Alabama LICSW Requirements & Hours Tracker

In Alabama, the Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) is the highest level of clinical social work licensure and is regulated by the Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners (ABSWE). The requirements are laid out in state statute and in the Alabama Administrative Code under Title 850 (the Board’s rules). Below is a step‑by‑step guide, using the Board’s own language where it matters.

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1. Meet the basic statutory requirements for licensure

Under Alabama Code §34‑30‑22, all social work license applicants (including LICSW) must: (law.justia.com)

• Be at least 19 years of age.
• Pay the initial examination fee set by the Board.
• Pass an examination “prepared by the state board for that purpose” (for LICSW this is the ASWB Clinical exam, which the Board uses as its exam). (socialworkguide.org)
• Ascribe to a professional code of ethics adopted by the Board (Administrative Code 850‑X‑9). (law.justia.com)
• Be a U.S. citizen or legally present non‑citizen with appropriate federal documentation. (law.justia.com)

These general conditions apply in addition to the LICSW‑specific education and experience requirements.

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2. Obtain the required social work degree and LMSW license

2.1. Educational requirement

For LICSW, Alabama’s rules require: (law.cornell.edu)

• A Master of Social Work (MSW) or
• A Doctor of Social Work (DSW/PhD in social work)

from a program “approved, accredited, or in candidacy granted by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).”

2.2. LMSW licensure requirement

Before you can become an LICSW, you must already hold an LMSW license:

• The LICSW “must have a master of social work or a doctor of social work degree… and hold a current LMSW license.” (law.cornell.edu)

At the LMSW stage, you choose a clinical or non‑clinical designation; only those in the clinical track can complete the supervision that leads to LICSW. (law.cornell.edu)

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3. Register supervision properly before you start counting hours

Alabama is strict that supervision must be formally approved before it begins.

3.1. Contract / plan for supervision

The Board requires a written supervision plan/contract for master’s‑level supervision: (law.cornell.edu)

• The rules say: “The plan must be approved by the board prior to the start of supervision.” (This appears in the supervision rule for both non‑clinical and clinical LMSW supervision.) (law.cornell.edu)
• On the Board’s forms page you’ll see:
  • “Contract for Supervision Masters Form (MUST be submitted for approval prior to supervision)” (older wording) (apps.socialwork.alabama.gov)
  • Current forms are listed as Clinical Supervision Plan Form B and Clinical Supervision Verification Form D, along with Supervisor Registration Form A. (socialwork.alabama.gov)

Practically, this means:

1. You line up an LICSW supervisor (see below).
2. You and the supervisor complete the Board’s clinical supervision plan/contract.
3. You submit it to ABSWE and wait for approval.
4. Only supervised practice that occurs after plan approval will clearly count toward LICSW.

3.2. Who can supervise you?

For the clinical track toward LICSW:

• “The supervision required by this section must be provided by a supervisor who meets the requirements specified in 850‑X‑3‑.01. The supervision must be provided by a licensed independent clinical social worker.” (law.cornell.edu)

In other words, your supervisor must be a board‑approved LICSW.

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4. Complete the required supervised clinical experience

This is the core of LICSW eligibility. Alabama uses two distinct but related measures:

1. Work hours of post‑master’s experience, and
2. Face‑to‑face clinical supervision hours.

The key language appears in Administrative Code 850‑X‑3‑.04 (Supervision) and 850‑X‑2‑.02 (Classification of Social Workers).

4.1. Total post‑master’s work hours

For the clinical track (LMSW‑Clinical working toward LICSW), the Board’s supervision rule states: (law.cornell.edu)

• “The supervision required by this section must be obtained in no less than 3,000 work hours of post masters experience … within a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 4 years postmasters social work practice authorized by law.”

And the LICSW classification rule summarizes:

• The LICSW “must have received a minimum of 96 hours or more of postgraduate continuing clinical supervision… and not less than 3,000 work hours prior to application for the LICSW exam.” (law.cornell.edu)

In plainer terms:

• You must complete at least 3,000 work hours of post‑MSW social work practice, under LICSW supervision, after your master’s degree.
• These hours must be accumulated in no fewer than 2 years and no more than 4 years. (law.cornell.edu)

The Board does not break this 3,000 into “direct” vs “indirect” hours in the rule text; it uses the more general phrase “work hours of post masters experience”.

4.2. Hours and structure of clinical supervision

The same rule spells out the clinical supervision hours and pattern: (law.cornell.edu)

• Under the “Clinical” subsection:

  • “The supervision required in this section must be obtained within a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 3 years post masters social work practice authorized by law.”
  • “A minimum of four (4) hours per month of supervision is required for 24 months within a 36 month period… for a total of 96 hours of clinical supervision according to the requirements of this section.”

So for supervision, the Board effectively requires:

• Total clinical supervision:
  • 96 hours of clinical supervision (this is the minimum; rule language allows “96 hours or more”). (law.cornell.edu)
• Monthly pattern:
  • At least 4 hours of supervision per month.
• Duration window:
  • Those 4 hours/month must be provided for 24 months (i.e., the equivalent of two full years of supervision)
  • Within a 36‑month (3‑year) window.
• Timeframe relative to MSW:
  • Supervision must cover at least 2 years and be completed within 3 years post‑master’s, and the 3,000 work hours must be completed in 2–4 years.

Note: The rules do not explicitly state whether the 96 supervision hours are inside the 3,000 work hours or in addition to them. The code simply requires both “not less than 3,000 work hours” and “96 hours of supervision” before you may apply. (law.cornell.edu)

4.3. Employment and “concurrent with employment” requirement

The Board also controls the nature of your employment while you’re under supervision:

• “Supervision must be concurrent with employment. Employment shall constitute no less than 10 hours per week of social work practice.” (law.cornell.edu)

So:

• You must be actually employed in social work practice while being supervised.
• Your job must involve at least 10 hours/week of social work practice for those hours to count toward the supervised experience.

4.4. Content areas for clinical supervision

For the clinical track, the rule lists the types of content that must be addressed during supervision. Supervisees are required to: (law.cornell.edu)

• Practice competently and ethically according to professional social work knowledge, skills, and values; and

• Receive supervision in areas including (not limited to):

  • Development of professional values and responsibilities
  • Practice skills
  • Authorized scope of practice
  • Ensuring continuing competence
  • Ethical standards of practice
  • Human development and behavior in the social environment
  • Effects of diversity and personal biases
  • Assessment in social work practice
  • Social work practice with individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities
  • Interpersonal communication
  • Professional social worker/client relationship
  • Professional values and ethics
  • Supervision in social work
  • Social work administration
  • Practice evaluation and use of research
  • Service delivery
  • Case analysis
  • Assessment, treatment modalities, and clinical knowledge and skills (specifically highlighted for clinical supervision).

Supervisors must ultimately submit verification of supervised practice (using the Board’s verification forms) when an LMSW applies for LICSW. (law.cornell.edu)

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5. Confirm eligibility and apply for LICSW

Once you have completed the work and supervision requirements, the supervision rule states:

• “Upon completion of not less than 3,000 work hours and 96 hours of supervision according to the requirements of this section, a licensed master’s social worker is eligible to apply for a licensed independent clinical social worker license under section 850‑X‑2‑.02(3).” (law.cornell.edu)

In practice, the steps are:

1. Supervisor verifies your hours.
   • You and your supervisor complete the Board’s Clinical Supervision Verification form (Form D) documenting your 3,000+ work hours and 96+ supervision hours. (socialwork.alabama.gov)
2. Submit the LICSW application.
   • Use the Board’s Application for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (the LICSW application), available on the “Applications and Forms” page. (socialwork.alabama.gov)
3. Board review and exam approval.
   • The Board reviews your documentation and, if approved, authorizes you to sit for the ASWB Clinical examination, which it uses as the LICSW‑level exam. (socialworkguide.org)

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6. Pass the clinical exam and receive your LICSW

After Board approval:

• You take and pass the ASWB Clinical exam. Once the Board receives your passing score and confirms that all other statutory and regulatory conditions are met, it issues your Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) license. (socialworkguide.org)

At that point, under Alabama’s classification rule, you are recognized as an LICSW who: (law.cornell.edu)

• Has at least an MSW/DSW from a CSWE‑accredited program.
• Holds a current Alabama LMSW license.
• Has completed not less than 3,000 work hours of post‑master’s practice and a minimum of 96 hours of postgraduate clinical supervision under an LICSW.
• Has passed the Board‑prescribed clinical exam.
• Is now qualified to exercise independent clinical judgment, provide advanced clinical services, and supervise LBSWs and LMSWs toward independent licensure.

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Summary of key numeric requirements for Alabama LICSW

Using the Board’s own language from the Alabama Administrative Code:

• Post‑master’s experience:
  • “Not less than 3,000 work hours of post masters experience” obtained in “a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 4 years postmasters social work practice authorized by law.” (law.cornell.edu)
• Clinical supervision:
  • “A minimum of four (4) hours per month of supervision is required for 24 months within a 36 month period … for a total of 96 hours of clinical supervision.” (law.cornell.edu)
• Concurrent employment:
  • “Supervision must be concurrent with employment. Employment shall constitute no less than 10 hours per week of social work practice.” (law.cornell.edu)
• Supervisor qualification:
  • Supervision toward LICSW “must be provided by a licensed independent clinical social worker” who is board‑approved. (law.cornell.edu)

Those are the controlling requirements from the Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners’ rules for becoming a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Alabama.