Social work licensure in Virginia

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the Virginia Board of Social Work, Department of Health Professions.

License levels

LBSWLicensed Baccalaureate Social Worker
Requires the ASWB Bachelors exam.
A BSW from a CSWE-accredited program. The Board’s wording: applicants “can apply to take the Bachelors Exam after they have graduated with a BSW degree.”
LMSWLicensed Master Social Worker
Requires the ASWB Masters exam.
An MSW from a CSWE-accredited program. Applicants “can apply to take the Masters Exam after they have graduated with a MSW degree.”
LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker
Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.
An MSW with a clinical course of study, plus a Board-approved post-master’s supervised experience of 3,000 hours of clinical social work services.

Worth knowing about Virginia

The order differs by level in Virginia, and only the clinical one is back-to-front. The Board states that LCSW applicants “are required to take and pass the Clinical Exam after they have completed their supervision experience” — so the 3,000 hours come first. LBSW and LMSW applicants can apply to sit as soon as they have graduated. There is also a 90-day wait between attempts at any level, which is worth building into a retake plan.

Common questions about Virginia

Which ASWB exam do I need for Virginia?: LBSW requires the ASWB Bachelors exam; LMSW 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 Virginia issue?: LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker); LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
How many supervised hours does Virginia 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 Virginia Board of Social Work, Department of Health Professions 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 Virginia calls its license levels, the exam behind them is one of five.

License levels

LBSWLicensed Baccalaureate Social Worker

Requires the ASWB Bachelors exam.

A BSW from a CSWE-accredited program. The Board’s wording: applicants “can apply to take the Bachelors Exam after they have graduated with a BSW degree.”

LMSWLicensed Master Social Worker

Requires the ASWB Masters exam.

An MSW from a CSWE-accredited program. Applicants “can apply to take the Masters Exam after they have graduated with a MSW degree.”

LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker

Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.

An MSW with a clinical course of study, plus a Board-approved post-master’s supervised experience of 3,000 hours of clinical social work services.

Worth knowing about Virginia

Common questions about Virginia

Which ASWB exam do I need for Virginia?

LBSW requires the ASWB Bachelors exam; LMSW 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 Virginia issue?

LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker); LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).

How many supervised hours does Virginia 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 Virginia Board of Social Work, Department of Health Professions on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.