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California · ASW → LCSW · checked 28 August 2026

The California LCSW path, without the scavenger hunt.

This is the front door for people who want clinical practice plus the widest bridge into public systems, medical settings, and social services. See what the license opens, what the Board requires, what to do next, and which tools can save you time.

The route →
ASW  associate registration3,000  supervised hours104  minimum weeksSource-linked · assumptions visible

Choose the right doorway

AMFT → LMFTrelational and family-centered clinical workASW → LCSWclinical social work across individual, organizational, and public systemsAPCC → LPCCprofessional clinical counseling across mental-health settings

The route at a glance

Four stages, with the differences kept visible.

01Qualifying degreeMaster of Social Work from a qualifying program.
02ASW registrationRegister with the BBS before post-degree hours can enter the record.
03Supervised experience3,000 hours over at least 104 weeks, subject to category and supervision rules.
04Clinical exam + licenseASWB Clinical Examination, after the Board approves the application.

What is distinctive about this path?

The 3,000 hours begin after the qualifying MSW. At least 2,000 must be clinical, including 750 psychotherapy hours; 1,700 hours and 13 individual-or-triadic supervision weeks must be under an LCSW.

  • 2,000 hours — direct clinical minimum
  • 750 hours — Face-to-face individual or group psychotherapy
  • 1,700 hours — Hours supervised by an LCSW
  • 13 weeks — Individual/triadic weeks supervised by an LCSW
  • 1,000 hours — maximum nonclinical category
  • Pre-degree hours do not enter this 3,000-hour record.

Start with the question you actually have

The useful next pages, not an encyclopedia.

Find schools the BBS marks for LCSWSearch the Board's education table without turning it into a ranking.Compare LCSW with LMFT and LPCCPut the degrees, hour categories, and exams beside one another before choosing.Open the ASW hours workspaceTrack the four LCSW-specific category and supervision requirements, plus the record around them.Follow registration and exam handoffsSee who acts next, what unlocks the clinical exam, and which deadlines can close the file.Check a supervision arrangementScreen the person, employer relationship, setting, weekly cadence, and paperwork before relying on the hours.See recent exam resultsCalifornia LMFT, LCSW, and LPCC exam outcomes, quarter by quarter.Use the associate work libraryCalifornia jobs, pay, supervision, employment rights, and Board timing; license-specific rules are labeled.

Controlling sources

The Board's material remains the authority.

Rules on this page are generated from the site's versioned three-license rules record, reviewed 28 August 2026. Use the handbook for your path when a form, deadline, or unusual fact pattern matters.

Read the BBS LCSW handbook · Open the BBS LCSW applicant page

Source notes

Use the citations and any dated evidence records to check the claims relevant to your task. This label is not a verification status.

You should not have to work this part out on your own.

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