Washington LSWAA Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Washington’s Licensed Social Worker Associate‑Advanced (LSWAA) credential is the pre‑licensure status for social workers on the Licensed Advanced Social Worker (LASW) track. It is issued by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) under chapter 18.225 RCW and chapter 246‑809 WAC, with input from the Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Social Workers Advisory Committee.

The points below reflect the law and rules in effect after the 2025 rule updates, current as of November 23, 2025.

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1. What an LSWAA is (and is not)

Under WAC 246‑809‑010, an “associate” is a pre‑licensure candidate who:

• Has a graduate degree in a mental health field,
• Is gaining the supervision and supervised experience necessary to become fully licensed (LASW, LICSW, LMHC, or LMFT), and
• “May not independently provide social work…for a fee, monetary or otherwise” and “must work under the supervision of an approved supervisor.” (law.cornell.edu)

So an LSWAA:

• Is a licensed credential, but
• Cannot practice independently or bill independently,
• Exists specifically to let you accrue the supervised postgraduate hours required for full LASW licensure.

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2. Minimum eligibility to become an LSWAA

2.1 Education

For the Licensed Social Worker Associate‑Advanced track, WAC 246‑809‑320(1) states that both LASW and LSWAA applicants:

• “Must have graduated from a master’s social work educational program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education” or
• Hold a social work doctorate from a university accredited by a recognized accrediting organization. (regulations.justia.com)

No other degrees or “related fields” substitute for this requirement on the social worker track.

2.2 Pre‑licensure supervised hours (before becoming an associate)

For LSWAA applicants:

• No supervised postgraduate experience is required to obtain the associate license.

WAC 246‑809‑330(3) states that “Licensed social worker associate‑advanced and licensed social worker associate‑independent clinical applicants are not required to have supervised postgraduate experience prior to becoming an associate.” (law.cornell.edu)

You enter the associate stage right after earning your qualifying MSW/DSW/PhD in social work (and meeting the other application criteria below).

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3. Application requirements and process

3.1 Required application materials

The DOH Social Worker Associate Advanced License Application Packet (form DOH 670‑187, March 2025) and the new WAC 246‑809‑096 “Application” rule lay out what must be submitted: (doh.wa.gov)

1. Completed DOH application form (online or paper, Social Worker Associate Advanced packet).
2. Official transcripts sent directly from your graduate social work program to DOH to prove you meet the WAC 246‑809‑320 education standard. (doh.wa.gov)
3. Personal data questions and any required court or disciplinary documentation.
4. Disclosure of all other licenses/registrations, in Washington and other jurisdictions, plus credential verification forms sent directly from each jurisdiction, if applicable. (doh.wa.gov)
5. Application fees as set in WAC 246‑809‑990 (currently: original application and initial license $51, renewal $41, plus HEAL‑WA access fee included). (doh.wa.gov)
6. Background check: DOH explains that fingerprint‑based checks through the Washington State Patrol and FBI may be required, especially if you have lived in other states or have a criminal record; this is at your expense. (doh.wa.gov)

3.2 Declaration you are working toward full licensure

Both the rule and the application form require an explicit statement that you are on the path to full LASW or LICSW licensure:

• WAC 246‑809‑330(4): “Licensed social worker associate‑advanced and licensed social worker associate‑independent clinical applicants shall declare they are working toward full licensure.” (law.cornell.edu)
• The application itself includes a “Declaration Working Toward Licensure” section where you initial a statement: “I declare that I am working toward licensure as a Social Worker.” (doh.wa.gov)

This declaration is a condition of being granted the LSWAA credential.

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4. Supervision requirements while you hold an LSWAA

4.1 Must work under an approved supervisor

• WAC 246‑809‑010 states that associates “must work under the supervision of an approved supervisor.” (law.cornell.edu)
• DOH’s social worker associate FAQ and associate application packet include an Approved Supervisor Verification form as part of the packet. (doh.wa.gov)

4.2 Who can be an “approved supervisor”

For LSWAA, DOH’s FAQ and WAC 246‑809‑334 together specify: (law.cornell.edu)

• The supervisor must hold an appropriate license (advanced social worker, independent clinical social worker, mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychiatric ARNP, depending on the situation).
• The supervisor’s license must:
  • Be active, in good standing, without restrictions for at least the previous two years; and
  • Meet specific supervision‑training and experience standards, including:
    • At least 15 clock hours of training in clinical supervision, and
    • At least 25 hours of experience in supervision of clinical practice, plus
    • Two years of post‑licensure clinical experience. (law.cornell.edu)

The supervisor also must not be a blood or legal relative, cohabitant, or your own therapist within the last two years. (law.cornell.edu)

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5. Postgraduate hours required for full LASW licensure

(typically earned while you hold the LSWAA)

While no hours are required to get the LSWAA, the point of this status is to accumulate the supervised postgraduate experience you need to become a Licensed Advanced Social Worker (LASW).

Under RCW 18.225.090(1)(a)(i) and WAC 246‑809‑330(1), the requirements for Licensed Advanced Social Worker supervised experience are: (law.justia.com)

5.1 Total supervised experience hours

• Total postgraduate supervised experience:
  3,000 hours minimum of supervised experience in advanced social work practice.

The law no longer uses 3,200 hours; it was reduced to 3,000, with the structure below preserved.

5.2 “Direct client contact” hours

Within the 3,000 hours:

• At least 800 hours must be in “direct client contact.”

DOH’s licensing requirements page mirrors the statute and WAC, stating that “Eight hundred hours must be in direct client contact.” (doh.wa.gov)

“Direct client contact” is not just time on site; it is time spent directly providing assessment, counseling, or treatment services to clients.

5.3 Supervision hours (a subset of the 3,000)

Also within the same 3,000 hours, you must complete at least 90 hours of formal supervision:

• Total supervision:
  90 hours of direct supervision by a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) or Licensed Advanced Social Worker (LASW) who has been licensed for at least two years, or by an “equally qualified licensed mental health professional” as allowed by rule. (law.cornell.edu)

The 90 hours themselves are structured as follows:

• At least 40 hours must be “one‑to‑one supervision” (you and the supervisor, or at most you plus one other licensure candidate). (law.cornell.edu)
• The remaining 50 hours may be either one‑to‑one or group supervision. (law.cornell.edu)
• Up to 40 of the 90 supervision hours may be provided by an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner (such as an LMHC, LMFT, psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychiatric ARNP), with the rest provided by an LASW or LICSW. (law.justia.com)

Put another way, for LASW licensure the hour structure is:

• 3,000 total supervised postgraduate hours, including:
  • 800 hours direct client contact, and
  • 90 hours of supervision, of which:
    • ≥ 40 hours must be one‑to‑one with a LASW or LICSW,
    • ≤ 50 hours can be one‑to‑one or group, and
    • ≤ 40 of the 90 can be with an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner.

There is no 1,500 / 1,500 split in Washington law; the state uses the 3,000‑hour model with explicit sub‑requirements for client‑contact and supervision hours.

5.4 Timeframe and setting

• For Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), WAC 246‑809‑330(2)(c) explicitly requires that the 3,000 hours be accumulated “over a period of not less than two years.” (law.cornell.edu)
• For LASW, the current WAC keeps the 3,000‑hour total with the 800‑hour and 90‑hour sub‑requirements, but does not prescribe a specific minimum number of years; your DOH‑approved supervised experience form will document dates and settings.

Supervised hours can be earned in agencies, facilities, or private practice settings, as long as you are working under an approved supervisor and within the scope of social work practice authorized for associates.

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6. Continuing education (CE) requirements for LSWAA

Washington distinguishes between CE to maintain the LSWAA license and supervised practice hours to qualify for LASW. They are separate.

6.1 Annual CE requirement

A 2025 rules package (WSR 25‑06‑068) amended WAC 246‑809‑630 and 246‑809‑632 to reduce CE hours for associates. As of June 12, 2025, the rule states: (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)

• All licensed associates must complete 16 hours of continuing education every year to renew their license (previously 18 hours).
• You attest to these hours each year at renewal.

6.2 Required content within those 16 hours

Under WAC 246‑809‑632, associates—including LSWAA—must include:

1. Professional ethics and law

   • 6 hours every two years in professional ethics and law.
   • These hours may be counted toward the 16‑hour annual total for the year they’re taken. (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)

2. Professional roles and boundaries

   • Minimum of 2 hours in professional roles and boundaries (distinct from the ethics requirement). (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)

3. Health equity training

   • Minimum of 2 hours every four years in health‑equity CE, consistent with general DOH health‑equity training rules in WAC 246‑12‑830. (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)

4. Suicide assessment, treatment, and management – specific to LSWAA

   For Licensed Social Worker Associate‑Advanced and Licensed Social Worker Associate‑Independent Clinical, WAC 246‑809‑632(5) and WAC 246‑809‑630(2) require: (law.cornell.edu)

   • 6 hours of suicide assessment, treatment, and management CE after initial licensure and before the first renewal, and
   • An additional 6 hours during the following six‑year period.
   • These hours count toward your annual CE totals.

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7. Renewal and duration of the LSWAA credential

• The LSWAA license is valid for one year and is renewed each year on the date of issuance (not on your birthday). (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)
• 2025 rule revisions removed the previous cap that limited associates to six renewals; WAC 246‑809‑990 now omits that limit. (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)
• To renew, you must:
  • Submit the renewal fee,
  • Attest to completing the 16 required CE hours (with the ethics, roles/boundaries, health‑equity, and suicide‑training components on the correct timelines), and
  • Remain in good standing (no disqualifying disciplinary or criminal issues).

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8. Summary of key hour requirements related to LSWAA

To obtain the LSWAA (Licensed Social Worker Associate‑Advanced):

• Supervised postgraduate hours required at the time of application: 0 hours (explicitly not required by WAC 246‑809‑330(3)). (law.cornell.edu)
• Education: Accredited MSW or social‑work doctorate (CSWE‑accredited program). (regulations.justia.com)

While holding the LSWAA, to qualify later for full LASW:

• 3,000 total supervised postgraduate hours, including:
  • 800 hours of direct client contact, and
  • 90 hours of formal supervision, of which:
    • At least 40 hours one‑to‑one;
    • Up to 50 hours may be one‑to‑one or group;
    • Up to 40 of the 90 may be with an equally qualified licensed MHP, with the rest under an LASW or LICSW. (law.cornell.edu)

To maintain the LSWAA each year (post‑June 12, 2025 rules):

• 16 CE hours every year, including:
  • 6 hours ethics and law every two years,
  • 2 hours professional roles and boundaries,
  • 2 hours health‑equity training every four years, and
  • For LSWAA specifically, 6 hours suicide‑assessment training before first renewal and another 6 hours within the next six years. (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)

Those are the state‑board‑defined education, supervision, and continuing‑education requirements tied to the LSWAA and the subsequent LASW license in Washington.