Social work licensure in Pennsylvania

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors.

License levels

LBSWLicensed Bachelor Social Worker
Requires the ASWB Bachelors exam.
A BSW from a CSWE-accredited school and the ASWB Bachelors examination.
LSWLicensed Social Worker
Requires the ASWB Masters exam.
An MSW from a CSWE-accredited school and the ASWB Masters examination.
LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker
Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.
The board’s wording: “An applicant must pass the Association of Social Work Boards – Clinical Examination” and complete “at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience after completion of the master’s degree… in no less than 2 years.” You must hold the LSW first.

Worth knowing about Pennsylvania

Watch the titles here. In many states “LSW” is the bachelor’s-level license; in Pennsylvania it is the master’s-level one, sitting above the LBSW and requiring the ASWB Masters exam. The clinical license is reached through the LSW rather than applied for directly.

Common questions about Pennsylvania

Which ASWB exam do I need for Pennsylvania?: LBSW requires the ASWB Bachelors exam; LSW requires the ASWB Masters exam; LCSW requires the ASWB Clinical exam. Your board tells ASWB which category you are approved to take, so confirm with them before you register — registration fees are nonrefundable.
What social work licenses does Pennsylvania issue?: LBSW (Licensed Bachelor Social Worker); LSW (Licensed Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
How many supervised hours does Pennsylvania require?: LCSW: 3,000 hours. The board sets the conditions on those hours — who may supervise, over what period — so read its own rules before you begin accruing them.
Is this information current?: These requirements were last checked against Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.

Which exam will you sit?

Whatever Pennsylvania calls its license levels, the exam behind them is one of five.

License levels

LBSWLicensed Bachelor Social Worker

Requires the ASWB Bachelors exam.

A BSW from a CSWE-accredited school and the ASWB Bachelors examination.

LSWLicensed Social Worker

Requires the ASWB Masters exam.

An MSW from a CSWE-accredited school and the ASWB Masters examination.

LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker

Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.

The board’s wording: “An applicant must pass the Association of Social Work Boards – Clinical Examination” and complete “at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience after completion of the master’s degree… in no less than 2 years.” You must hold the LSW first.

Common questions about Pennsylvania

Which ASWB exam do I need for Pennsylvania?

LBSW requires the ASWB Bachelors exam; LSW requires the ASWB Masters exam; LCSW requires the ASWB Clinical exam. Your board tells ASWB which category you are approved to take, so confirm with them before you register — registration fees are nonrefundable.

What social work licenses does Pennsylvania issue?

LBSW (Licensed Bachelor Social Worker); LSW (Licensed Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).

How many supervised hours does Pennsylvania require?

LCSW: 3,000 hours. The board sets the conditions on those hours — who may supervise, over what period — so read its own rules before you begin accruing them.

Is this information current?

These requirements were last checked against Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.