Continuing education / Requirements / Texas
Texas Psychologist continuing education requirements
Texas licensed psychologists must complete 40 hours of professional development every two years, including 6 hours of ethics and 6 hours of training in providing services to distinct populations. Complete the required human trafficking prevention course for each renewal as well. Required-topic credits count within the total when they meet the applicable rules.
Rules effective July 20, 2025, use the term distinct populations in place of the previous cultural-diversity requirement. Since January 1, 2026, BHEC has also required licensees to report their hours in CE Broker before renewing. Check your individual expiration date and any requirements tied to supervision or telehealth practice.
What the board requires
Mandated topics
Included in the 40-hour total. Training must address ethics relevant to the licensed profession. Retain documentation identifying the ethical content.
Our course for this: Ethics and Professional Boundaries (3 hours). CE credit approvals in progress.
Included in the 40-hour total. Effective July 20, 2025, the rule requires training that builds competency serving a population sharing an attribute, trait or characteristic selected by the licensee. A general treatment or diagnosis course is not automatically distinct-population training. Verify the course’s specific population-focused content.
Our course for this: Cultural Responsiveness in Clinical Practice (3 hours). CE credit approvals in progress.
Complete a human trafficking prevention course approved by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. This is a course-completion requirement, not a universal minimum course duration. BHEC permits 1 hour of CE credit for completing an approved course; keep the completion certificate. A generic trafficking course without HHSC approval does not satisfy the mandate.
Format and self-study limits
Formal online and home-study courses may supply all 40 hours if they meet the profession’s content, provider and documentation requirements. There is no general live-attendance minimum. BHEC distinguishes these documented courses from informal self-study, such as independent reading without a provider-issued completion record; informal self-study is limited to 1 hour per renewal period.
Which providers count
At least half of the required hours, or 20 of 40, must come from the source categories listed in the profession’s rule. These include medical or behavioral-health professional associations; government entities; qualifying colleges and universities; public school districts and education service centers; hospital systems; religious or charitable organizations devoted to mental or behavioral health; and providers approved or endorsed by those organizations.
BHEC does not approve or renew individual CE providers. National association approval or endorsement can establish a qualifying provider route, but the course must still meet the profession’s subject and documentation standards. The remaining hours must also satisfy the rule. Human trafficking training has its own HHSC course-approval requirement.
Reporting and audits
Effective January 1, 2026, enter or verify all required CE in CE Broker before license renewal. A free Basic account is sufficient; a paid subscription is optional. Renew the license separately through BHEC’s online licensing system. Keep completion documentation for at least three years following the applicable renewal period and provide it if audited. Certificates or equivalent records must identify your name, completion dates, credit hours and topics.
First renewal
The current rules do not provide a general first-renewal exemption for a full active license. Plan for 40 hours and all applicable renewal topics. Your initial expiration is aligned to your birth month, so check your actual license record instead of assuming a two-year interval from issuance.
A provisional psychologist license is nonrenewable and has no CE renewal requirement. This page describes renewal of a full licensed psychologist credential.
Common questions
How many CE hours do Texas licensed psychologists need?
The standard requirement is 40 hours every two years, including 6 ethics hours and 6 distinct-population hours. Complete an HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course and any license-specific requirements as well.
Can I complete Texas CE entirely online?
Yes. Formal online courses can supply all 40 hours when provider, subject and documentation rules are met. The 1-hour informal self-study limit does not cap structured online courses that issue acceptable completion records.
Do I have to use CE Broker in Texas?
Yes. Reporting became mandatory on January 1, 2026. Complete your CE Broker record before renewing. A free Basic account is enough, and the actual license renewal is completed separately in BHEC’s licensing system.
What is my Texas license renewal deadline?
Renew by the last day of your birth month in the renewal year shown on your license. Complete CE and report it before submitting renewal. The initial term may differ from a full two-year cycle.
Does Texas require 6 hours of cultural diversity training?
The current rule requires 6 hours in providing services to distinct populations. That wording took effect on July 20, 2025. A cultural-responsiveness course may be relevant, but its actual content must satisfy the current population-focused requirement.
Does any human trafficking course count?
No. Use a course on the Texas HHSC approved list. The recurring requirement is completion of an approved course, and BHEC permits 1 CE hour for that completion. Keep the certificate and report it in the required category.
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Not legal advice. This guide summarizes board rules for convenience. Your board's current published rules control.
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