How to Get Your Social Work License in California

A career as a licensed social worker in California can be one of the most lucrative paths in the field. California’s social workers are among the highest-paid professionals in the United States. Healthcare social workers here earn median annual salaries of $93,200. The opportunities are even better in Northern California, where four cities rank among the top ten highest-paying metropolitan areas for child, family, and school social workers.

The path to becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California starts with a Master of Social Work (MSW). Your degree must come from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited program. California’s LCSW requirements include 3,000 supervised social work hours spread across at least 104 weeks. You’ll need to complete 2,000 hours in clinical experience and 750 hours of in-person psychotherapy. The career outlook looks bright. The social work field should grow by 7% between 2023 and 2033. California already has over 48,000 professionals working in specialty areas of social work.

This guide will help you understand each step to get your social work license in California. We’ll cover everything from education prerequisites to continuing education requirements that will prepare you for this growing profession.

Education Requirements

Your path to a California social work license starts with the right education. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) sets specific educational requirements that are the foundation of your clinical social work career.

A Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) represents your first mandatory step toward California licensure. This requirement isn’t negotiable. CSWE-accredited programs managed to keep rigorous standards that meet national professional standards.

California’s university systems offer many accredited social work programs. The California State University system runs MSW programs at several campuses: CSU Bakersfield, Chico, Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Fresno, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Northridge, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Marcos, Stanislaus, San Diego State, San Francisco State, and San Jose State. The University of California system and private schools like Azusa Pacific University, California Baptist University, Loma Linda University, National University, Pacific Oaks College, University of Southern California, and University of the Pacific also provide accredited MSW programs.

Licensed Clinical Social Workers need specialized coursework beyond their MSW degree that covers key clinical practice areas. California residents must complete 66 hours of relevant coursework, while out-of-state applicants need 81 hours. These requirements ensure you have the specialized knowledge to work in clinical practice.

Your required coursework must cover these essential topics:

• Child abuse assessment and reporting
• Human sexuality
• Alcoholism and chemical substance dependency
• Aging, long-term care, and elder/dependent adult abuse
• Spousal/partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention
• Suicide risk assessment and intervention

Some California MSW programs already include these topics in their curriculum. To cite an instance, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work’s MSW graduates might not need extra coursework, as confirmed by the BBS. Notwithstanding that, this exemption depends on your graduation date since curriculum requirements change over time.

Starting July 1, 2023, licensure applicants and current licensees must complete three hours of training in providing mental health services via telehealth, including legal and ethical considerations. Since January 1, 2021, six hours of coursework or supervised experience in suicide risk assessment and intervention became mandatory.

Accredited programs must meet certain standards while offering different specializations. CSWE-accredited programs prepare students to meet established social work competencies. Programs can have various accreditation statuses: Fully Accredited, Conditionally Accredited, Accredited with planned closure, Candidacy, and Pre-Candidacy.

MSW programs typically require 900 fieldwork hours as part of their curriculum. These pre-graduation hours don’t count toward the 3,000 supervised hours needed for licensure but are a great way to get experience that prepares you for post-graduate clinical work.

A full picture of these educational requirements is crucial as they are the foundations of your entire licensure process. After completing your MSW and required coursework, you can register as an Associate Clinical Social Worker and start collecting your supervised experience hours.

Exam Requirements

Passing your required examinations is a vital milestone as you work toward your California social work license. You’ll need to clear two different tests that assess your basic knowledge and clinical expertise.

Your first step after completing education and registering as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) is passing the California Law and Ethics Exam. This test measures how well you understand legal and ethical aspects of social work practice in California. Each renewal period gives you one attempt to pass. A failed attempt means you must complete a 12-hour California law and ethics course before your next try in the following renewal period.

The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical Exam becomes available once you complete your supervised hours and clear the Law and Ethics Exam. This detailed assessment shows if you’re ready to practice independently. You’ll face 170 multiple-choice questions, with 150 that count toward your score. The test allows 4 hours for completion.

Here’s how you can get ready for these exams:

• Read through the ASWB Candidate Handbook and practice sample tests
• Learn California’s specific legal and ethical guidelines
• Sign up for exam prep groups or courses
• Map out your study plan months before the exam
• Target areas where most social workers need help, like assessment and diagnosis

The path to registration involves several steps. Your journey starts with submitting a licensure application to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS). After they approve, you’ll receive an eligibility notice for the ASWB Clinical Exam. The next step requires ASWB registration and paying the $260 exam fee.

Most candidates find the clinical examination challenging. The exam splits into four main areas: assessment and diagnosis (30%), psychotherapy and clinical interventions (30%), professional ethics and values (25%), and service delivery and practice management (15%).

Failed your first try? You can retake the exam after 90 days. The rules allow up to three attempts within one year.

These exam requirements might look overwhelming at first glance. However, good preparation and understanding of the process will help you clear this significant step toward your California social work license. These strict testing standards ensure all licensed clinical social workers have the skills and knowledge to serve their clients ethically and effectively.

Supervised Experience

Your journey to get a social work license in California starts with supervised experience. The first step requires you to register as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) with the Board of Behavioral Sciences. This registration must happen before your hours count toward licensure, all but one case falls under the 90-day rule.

The state requires 3,000 hours of supervised post-degree professional experience spread across 104 supervised weeks (about two years). The two-year timeframe stands firm. Even if you complete 3,000 hours earlier, you must still meet the 104-week requirement.

Your supervised hours must include:

• A minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment
• At least 750 of these hours must involve face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy
• A maximum of 1,000 hours in client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, workshops, seminars, or conferences

Weekly supervision remains mandatory throughout your experience. You need one hour of individual/triadic supervision or two hours of group supervision each week. The rules change when you provide more than 10 hours of direct clinical counseling in a week. This requires extra supervision—another hour of individual/triadic or two more hours of group supervision.

A Licensed Clinical Social Worker must supervise at least 1,700 hours and 13 weeks of your work. Other qualified mental health professionals can supervise the remaining hours. These professionals include Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors, Licensed Psychologists, or board-certified psychiatrists. Licensed Educational Psychologists can oversee up to 1,200 hours, but only for educationally related mental health services.

Your supervisor’s California license must be active for at least two years within the five years before starting supervision. They must also complete 15 hours of supervision training within 60 days of beginning supervision.

Documentation plays a crucial role. You’ll need Experience Verification forms, Supervisor Responsibility Statements, and weekly logs of your hours. W-2 forms become necessary for paid positions each year, while volunteer positions require formal verification letters.

Tracking tools can help you meet all supervision requirements and avoid licensure delays. Keeping detailed records throughout your supervised experience will make your path to becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California substantially smoother.

Application Process

Getting your social work license in California ends with a formal application process after you complete your education, supervised experience, and examinations. Your Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential application needs several detailed steps with proper documentation and timing.

The California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) requires you to submit the Application for Licensure. Your application package must prove your qualifications. You need to collect all supervised experience verification forms with signatures from your supervisors. These forms show your clinical work hours and nature. Each supervisor who guided your practice must also provide their responsibility statements.

Your CSWE-accredited institution should send official transcripts straight to the BBS to confirm your MSW degree completion. Organizations must provide letters on their official letterhead to verify your volunteer status if you gained supervised experience as a volunteer instead of an employee.

The application fees are a vital part of your submission. The LCSW application fee is $250. You also need to pay $39 for Live Scan fingerprinting and background checks.

The BBS takes about 4-6 weeks to process your completed application. This timeline might be longer during busy seasons. You can track your application status through the BBS online portal. The board team checks each part carefully and might ask for more documents if they find gaps.

The BBS will let you take the ASWB Clinical Examination once they approve your application, if you haven’t passed it yet. You should get your license within 2-4 weeks after passing the exam.

Missing documentation of supervised hours, supervisor statements, or incomplete coursework requirements often delay license approval. Your organized records through your professional trip will help greatly at this final stage.

Out-of-state applicants need extra steps. These include license verification from previous states and possible extra coursework that California requires. Foreign-educated applicants must get their degrees evaluated by a BBS-recognized service before applying.

The BBS needs to know about any address changes or updates to your application right away. Delayed communication can slow down your license approval significantly.

Continuing Education

California social workers need to complete continuing education (CE) to keep their licenses active. Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) must finish 36 hours of approved continuing education every two years. This helps you stay up-to-date with best practices and deliver high-quality professional service.

The rules changed on July 1, 2023. Before that, first-time licensees only needed 18 hours. Now all licensees must complete the full 36 hours of CE for their first renewal.

The CE requirements include specific mandatory coursework:

• You must complete 6 hours in Law and Ethics during each renewal period
• Associate Clinical Social Workers (ASWs) need at least 3 hours of California law and ethics coursework each year during renewal (starting January 1, 2023)

California also requires several one-time training courses:

• A 3-hour course about providing mental health services via telehealth (including law and ethics related to telehealth), starting July 1, 2023
• A 6-hour course on suicide risk assessment and intervention, starting January 1, 2021

California makes it easy to complete these requirements. The state accepts courses from providers approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), or the American Psychological Association (APA). You can complete all 36 hours through online courses or self-study formats, unlike other states that require in-person training.

Supervisors have extra CE requirements. You need six hours of supervision coursework to renew or resume supervisory duties after a two-year break. New supervisors must complete 15 hours of supervision coursework.

The Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) offers temporary CE waivers in special cases. These include physical or mental disabilities or caring for an immediate family member with a disability. You should submit these requests at least 60 days before your license expires.

The BBS ended up conducting regular audits of CE compliance to protect consumers. Keep detailed records of all completed courses for at least two years after each renewal period to avoid any disciplinary action.

Additional Information

California’s social work licensure system has several administrative details beyond its basic requirements. Your Associate Social Worker (ASW) registration stays valid for a 6-year period and allows five possible renewals. You’ll need to apply for another registration to continue your path toward licensure after this period ends.

A significant restriction applies to social workers. Those with a subsequent registration number cannot work in private practice or professional corporation settings under any circumstances. ASW registrants must pass the California Law and Ethics Exam each year to keep their registration active.

Social workers need to renew their LCSW license every two years. The renewal costs $220 for active status and $120 for inactive status. California’s healthcare social workers earn a median salary of $93,200 annually – the highest pay rate nationwide for this specialization.

The state doesn’t have formal reciprocity agreements with other states. Licensed professionals from other states can qualify for “License by Credential” after holding an active, unrestricted license for two years or more. Military veterans and their domestic partners can get their applications processed faster.

The state offers inactive and retired license options for professionals who need a break. Professionals with inactive licenses can return to active status by completing their CE requirements and paying the fees. The Board of Behavioral Sciences website has detailed resources, supervision forms, renewal applications, and CE guidelines.