District-of-columbia LGSW Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

The District of Columbia’s Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW) credential is the entry‑level master’s license for social work practice under supervision. The D.C. Code and D.C. Board of Social Work rules now make it possible to obtain an initial LGSW license without first passing the national exam, but they build in a supervised‑hours or exam requirement before your first renewal.

Below is a structured guide, with the key statutory and Board language highlighted and explained.

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1. What the LGSW license is in D.C.

Under District law, the Board:

“shall license as a graduate social worker a person who…has a master’s degree or a doctorate from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education,”

and who meets the general licensing requirements in subchapter V, except the usual exam requirement. (code.dccouncil.gov)

Once licensed, an LGSW:

“may perform any function described as the practice of social work…other than psychotherapy, under the supervision of a social worker licensed under § 3‑1208.03 or § 3‑1208.04, and may perform psychotherapy under the supervision of a social worker licensed under § 3‑1208.04.” (code.dccouncil.gov)

So, in D.C.:

• LGSWs are not independent; they always practice under supervision.
• They may do psychotherapy, but only under the supervision of an LICSW.

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2. Core eligibility to become an LGSW

2.1. Education

The statute requires:

• A master’s or doctoral degree in social work (MSW/DSW/PhD in social work).
• The degree must be from a CSWE‑accredited social work program. (code.dccouncil.gov)

The Board’s LGSW “Educational Pathway” checklist mirrors this: you must have an official transcript showing a master’s degree in social work (MSW), with foreign degrees evaluated by CSWE. (dchealth.dc.gov)

2.2. General Board requirements (application stage)

From the Board’s LGSW Educational Pathway / New License Application checklists, you must submit: (dchealth.dc.gov)

• Online application (all pages completed).
• Demographic information.
• Social Security number or a sworn affidavit plus acceptable identity documents.
• One passport‑style photo (2x2, color, white background).
• A copy of a government‑issued photo ID.
• Name‑change documents, if applicable.
• Three character references (two professional social workers, one may be family/friend).
• Official MSW transcript sent directly to the Board or in a sealed envelope.
• Criminal background check (CBC) with a separate $50 payment.
• Responses to screening questions (including “Clean Hands”) and any supporting court/licensure/NPDB documents if you answer “Yes”.
• Application and license fee (currently $230).

There is no hour requirement at this stage for LGSW licensure. The only hour‑related material in the generic social work “by examination” checklist is explicitly marked “LICSW / LISW ONLY” (3,000 supervision hours + 100 face‑to‑face) and does not apply to LGSW applicants. (dchealth.dc.gov)

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3. The exam requirement and how it changed for LGSWs

Historically, a national exam at the graduate level was required for LGSW licensure. As of a 2025 amendment, that is no longer true for the initial license.

D.C. Code § 3‑1205.06 (the general exam section) now states:

“the examination requirement under this section shall not apply to an individual applying for licensure as a licensed graduate social worker under § 3‑1208.02.” (code.dccouncil.gov)

And § 3‑1208.02(a) clarifies that LGSW applicants must meet subchapter V requirements “except the examination requirement under § 3‑1205.06.” (code.dccouncil.gov)

What this means in practice:

• You may obtain your initial LGSW license without having taken or passed the ASWB graduate exam.
• You can still choose an “examination” pathway (e.g., if you already passed the ASWB exam), but it is not mandatory to get the first license.

The exam returns as an option at renewal, which is where the 1,500‑hour requirement comes in.

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4. Supervision rules for LGSWs while practicing

Once you hold the LGSW, you are a supervised practitioner under both statute and regulation.

4.1. Who can supervise you

Under D.C. Code and the D.C. Municipal Regulations:

• Only an independent social worker (LISW) or an independent clinical social worker (LICSW) “in good standing” may supervise an LGSW. (dcrules.elaws.us)

4.2. You may not practice independently

The supervision regulation, 17 DCMR § 7012, provides that LGSWs (along with LSWAs and licensees working toward independent status) are “persons [who] may practice under supervision.” (dcrules.elaws.us)

Important restrictions include:

• An LGSW **“shall not establish an independent practice, and shall not receive compensation of any nature, directly or indirectly, from a patient, except for a salary based on hours worked under supervision.” (dcrules.elaws.us)

4.3. How supervision must be structured (hours and format)

The same section lays out the structure of supervised practice, which applies to your LGSW work:

• “At least one (1) hour of every thirty‑two (32) hours of supervised practice shall be under immediate supervision.”
• Supervision requires daily contact (in‑person, phone, video, or internet) plus “regular personal observation, evaluation, oversight, review, and correction” of your services.
• The supervisor must know your caseload well enough, with face‑to‑face contact with clients when necessary, to oversee service delivery and treatment plans.
• “All decisions by a supervisee which require the special skill, knowledge, or training of a social worker shall be made in collaboration with and with the approval of the supervisor.” (dcrules.elaws.us)

These provisions do not create a total‑hours requirement to get the license, but they define how any supervised practice hours must be structured and documented.

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5. The key hour requirement: 1,500 supervised practice hours before your first renewal (if you skip the exam)

The only numeric hour requirement specific to the LGSW license appears in § 3‑1208.02(c), and it is tied to your first renewal, not to initial licensure:

“To renew their license as a licensed graduate social worker, a person shall, prior to the first time renewing their license, either:

(1) Pass a national examination or
(2) Obtain 1,500 hours in the practice of social work under the supervision of a social worker licensed under §§ 3‑1208.03 or 3‑1208.04.” (code.dccouncil.gov)

Breakdown of this requirement:

• Total hours: 1,500 hours.
• Type of hours: all 1,500 must be “in the practice of social work” (i.e., actual social work practice, not generic employment; typically includes assessment, case management, interventions, documentation, etc.).
• Supervision: every one of those hours must be “under the supervision of a social worker licensed under §§ 3‑1208.03 or 3‑1208.04”—that is, under an LISW or LICSW. (code.dccouncil.gov)
• Supervision ratio within those hours: for those hours to qualify as supervised practice in D.C., they must follow the 17 DCMR § 7012 requirements (at least 1 hour of immediate supervision for every 32 hours of supervised practice, daily contact, etc.). (dcrules.elaws.us)

What the 1,500 hours are NOT:

• They are not split into “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience.” D.C. uses one number—1,500 hours of supervised practice, not a 50/50 direct/supervision split.
• They are not the same as the 3,000‑hour requirements for LISW/LICSW, which apply later if you seek independent or clinical licensure (see below).

Your choice at first renewal:

Before your first renewal deadline, you must do one of the following:

1. Pass the national exam (Board‑approved ASWB graduate exam).
2. Complete 1,500 supervised practice hours as described above.

If you pass the exam, you do not also need the 1,500 hours to renew as an LGSW (though you will still need supervised hours later if you aim for LISW/LICSW). If you do not take or pass the exam, you must have properly documented 1,500 supervised hours to keep your LGSW. (code.dccouncil.gov)

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6. How LGSW practice relates to higher DC licenses (for context)

This is not part of becoming an LGSW, but many candidates plan ahead:

• Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW): Requires “at least 3,000 hours post‑master’s or postdoctoral experience under the supervision of a licensed independent social worker over a period of not less than 2 or more than 4 years,” plus the independent‑level exam. (code.dccouncil.gov)
• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW): Requires “at least 3,000 hours of post‑master’s or postdoctoral experience participating in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals, families, and groups with psychosocial problems, under the supervision of a licensed independent clinical social worker over a period of not less than 2 years or more than 4 years,” with up to 1,500 hours supervised by a psychiatrist or psychologist in special cases, plus the clinical exam. (code.dccouncil.gov)

Those 3,000‑hour requirements are separate from the LGSW 1,500‑hour renewal option.

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7. Summary in plain terms

• To get the initial LGSW license in D.C.:

  • You need an MSW/DSW from a CSWE‑accredited program.
  • You must submit the Board’s required documents, character references, CBC, and fees.
  • No minimum practice hours and no exam are required at the moment of initial licensure.

• While practicing as an LGSW:

  • You must work under supervision of an LISW or LICSW.
  • You cannot run an independent practice or bill clients directly.
  • At least 1 hour of every 32 hours of your supervised practice must be under “immediate supervision”, with ongoing daily contact and oversight.

• Before your first LGSW renewal:

  • You must either:
    • Pass the national exam, or
    • Complete 1,500 hours of supervised social work practice (all under an LISW or LICSW), structured per D.C. supervision rules.

There is no requirement in D.C. for 1,500 hours of direct practice plus 1,500 hours of supervision to become or remain an LGSW. The governing numbers are 0 hours required for the initial license, and 1,500 supervised practice hours or the exam required prior to your first renewal.