Texas social work license renewal happens every two years, on the last day of your birth month in your assigned renewal year. You complete 30 hours of continuing education, pay a flat $108 fee, and submit everything through the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) online licensing system. The same process applies whether you hold an LBSW, LMSW, LMSW-AP, or LCSW.
When Your License Expires
Every Texas social work license runs on a two-year cycle, and your expiration date is the last day of your birth month in your assigned renewal year.1Legal Information Institute. 40 Texas Administrative Code 370.1 – License Renewal Born in October with a 2026 renewal year? Your license expires October 31, 2026.
Your online account switches to “Renewal” status about 60 days before that date, which is when the renewal module opens.2Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. How to Renew Your Social Worker License Online Start early. A CE documentation problem or a payment glitch is fixable with two weeks of buffer and painful with two days.
Continuing Education: 30 Hours
You need 30 CE hours during each two-year cycle. Of those, at least 6 must be in ethics and at least 3 must focus on serving a distinct population, such as veterans, children, or older adults.3Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Renewing a Social Work License The remaining 21 hours can cover any topic relevant to social work practice.
Since January 2024, at least half of your 30 hours must come from a provider listed in Board Rule 22 TAC 781.501.3Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Renewing a Social Work License Informal workshops and unrecognized providers cannot fill the entire requirement. Confirm your provider’s approval status before you pay for a course.
If you supervise other social workers, 6 of your 30 hours must be in supervision. Those hours count toward the 30-hour total rather than sitting on top of it.
Human Trafficking Prevention Training
Texas Occupations Code Section 116.002 requires certain health care practitioners to complete a human trafficking prevention course approved by the Health and Human Services Commission, and social workers generally fall under this requirement. The course can count toward your 30 CE hours, but only if it is HHSC-approved and covers the mandated content.
Keeping Your CE Records
Keep your CE certificates for four years from the end of your expiration month. If you renewed late or restored a lapsed license, that four-year clock starts from the month you completed the late renewal or restoration.4Legal Information Institute. 40 Texas Administrative Code 367.3 – Continuing Education Audit Only licensees selected for audit have to upload documentation during renewal, but the board conducts random audits and you need the paperwork ready if yours comes up.
The Renewal Fee
The renewal fee is a flat $108, regardless of license type.5Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council Fee Schedule There is no tiered pricing by license level. It is non-refundable and must be paid in full during online renewal by credit card or electronic check. Texas.gov and Online Payment Platform processing fees may apply on top of the base amount.
Submitting Your Renewal Online
Once your account shows “Renewal” status, log in to the BHEC Online Licensing System. The Quick Start Menu will prompt you that it is time to renew, and the system walks you through several screens in order:2Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. How to Renew Your Social Worker License Online
- Contact verification: confirm or update your address, phone, and email.
- Suitability and conviction questions: any “yes” answer requires a brief written explanation.
- CE and fingerprint confirmation: attest that your hours are complete and your fingerprint record is current.
- Review and attestation: a summary page for you to confirm before submitting.
- Payment: the $108 fee through the online payment processor.
After payment, you land on a confirmation page with a transaction summary you can save or print. Your license usually updates in the system within three business days. It can take longer if you are under a CE audit or waiting on fingerprint verification.
Fingerprinting Is One-Time
You need a fingerprint-based criminal background check on file with BHEC, but you only do it once. After your initial fingerprinting under the BHEC service code, the council stays subscribed to your records for as long as your license remains active, and future renewals do not require a repeat.6Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Fingerprint Information If you have never been fingerprinted through BHEC, or your record is not on file, you will need to complete this before your renewal can be processed.
The Jurisprudence Exam Is Optional at Renewal
The BHEC jurisprudence exam is an online, open-book test on Texas social work statutes and board rules. It uses a “no-fail” format: you must answer each question correctly before moving on, with immediate feedback when you get one wrong.7Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Jurisprudence Examination It costs $39.
The exam is required for initial licensure but not for renewal. Taking it at renewal earns you 1 hour of CE credit in ethics, which counts toward your 6-hour ethics requirement.7Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Jurisprudence Examination
If You Miss the Deadline
Your license lapses the day after it expires. You cannot practice or use a protected title (LBSW, LMSW, LCSW) while lapsed. The late fees escalate:
- Within 90 days of expiration: 1.5 times the base fee, for a total of $162 plus processing fees.5Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council Fee Schedule
- 91 days to one year: double the base fee, or $216 plus processing fees.5Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council Fee Schedule
- More than one year: standard renewal is closed. You must apply for reinstatement, a separate application with its own requirements.8Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Reinstatement Applications
One trap catches people at the one-year mark. If your license has been expired, retired, revoked, or resigned, you cannot apply for a brand-new license of the same type you previously held. Reinstatement is the only path back.8Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Reinstatement Applications
Accommodations for Military Service Members
Active-duty service members get up to two additional years to complete continuing education and other renewal requirements. BHEC also waives late renewal surcharges for service members who could not renew on time because of deployment or active duty at the time of expiration.9Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Military Service Members, Veterans, and Military Spouses Additional accommodations apply to military spouses and veterans seeking initial licensure.
What the Social Work Compact Does Not Change Yet
The Social Work Licensure Compact would eventually let social workers practice across member states without a separate license in each. As of early 2026, the compact has reached activation status after at least seven states enacted it, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued, and implementation is expected to take 12 to 24 months from activation.10Social Work Licensure Compact. Social Work Licensure Compact Until then, nothing about your Texas renewal changes.