Alabama PIP Requirements & Hours Tracker

Becoming certified for Private Independent Practice (PIP) with the Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners is a multi‑step process that builds on LICSW licensure and specific post‑graduate experience. Unlike some states, Alabama describes most PIP prerequisites in years of postgraduate experience under supervision, not in a fixed number of “direct practice hours.” The one explicit hour requirement is at the LICSW stage: 3,000 work hours of post‑MSW clinical practice plus 96 hours of clinical supervision.

Below is a structured guide, tied to the Board’s rules and Alabama statutes.

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1. What “Private Independent Practice (PIP)” Means in Alabama

Alabama recognizes four classes of social workers: LBSW, LMSW, LICSW, and Private Independent Practice (PIP).(law.cornell.edu)

Under the Board’s classification rule:

• A Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) may engage in private practice “in all areas except for social case work.”(law.cornell.edu)
• PIP certification allows an LICSW to engage in the private practice of social work services in social casework, including as an independent contractor.(law.cornell.edu)

In other words, LICSW lets you practice independently, but PIP is the extra credential required to do private social casework (e.g., psychotherapy, counseling) in Alabama.

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2. Prerequisite: Degree and Initial Licensure Pathway

Before you can even begin counting hours toward PIP, you must:

1. Earn an MSW or DSW from a program accredited (or in candidacy) with the Council on Social Work Education.(law.justia.com)
2. Become an LMSW (clinical) and practice under Board‑approved supervision according to Chapter 850‑X‑3 of the Administrative Code.(law.cornell.edu)

The Board’s rules do not assign a fixed hour count for the LMSW stage beyond the supervision framework described below; instead, they focus on months/years and required supervision structure.

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3. Hour Requirements to Become an LICSW (Foundation for PIP)

PIP certification presupposes that you already hold an LICSW. All of the hard “hour” requirements appear at this clinical licensure stage.

3.1 Work (Practice) Hours

To be eligible for LICSW, an LMSW‑Clinical must complete at least:

• 3,000 work hours of post‑master’s clinical social work practice, concurrent with employment.(law.cornell.edu)

Key Board details about those hours:

• Employment must be at least 10 hours per week of social work practice.(law.cornell.edu)
• The 3,000 hours must be accumulated in no less than 2 years and no more than 4 years of post‑MSW practice.(law.cornell.edu)

These are work/practice hours, not supervision hours. The rules describe them as “work hours of post masters experience” rather than “direct client” hours, but they must be in clinical social work practice as defined by the Board.(law.cornell.edu)

3.2 Supervision Hours

In addition to the 3,000 work hours, the LMSW‑Clinical must obtain:

• 96 hours of clinical supervision from a Board‑approved LICSW supervisor.(law.cornell.edu)

The supervision must be structured as follows:

• Minimum of 4 hours of supervision per month for 24 months within a 36‑month period.(law.cornell.edu)
• Supervision must be concurrent with employment, and the supervision plan must be approved by the Board in advance.(law.cornell.edu)

Once an LMSW‑Clinical has 3,000 work hours + 96 supervision hours meeting these criteria, the Board’s supervision rule states that the person is eligible to apply for LICSW.(law.cornell.edu)

3.3 Exam and LICSW License

Having met the work‑hour and supervision requirements, you then:

• Apply for LICSW under the Board’s rules,(socialwork.alabama.gov)
• Pass the Board‑prescribed clinical exam (currently the ASWB Clinical exam),(law.cornell.edu)
• Receive your LICSW license.

Only after you are an LICSW can you pursue PIP.

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4. Post‑LICSW Experience Requirements for PIP

PIP is governed by both the Alabama Code and the Board’s Administrative Code. Both use years of “postgraduate experience under appropriate supervision”, not a specific numerical hour count, for the PIP‑level experience.

4.1 Minimum Experience Under Alabama Statute

Alabama Code § 34‑30‑3 provides that no individual may engage in private independent practice unless he or she:(law.justia.com)

1. Is licensed as an independent clinical social worker (LICSW).

2. Has an MSW/DSW from a CSWE‑approved school.

3. Has postgraduate experience under appropriate supervision in the method or specialty in which the person will practice, in one of two patterns:

   • Option A – Specified social work method

     • At least 2 years full‑time or 3 years part‑time postgraduate experience under appropriate supervision in the specified social work method.

   • Option B – Specialty area

     • At least 4 years full‑time or 5 years part‑time postgraduate experience under appropriate supervision in the specialty in which the applicant will practice.

The statute does not convert these into fixed hour counts; there is no statutory requirement like “1,500 direct hours + 1,500 supervised hours” for PIP. The focus is on years of supervised postgraduate practice in the relevant method or specialty.

4.2 Additional Board Rule for PIP in Social Casework

The Board’s classification rule then adds more specific criteria for LICSWs applying for PIP certification in social casework.(law.cornell.edu)

It requires that a PIP applicant in social casework:

1. Hold a current LICSW license, and
2. Present verifiable information about:
   • The appropriate degree,
   • Experience “as defined in this section,” and
   • “Appropriate supervision.”(law.cornell.edu)

For social casework PIP, the LICSW must document either of the following experience patterns (all defined as “postgraduate” experience, meaning after the MSW/DSW):(law.cornell.edu)

• Path 1 – Longer post‑degree experience

  • Three (3) years full‑time or five (5) years part‑time postgraduate experience in the specified social work method of social casework (after receiving the MSW/DSW).

• Path 2 – Post‑LICSW experience

  • One (1) year full‑time or two (2) years part‑time postgraduate experience in social casework after receiving the LICSW.

The rule explicitly defines “postgraduate” here as experience acquired after receiving the MSW or doctoral social work degree.(law.cornell.edu)

Again, these are years of practice, not counted hours. The Board expects you to describe your duties and supervision in social casework in detail on the PIP application.

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5. Types of Hours and Experience, Summarized

To make the distinction clear:

5.1 Quantified “Hour” Requirements (for LICSW)

These must be completed before you can become PIP:

• 3,000 work hours of post‑MSW clinical social work practice as an LMSW‑Clinical (minimum 10 hours/week; completed in 2–4 years).(law.cornell.edu)
• 96 hours of clinical supervision by a Board‑approved LICSW supervisor, at a minimum of 4 hours/month for 24 months within 36 months.(law.cornell.edu)

Alabama rules characterize these as:

• Work/practice hours (employment hours in social work practice), and
• Supervision hours (time spent in formal supervision sessions).

They do not further categorize them into “direct client contact hours” versus “indirect” hours for purposes of licensure.

5.2 PIP‑Level Experience (Years, Not Hours)

For PIP, the governing documents use years of postgraduate experience under supervision, not a numeric hour count:

• Statute:

  • 2 years full‑time or 3 years part‑time in the specified method, or
  • 4 years full‑time or 5 years part‑time in the specialty, all “under appropriate supervision.”(law.justia.com)

• Board Rule for social casework PIP:

  • 3 years full‑time or 5 years part‑time postgraduate social casework practice, or
  • 1 year full‑time or 2 years part‑time postgraduate social casework practice after LICSW.(law.cornell.edu)

There is no Alabama requirement written as “X hours of direct experience + Y hours of supervision” specifically for PIP certification. The experience is measured in years and must be verified as supervised practice in social casework.

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6. Application and Documentation for PIP Certification

Once you meet the LICSW and experience requirements, you apply for PIP certification through the Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners.

6.1 Application Form and Fee

From the Board’s “Application for Private Independent Practice Certification – Social Casework” and its applications rule:(socialwork.alabama.gov)

• Use the official “Application for PIP Certification” (currently a PDF form on the Board website under “Paper Applications and Forms”).
• Pay the non‑refundable certification fee (listed as $75 on the current PIP application).(socialwork.alabama.gov)
• Applications must be filed at least 14 days before the next scheduled Board meeting to allow time for review.(socialwork.alabama.gov)

6.2 Evidence of Supervised Experience

The Board requires that PIP applications include documentation such as:(socialwork.alabama.gov)

• Certification of Supervision – verification from supervisors that your postgraduate social casework practice met the Board’s supervision and experience standards.
• Employment Verification – forms documenting employers, dates, hours worked per week, job titles, and detailed descriptions of duties specifically related to the requested PIP area (social casework).
• Any additional information needed to show that your positions constituted “social work practice” and that you are identified with the profession (as required by the applications rule).(socialwork.alabama.gov)

Applications for PIP certification are reviewed by at least two Board members, and if the Board determines you do not qualify for the level you requested, it may approve licensure or certification at a lower level instead.(socialwork.alabama.gov)

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7. At‑a‑Glance Summary of the Key Quantitative Requirements

Stage	Type of Requirement	Amount / Duration	Source
LMSW‑Clinical → LICSW	Work/practice hours	≥ 3,000 work hours of post‑MSW clinical social work, 10+ hrs/week, completed in 2–4 years	Board supervision rule 850‑X‑3‑.04(2)(h), (3)(law.cornell.edu)
	Supervision hours	96 hours of clinical supervision by Board‑approved LICSW, typically 4 hrs/month × 24 months	850‑X‑3‑.04(2)(g),(3)(law.cornell.edu)
LICSW → PIP (statutory minimum)	Postgraduate experience under appropriate supervision in method/specialty	Option A: 2 yrs full‑time or 3 yrs part‑time in specified method OR Option B: 4 yrs full‑time or 5 yrs part‑time in specialty	Ala. Code §34‑30‑3(a)(3)(law.justia.com)
LICSW → PIP (Board rule for social casework)	Postgraduate social casework experience (defined as after MSW/DSW)	Path 1: 3 yrs full‑time or 5 yrs part‑time OR Path 2: 1 yr full‑time or 2 yrs part‑time after LICSW	Admin. Code r. 850‑X‑2‑.02(4)(a)2–3(law.cornell.edu)

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8. Practical Takeaways

• Alabama’s only explicit numerical hour requirements related to PIP are 3,000 work hours of clinical practice and 96 hours of supervision needed to obtain the LICSW.
• Once you are an LICSW, Alabama shifts to requiring years of postgraduate, supervised experience in social casework (or another social work method/specialty) for PIP—measured in years, not hours.
• To demonstrate your eligibility for PIP, you must provide detailed employment and supervision documentation that aligns with the Board’s definitions of “postgraduate experience,” “appropriate supervision,” and social casework as set out in its rules and application materials.