How to Get Your Virginia Social Work License
Social work licenses in Virginia will open doors to 63,800 job opportunities each year over the next decade. The career outlook looks even more promising as 18% of Virginia’s current social workers plan to retire during this period. Understanding the licensing process is vital for both newcomers and professionals seeking career advancement.
The path to becoming a social worker in Virginia typically takes at least four years. You can get licensed at different levels based on your education. A bachelor’s degree qualifies you for Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW), while a master’s or doctoral degree from a CSWE-accredited school leads to Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certification. The clinical license requires 3,000 hours of supervised experience and 100 hours of face-to-face supervision.
This detailed guide will help you understand every step needed to get your Virginia social work license, from educational qualifications to ongoing training requirements. This roadmap will help you prepare for the licensing process and start your career in this meaningful field.
Education Requirements
Your Virginia social work license experience starts with the right education. The Virginia Board of Social Work offers three different licensure paths. Each path has specific educational requirements that match your career goals.
You need one of these licenses to practice social work in Virginia unless you qualify for an exemption. Your choice of education depends on the license type that fits your professional goals.
The Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) credential is perfect for entry-level positions. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This four-year degree prepares you for beginning-level professional roles in public and private social service agencies.
The Licensed Master’s Social Worker (LMSW) credential suits those aiming for advanced practice. It requires a master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program. Many professionals use this credential as a stepping stone toward clinical licensure.
The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential is designed for professionals who want to provide direct clinical services. You’ll need:
- A master’s degree in social work with a clinical course of study from a CSWE-accredited program
- A curriculum that has a 600-hour internship
CSWE accreditation is a vital part of choosing a social work program. The Council on Social Work Education reviews and accredits programs based on specific standards. Programs fall into these categories:
- Fully Accredited
- Accredited (Conditional) – programs with documented noncompliance issues
- Accredited (Withdrawal in Progress) – programs with planned closure dates
- Candidacy – programs that have completed at least one year of the Candidacy process
- Pre-Candidacy – programs scheduled for Candidacy review within one year
Students aiming for clinical practice should pick a master’s program with a clinical concentration. The National Association of Social Workers states that “Clinical social work focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness, emotional, and other behavioral disturbances”.
Programs focused on administration, planning, or policy practice are built for macro practice. These might not meet the requirements for clinical licensure. Schools like VCU offer both clinical practice and administration/planning/policy practice concentrations to support different career paths.
Standard MSW programs take 1-3 years based on full-time or part-time enrollment. Some programs offer accelerated options that you can complete in 9-12 months. Students with a BSW degree can often take “Advanced Standing” tracks that reduce program length.
Education is just the start of your license journey. After completing your degree, you must pass the appropriate Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination. Clinical licensure also requires supervised experience. Virginia doesn’t issue temporary licenses during this process, so plan your educational and career path carefully.
Your chosen program must have CSWE accreditation for you to qualify for licensure in Virginia. Check the accreditation status of any program before you enroll to start your professional journey right.
Exam Requirements
Your next crucial step to get your Virginia social work license is passing the appropriate Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination after completing your education requirements. Each license type needs a specific exam level that matches your educational background.
You must pass the ASWB Bachelors examination after getting your BSW degree to qualify for the Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) credential. The same applies to Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) candidates who need to clear the ASWB Masters examination after their MSW program. Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) candidates must take the ASWB Clinical examination after completing their supervised experience.
The Virginia Board of Social Work will send you an authorization letter with instructions to register for the right ASWB exam once they approve your application. You’ll have two years to pass the examination successfully. A reapplication under current rules becomes necessary if you don’t pass within this timeframe.
LCSW candidates who can’t pass within their second two-year window must complete an extra year of supervised experience before they can apply again. The Board-approved supervision must continue until you’re officially licensed as an LCSW, even after finishing your supervised hours.
Exam Fees and Registration:
- Bachelors or Masters exam: $230
- Clinical exam: $260
You can register on the ASWB website after getting your authorization. Pearson VUE test centers worldwide conduct these exams. You’ll need to wait 90 days between exam attempts.
Preparation Resources:
The NASWVA provides licensing exam prep courses throughout the year that can help you succeed. These detailed workshops teach test-taking strategies and cover key topics to help reduce test anxiety. A one-day course costs $150 for members and $200 for non-members. The package has a full-day workshop and six months of digital study materials worth $129.99.
ASWB offers online practice tests for candidates registered to take the Associate, Bachelors, Masters, or Clinical examinations. Your authorization number from the approval email is needed to buy a practice test.
ASWB sends your official score report to the Virginia Board of Social Work within 7-10 days after you pass. The Board processes your license application in another 7-10 days.
Note that all social work supervisees must keep their Board-approved supervision active until they’re officially licensed. Submit an extension request to the Board if your supervision registration expires before your examination period ends.
Supervised Experience
Your Virginia social work license requires clinical practice expertise, and supervised experience is a vital step toward becoming an LCSW. The Virginia Board of Social Work expects candidates to complete 3,000 hours of supervised post-master’s degree experience in clinical social work services and supporting ancillary services.
You must register with the board before you begin your supervised experience. The board won’t count any hours you accumulate without prior written approval. However, supervision from another U.S. jurisdiction might qualify if it met that jurisdiction’s requirements.
Here’s what you need for supervision registration:
- A registration form for the Virginia Board of Social Work
- A completed supervisory contract
- An official transcript showing your graduate degree
- Registration fee payment
Your supervised experience timeframe has specific limits. You need at least two years but no more than four consecutive years to complete your hours. The board may grant up to 12 months extension if you show evidence of extenuating circumstances.
The 3,000-hour requirement includes at least 1,380 hours of face-to-face client contact delivering clinical social work services. You can spend the remaining hours on ancillary services that support clinical work. You’ll need between one and four hours of face-to-face supervision for every 40 hours worked, adding up to at least 100 supervision hours. Group supervision can account for 50 of these hours, with groups limited to six supervisees unless the board approves more.
Your supervisor should have an active Virginia LCSW license and at least two years of post-licensure clinical experience. They need professional training in supervision – either through a three-credit graduate course or at least 14 hours of continuing education from an approved provider. This training must be completed within five years before supervision registration.
During supervision, use the title “Supervisee in Social Work” in all written communications. You must inform clients about your supervisee status in writing and provide your supervisor’s contact information. As a supervisee, you can’t bill directly for services or present yourself as an independent practitioner.
After completing supervision, submit the LCSW by Examination application. Include the Verification of Clinical Supervision form from your supervisor(s) and your current NPDB report.
Application Process
After completing your education, examination, and supervision requirements, you need to submit a formal application to the Virginia Board of Social Work for licensure. You can reach the board at (804) 367-4441. The board manages the whole licensing process.
Virginia provides two application pathways based on your situation:
Application by Examination This pathway suits first-time applicants who have completed their education and supervised experience requirements. The application process follows these steps:
- Review Virginia’s social work laws and regulations
- Gather required documentation:
- National Practitioners Data Bank (NPDB) Self-Query Report
- Verification of Clinical Supervision form (notarized)
- Verification of Education form
- Supporting documentation for any criminal convictions or past actions
- Begin the online application:
- Register for an account or login to an existing account
- Select “Initial Application,” then “Social Work” as profession
- Choose “Licensed Clinical Social Worker” as license type
- Select “Examination” as obtained method
- Upload all required documentation (PDF format preferred)
- Pay the application fee of $165 (non-refundable)
Application by Endorsement Licensed social workers from other states can use this pathway. You qualify if you have an active, unrestricted social work license comparable to Virginia’s LCSW and have passed the ASWB Clinical level examination. The application steps stay the same, but you must provide:
- Proof of your current license verification
- Evidence of passing the ASWB Clinical exam
The Virginia Board takes about 30 days to review completed applications. You’ll receive emails about your application status. The Online Checklist system lets you track your application progress.
The board charges non-refundable fees for all licensure services, including $50 for supervision registration and $25 for supervision registration changes.
The board needs immediate notification of any name or address changes through the Name/Address Change Form. You can find the Virginia Board of Social Work office at the Department of Health Professions, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, Virginia 23233-1463.
Continuing Education
Your Virginia social work license renewal needs ongoing professional development through continuing education (CE). The renewal cycle happens every two years in even-numbered years by June 30. You’ll need to meet specific CE requirements after receiving your license.
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education during each biennial period. A minimum of 6 hours should focus on ethics, standards of practice, or laws governing social work in Virginia. Licensed Baccalaureate Social Workers (LBSWs) and Licensed Master’s Social Workers (LMSWs) need 15 contact hours with at least 3 hours devoted to ethics-related topics.
The Virginia Board of Social Work recognizes two categories of acceptable continuing education:
- Category I: Formally Organized Learning Activities – LCSWs must complete at least 20 hours and LBSWs/LMSWs need at least 10 hours from this category. These activities include:
- Academic courses from accredited universities (maximum 15 hours per course)
- CE programs hosted by CSWE-accredited colleges/universities
- Workshops and seminars hosted by approved agencies and organizations
- Programs certified by organizations like NASW, Child Welfare League of America, and other approved providers
- Category II: Individual Professional Activities – This category allows up to 10 hours for LCSWs and 5 hours for LBSWs/LMSWs. These activities include publishing professional articles (up to 5 hours), authoring books (up to 10 hours), serving as field instructors (up to 2 hours), and self-directed learning through professional literature (up to 5 hours).
Social workers can earn up to two CE hours by providing uncompensated services to low-income individuals at local health departments or free clinics. Three hours of volunteer service equals one CE hour.
All courses must directly relate to social work practice or behavioral health fields. The board may grant a one-year extension if you submit a written request before renewal. You might qualify for a partial or complete exemption due to exceptional circumstances like temporary disability or mandatory military service.
NASWVA offers pre-approved programs that the Virginia Board of Social Work recognizes. The Association of Social Work Boards’ Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program reviews and approves quality CE providers. Their credits are generally accepted in various jurisdictions.
Additional Information
You should think about several additional aspects while pursuing your Virginia social work license, beyond the basic licensure requirements.
The Virginia Board of Social Work provides licensure by endorsement for professionals who already hold licenses in other jurisdictions. This speeds up the process if you have an active, unrestricted comparable social work license and proof that you passed the appropriate ASWB examination. The Social Work Licensure Compact has been enacted in several states and reached activation status, though multistate licenses aren’t currently available. Social workers might practice across state lines more easily once the compact is fully implemented, which should take 12-24 months.
The Board won’t refund any application fees. The fee structure has:
- Registration of supervision: $50
- LCSW application: $165
- LBSW application: $100
- LMSW application: $115
- License verification to another jurisdiction: $25
- Additional or replacement licenses: $15
The Virginia Board usually takes up to 30 days to review completed applications. You can track your application’s status through automated emails or the Online Checklist system.
Submit the Name/Address Change Form if your contact details change before receiving your license. Virginia Code § 54.1-116(A) requires you to provide either your social security number or Virginia DMV control number. Your application processing will stop if you don’t provide this information.
The Virginia Board of Social Work can answer your questions about the licensure process.