Here’s what the Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board asks of Licensed Mental Health Counselors at renewal, and the course I built around its ethics requirement.
Renewal requirements
Who this covers
- Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC)
- LMHC Associates (LMHCA), who complete 20 hours per licensure year (IC 25-23.6-8.5-8.5)
40 CEUs every 2 years (20 per year)
- At least half from Category I, formal programs that include accredited home study.
- At least 1 hour per year (2 per period) in ethics and professional conduct, including boundary issues, from a Category I provider.
- No more than half from Category II, self-directed activities (839 IAC 1-6-1 and 1-6-3).
Rules for every license
- NBCC courses count as Category I. 839 IAC 1-6-2(f) deems programs approved by NBCC to be approved. I’m an NBCC Approved Continuing Education Provider.
- No carryover: extra hours don’t move to the next period.
- Keep your certificates for 4 years after the end of the period (839 IAC 1-6-3). The Board audits at random (839 IAC 1-6-4).
- Waivers: requests for extreme hardship go in at least 45 days before your license expires (839 IAC 1-6-5).
- New licensees: the required hours are prorated (839 IAC 1-6-3).
Courses for each requirement
Ethics (2 hours, both years)
Indiana Ethics for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. Built on 839 IAC 1-5-5, the counselor privilege in IC 25-23.6-6-1, IC 16-39 records, the duty to warn statute, abuse reporting, telehealth, and the Counseling Compact. Self-paced, 2 hours, $9.
See the courseBundles
Indiana 40-Hour Full Renewal Bundle
Indiana Ethics (2) plus 38 Category I clinical hours: Psychopharmacology, Spiritually Integrated Practice, Couple and Family Therapy, Stress, Trauma, Crisis Intervention, Forgiveness, AI in Behavioral Health, and Chronic Pain. 40 hours, $59.
See the bundleCommon questions
How many CE hours do Indiana LMHCs need?
40 CEUs every 2-year renewal period (20 per year), at least half from Category I, including 1 hour of ethics and professional conduct each year.
Do NBCC-approved courses count in Indiana?
Yes. 839 IAC 1-6-2(f) deems NBCC-approved programs approved, so they count as Category I.
Does one 2-hour course cover both years of ethics?
The course is written for the full renewal period: 1 hour per year, 2 hours per period.
When do Indiana LMHC licenses renew?
April 1 of even-numbered years. The current period began April 1, 2026 and runs to the April 1, 2028 renewal.
Is there one bundle for the whole renewal?
Yes. My Indiana 40-Hour Full Renewal Bundle covers all 40 hours, including the ethics course, for $59. Bought one at a time, the same courses come to $146.
How fast do I get my certificate?
As soon as you pass the post test with a score of 80 percent or higher and complete the program evaluation, your certificate is ready to download from your account.
Last reviewed October 20, 2026.
My Indiana course is designed around the continuing education requirements of the Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board but is not approved or endorsed by the Board.
Dr. Paulson Professional Counseling LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7987. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Dr. Paulson Professional Counseling LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.