Social work licensure in South Carolina

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

License levels

LBSWLicensed Baccalaureate Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
An accredited baccalaureate degree in social work and the board’s examination.
LMSWLicensed Masters Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
An accredited master’s or doctoral degree in social work and the board’s examination.
LISW-CPLicensed Independent Social Worker — Clinical Practice
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
An MSW or doctorate that includes 45 academic contact hours each of psychopathology and psychodiagnostics, then 3,000 hours of practice under clinical supervision after LMSW licensure, over a minimum of two and a maximum of four years, with at least 100 hours of direct clinical supervision spread evenly through it.
LISW-APLicensed Independent Social Worker — Advanced Practice
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
The macro counterpart: an MSW or doctorate including 90 academic contact hours of coursework in advanced social work practice with communities and organizations, then the same 3,000 hours over two to four years with 100 hours of direct advanced-practice supervision.

Worth knowing about South Carolina

South Carolina gates its independent licenses on coursework, not just hours, and the coursework is specific enough that it can be too late to fix after you graduate: 45 academic contact hours each of psychopathology and psychodiagnostics for the clinical track, or 90 hours of advanced practice with communities and organizations for the macro one. Check your transcript against that list before you count on either route. Both also cap the supervised period at four years as well as flooring it at two.

Common questions about South Carolina

Which ASWB exam do I need for South Carolina?: South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation lists its license levels without naming which ASWB exam each requires, on the pages we were able to read. Confirm the exam category with the board directly before registering.
What social work licenses does South Carolina issue?: LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker); LMSW (Licensed Masters Social Worker); LISW-CP (Licensed Independent Social Worker — Clinical Practice); LISW-AP (Licensed Independent Social Worker — Advanced Practice).
How many supervised hours does South Carolina require?: LISW-CP: 3,000 hours; LISW-AP: 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 South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation 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 South Carolina calls its license levels, the exam behind them is one of five.

License levels

LBSWLicensed Baccalaureate Social Worker

The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.

An accredited baccalaureate degree in social work and the board’s examination.

LMSWLicensed Masters Social Worker

The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.

An accredited master’s or doctoral degree in social work and the board’s examination.

LISW-CPLicensed Independent Social Worker — Clinical Practice

The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.

An MSW or doctorate that includes 45 academic contact hours each of psychopathology and psychodiagnostics, then 3,000 hours of practice under clinical supervision after LMSW licensure, over a minimum of two and a maximum of four years, with at least 100 hours of direct clinical supervision spread evenly through it.

LISW-APLicensed Independent Social Worker — Advanced Practice

The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.

The macro counterpart: an MSW or doctorate including 90 academic contact hours of coursework in advanced social work practice with communities and organizations, then the same 3,000 hours over two to four years with 100 hours of direct advanced-practice supervision.

Worth knowing about South Carolina

Common questions about South Carolina

Which ASWB exam do I need for South Carolina?

South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation lists its license levels without naming which ASWB exam each requires, on the pages we were able to read. Confirm the exam category with the board directly before registering.

What social work licenses does South Carolina issue?

LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker); LMSW (Licensed Masters Social Worker); LISW-CP (Licensed Independent Social Worker — Clinical Practice); LISW-AP (Licensed Independent Social Worker — Advanced Practice).

How many supervised hours does South Carolina require?

LISW-CP: 3,000 hours; LISW-AP: 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 South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.