Social work licensure in West Virginia

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the West Virginia Board of Social Work.

License levels

LSWLicensed Social Worker (Level A)
Requires the ASWB Bachelors exam.
A BSW and the Bachelors exam. No post-graduate experience or supervision required.
LGSWLicensed Graduate Social Worker (Level B)
Requires the ASWB Masters exam.
An MSW and the Masters exam — which the board describes as being for MSW graduates “prior to completing any post-master’s experience and/or supervision”. No post-graduate experience required.
LCSWLicensed Certified Social Worker (Level C)
Requires the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam.
An MSW and two years of post-master’s general social work practice — supervision not required — with the “ASWB Advanced Generalist level” exam. This is a macro license, not a clinical one.
LICSWLicensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (Level D)
Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.
An MSW or DSW and at least two years of post-master’s direct clinical practice under a licensed clinical social worker, with 100 hours of supervision, plus the Clinical exam. This is West Virginia’s independent clinical license.

Worth knowing about West Virginia

West Virginia is the clearest case of why the letters on a license cannot be trusted across state lines: here the LCSW is the Licensed Certified Social Worker, it takes the Advanced Generalist exam, and it is not the clinical license at all — that is the LICSW at Level D. Getting this wrong costs you a wasted registration fee for the wrong exam. Exam access runs through the board rather than around it: pre-approval is sent automatically to everyone issued a temporary permit, and temporary licensees can request it at any time once in full compliance.

Common questions about West Virginia

Which ASWB exam do I need for West Virginia?: LSW requires the ASWB Bachelors exam; LGSW requires the ASWB Masters exam; LCSW 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 West Virginia issue?: LSW (Licensed Social Worker (Level A)); LGSW (Licensed Graduate Social Worker (Level B)); LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker (Level C)); LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (Level D)).
How many supervised hours does West Virginia require?: 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 West Virginia Board of Social Work 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 West Virginia calls its license levels, the exam behind them is one of five.

License levels

LSWLicensed Social Worker (Level A)

Requires the ASWB Bachelors exam.

A BSW and the Bachelors exam. No post-graduate experience or supervision required.

LGSWLicensed Graduate Social Worker (Level B)

Requires the ASWB Masters exam.

An MSW and the Masters exam — which the board describes as being for MSW graduates “prior to completing any post-master’s experience and/or supervision”. No post-graduate experience required.

LCSWLicensed Certified Social Worker (Level C)

Requires the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam.

An MSW and two years of post-master’s general social work practice — supervision not required — with the “ASWB Advanced Generalist level” exam. This is a macro license, not a clinical one.

LICSWLicensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (Level D)

Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.

An MSW or DSW and at least two years of post-master’s direct clinical practice under a licensed clinical social worker, with 100 hours of supervision, plus the Clinical exam. This is West Virginia’s independent clinical license.

Worth knowing about West Virginia

Common questions about West Virginia

Which ASWB exam do I need for West Virginia?

LSW requires the ASWB Bachelors exam; LGSW requires the ASWB Masters exam; LCSW 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 West Virginia issue?

LSW (Licensed Social Worker (Level A)); LGSW (Licensed Graduate Social Worker (Level B)); LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker (Level C)); LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (Level D)).

How many supervised hours does West Virginia require?

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 West Virginia Board of Social Work on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.