beginning January 1, 2020, two (2) hours shall be in suicide prevention, every 4 years.
• Those licensees who hold more than one (1) category of licensure to practice social work must separately satisfy the continuing education requirements for each level of licensure.

LCSWs and LAPSWs are required 15* hours each calendar year (30* hours every two years), including:

• Three (3) hours shall be in professional ethics annually (6 hours every two years).
• One (1) hour shall be specific to TCA 63-23-101 et seq., and the Rules & Regs of the TN Board of Social Workers Licensure, every two years.
• Beginning January 1, 2020, two (2) hours shall be in suicide prevention, every 4 years.
• Those licensees who hold more than one (1) category of licensure to practice social work must separately satisfy the continuing education requirements for each level of licensure.

Licensed social workers with supervisory authority NEW Beginning January 1, 2023, must meet a one-time or cumulative requirement of twelve (12) hours specific to clinical or non-clinical advanced practice social work supervision, including three (3) hours that cover Tennessee licensing rules. Current supervisors have until December 31, 2023 to fulfill the new requirement.

*NetCE courses are considered multi-media. A maximum of two-thirds (2/3) of a licensee’s credit hours may completed by multi-media courses.

View Special Offers
View Course List

All Accreditations and Approvals
License Renewal Instructions

For More Information

Please contact the Tennessee Board of Social Work Certification and Licensure at (615) 741-5735 or (800) 778-4123, or refer to https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/health-professional-boards/sw-board/sw-board/continuing-education.html and https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1365/1365-01.20220606.pdf for additional information regarding your continuing education.