Social work licensure in Washington

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the Washington State Department of Health.

License levels

LSWAALicensed Social Work Associate — Advanced
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
An associate-level license held while accruing the post-graduate experience that qualifies you for the LASW.
LICSWALicensed Independent Clinical Social Work Associate
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
The associate-level license held while accruing experience toward the LICSW.
LASWLicensed Advanced Social Worker
Requires the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam.
Requires the ASWB Advanced Generalist examination — for MSW holders with at least two years of post-degree experience in NON-clinical settings. 3,000 hours of postgraduate supervised experience over a minimum of two years, including 800 hours of direct client contact and 90 hours of supervision.
LICSWLicensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.
Requires the ASWB Clinical examination and the same 3,000 hours over a minimum of two years, with 800 hours of direct client contact and 90 hours of supervision by an LICSW or LASW licensed at least two years.

Worth knowing about Washington

Washington is one of the few states where the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam is not just accepted but required for a specific license. The LASW is the non-clinical advanced route and takes the Advanced Generalist exam; the LICSW is the clinical route and takes the Clinical exam. Choosing between them is a decision about the practice you want, not about difficulty — and it decides which exam you sit. Note that only 117 people sat Advanced Generalist nationally in 2025, and ASWB sells no official practice test for it.

Common questions about Washington

Which ASWB exam do I need for Washington?: LASW requires the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam; LICSW 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 Washington issue?: LSWAA (Licensed Social Work Associate — Advanced); LICSWA (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Work Associate); LASW (Licensed Advanced Social Worker); LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker).
How many supervised hours does Washington require?: LASW: 3,000 hours; LICSW: 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 Washington State Department of Health 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 Washington calls its license levels, the exam behind them is one of five.

License levels

LSWAALicensed Social Work Associate — Advanced

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

An associate-level license held while accruing the post-graduate experience that qualifies you for the LASW.

LICSWALicensed Independent Clinical Social Work Associate

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

The associate-level license held while accruing experience toward the LICSW.

LASWLicensed Advanced Social Worker

Requires the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam.

Requires the ASWB Advanced Generalist examination — for MSW holders with at least two years of post-degree experience in NON-clinical settings. 3,000 hours of postgraduate supervised experience over a minimum of two years, including 800 hours of direct client contact and 90 hours of supervision.

LICSWLicensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.

Requires the ASWB Clinical examination and the same 3,000 hours over a minimum of two years, with 800 hours of direct client contact and 90 hours of supervision by an LICSW or LASW licensed at least two years.

Worth knowing about Washington

Common questions about Washington

Which ASWB exam do I need for Washington?

LASW requires the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam; LICSW 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 Washington issue?

LSWAA (Licensed Social Work Associate — Advanced); LICSWA (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Work Associate); LASW (Licensed Advanced Social Worker); LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker).

How many supervised hours does Washington require?

LASW: 3,000 hours; LICSW: 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 Washington State Department of Health on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.