West-virginia LICSW Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Becoming a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in West Virginia means meeting the requirements in West Virginia Code §30-30-8, the Board of Social Work's legislative rule (Title 25, Series 1 of the Code of State Rules, effective July 1, 2022) and the Board's Clinical Supervision Manual (May 2026). Below is a step-by-step guide that tracks those sources and highlights the exact types of hours and supervision the Board requires.

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1. Understand what the LICSW license is

West Virginia's Board of Social Work recognizes four regular license levels: LSW, LGSW, LCSW, and Level D, the LICSW. The LICSW is the highest, "independent clinical" level, authorizing diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders and independent clinical practice under §30-30-9 of the West Virginia Code. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

The Board's Clinical Supervision Manual says the applicant "must verify a minimum of two years of full-time employment and 3,000 hours of practice in full- or part-time employment under the supervision of a Board-approved Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker," and that "a supervisee cannot complete the 3000 hours in less than two years." (wvsocialworkboard.org)

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2. Meet the education requirements

2.1. Degree

You must have:

• A master’s degree in social work (MSW) from a CSWE‑accredited program, or
• A PhD/DSW in social work from a program recognized by CSWE. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

2.2. Clinically oriented training

For the LICSW, the Board expects a clinically oriented graduate education, which includes:

1. Supervised clinical field placement
   West Virginia Code §30-30-8(5) and the Board's Clinical Supervision Manual require a supervised clinical field placement (practicum) at the graduate level, or post-master's clinical training that the Board finds equivalent. (code.wvlegislature.gov)

2. Graduate coursework in psychopathology / abnormal psychology
   The Board's Clinical Supervision Manual states that an LICSW applicant:

   • "must have completed a graduate course in either psychopathology or abnormal psychology or other courses found equivalent by WVBSW." (wvsocialworkboard.org)

   That course may be part of your MSW program or an additional graduate class.

Practical implication:
If your MSW did not clearly include (a) a supervised clinical field placement and (b) a graduate‑level psychopathology/abnormal psych course, the Board may require you to document equivalent post‑master’s clinical training or additional coursework before it will approve you for LICSW.

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3. Hold an appropriate WV social work license while you gain hours

In practice, you earn your supervised clinical experience after the MSW while holding a West Virginia social work license that allows clinical practice under supervision. The Board's supervisee FAQ says that, at minimum, you need the LGSW before starting supervision; the LCSW is not required. An LSW (bachelor's level) cannot be used for LICSW supervision. Your options are:

• LGSW (Licensed Graduate Social Worker), and/or
• LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker), if you already qualify at that level. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

The Board's manual and FAQ explain that LICSW hours must be earned under a Board-approved LICSW supervisor (or an approved clinical social worker licensed in another jurisdiction), in a position whose duties meet the definition of clinical social work practice. You submit an Employment Verification form and an official job description for each place of employment. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

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4. Arrange Board‑approved clinical supervision

4.1. Who can be your clinical supervisor?

Under the Board’s rules, a clinical supervisor must be:

• A West Virginia‑licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), or
• A licensed clinical social worker from another jurisdiction, in good standing, who meets Board approval. (apps.sos.wv.gov)

To be approved, the clinical supervisor must, among other things:

• Have at least two years of clinical practice after receiving their clinical license;
• Complete an application to supervise on Board forms; and
• Complete at least 6 hours of Board‑approved clinical supervision training on supervisory methods for clinical social workers (unless exempt as specified in the rule). (apps.sos.wv.gov)

4.2. Supervision agreement

Before your clinical hours count toward LICSW:

• You and your supervisor must submit a clinical supervision contract to the Board that identifies both of you and sets out your respective duties (25CSR1 §3.6.1.d).
• The Board's FAQ is explicit: you "must receive written Board approval prior to counting hours towards licensure," and clinical practice may not begin until the application for supervision is approved. You also file a written Emergency Crisis Plan for each place of employment, cosigned by you, your supervisor and an independently licensed emergency contact. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

Clinical supervision is not supposed to start (for LICSW credit) until the Board has approved this contract. (apps.sos.wv.gov)

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5. Complete the required clinical practice and supervision hours

This is the heart of LICSW candidacy, and it is where the Board’s specific hour requirements matter most.

5.1. Total clinical practice hours

The Board's LICSW license page and manual, together with the statute and legislative rule, are consistent on the basic minimum:

• You must document a minimum of two years of full‑time employment and
• 3,000 hours of post‑master’s clinical social work practice in full‑ or part‑time employment. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

The Board's manual describes these as clinical practice hours earned by providing individual, couples, family or group therapy under a Board-approved supervisor. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

So unlike some states that split hours into "direct" vs "indirect," West Virginia's Board:

• Treats the entire 3,000 hours as post-MSW supervised clinical social work practice, and
• Requires the hours to be earned in a position whose duties meet the definition of clinical social work, verified by your employer.

5.2. Required clinical supervision hours

The Board requires a substantial amount of supervision, both in total hours and format.

From the Level D (LICSW) page:

• “An applicant should have at least 100 hours of face to face supervision.” (wvsocialworkboard.org)

The legislative rule at 25 CSR 1, §3.6.1.e adds detail:

• The supervisor must maintain records of supervision for 100 hours of face‑to‑face sessions
  conducted over no less than two years of full‑time employment or 3,000 hours of full or part‑time employment (i.e., the same practice window as your 3,000 clinical hours). (apps.sos.wv.gov)

• The rule specifies that “[a]n applicant should have at least one hour of supervision for each thirty (30) hours of supervised practice.” (apps.sos.wv.gov)

  • 3,000 practice hours divided by 30 is about 100 supervision hours, which is why the Board uses that number.

• At least 50% of supervision must be in an individual setting (one‑on‑one with your supervisor, not group). (apps.sos.wv.gov)

• "Face to face supervision conducted with technology compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is acceptable," so secure, compliant video can count as "face-to-face." (apps.sos.wv.gov)

• The Board's May 2026 Clinical Supervision Manual adds that supervision must occur at least once every two weeks. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

Putting this together in plain terms

For LICSW in West Virginia, the Board’s own language and rules effectively require:

• 3,000 hours of post-MSW supervised clinical social work practice in a position the Board accepts as clinical;
• Carried out over at least two years (you cannot compress it into a shorter period);
• With about 1 hour of clinical supervision for each 30 hours of practice, resulting in at least 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision, with sessions at least every two weeks;
• At least 50 of those 100 supervision hours must be individual supervision (the remainder may be group, but no more than half);
• All supervision must be provided by a Board‑approved LICSW (or qualifying clinical social worker from another jurisdiction) under an approved supervision contract.

West Virginia does not divide the 3,000 clinical hours into separate "direct" and "supervised" totals. Instead, the Board expects 3,000 hours of clinical practice plus 100 hours of separate, face-to-face clinical supervision layered on top, with a required supervision-to-practice ratio.

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6. Document your experience

Throughout the supervision period:

• Your supervisor must keep detailed records of each supervision session (date, duration, type, topics), initialed by both of you, as required in §3.6.1.e. (apps.sos.wv.gov)
• You must be able to document:
  • Employment setting and job duties (showing that hours were clinical in nature);
  • Total clinical practice hours;
  • Total supervision hours (individual vs group, in‑person vs HIPAA‑compliant video);
  • That the experience spanned at least two years.

Your supervisor also completes a six-month review with you, with a written plan for any areas of growth. These reviews are not mailed to the Board every six months; they go in with the supervisor's final recommendation at the end of supervision. Report any change of employer, supervisor or contact information to the Board within 30 days; a new employer or supervisor also needs an updated Employment Verification form or supervisor statement and an updated Emergency Crisis Plan. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

The Board may review this documentation when you apply for LICSW candidacy.

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7. Apply for the LICSW and test authorization

Once you and your supervisor believe you have completed all clinical and supervision requirements:

1. Submit the “Application for Independent Clinical Social Work License (LICSW)” to the Board with all supporting documentation (supervision records, employment verification, transcripts, etc.). The Board’s LICSW page instructs that individuals in West Virginia “seeking test authorization upon finishing clinical supervision” should file this application. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

2. If you are or have been licensed in another state, you must request license verification from that state’s social work board. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

The Board reviews your materials to determine whether you have met:

• Education requirements (degree, clinical field placement, psychopathology/abnormal psych course);
• Clinical experience and supervision requirements (3,000 hours, 100 supervision hours, proper supervision ratio and format);
• Any other statutory requirements (e.g., criminal background considerations under 25CSR1 §4). (apps.sos.wv.gov)

If approved, the Board notifies the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) that you are cleared to sit for the Clinical examination. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

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8. Pass the ASWB Clinical exam

After Board approval:

• Register with ASWB for the Clinical level exam and pay the exam fee.
• Take and pass the exam; ASWB sends official scores directly to the Board. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

Only after both the Board's LICSW application review and your passing exam score are complete will the Board issue the Level D LICSW license. You must stay under Board-approved supervision until you have passed the exam and the Board has issued the license. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

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9. Maintain your license

Once licensed as an LICSW, you must comply with West Virginia’s continuing education and renewal requirements:

• All regular licensees (including LICSW) must complete 30 hours of Board-approved continuing education every two-year licensing period. At least 20 must be Category I hours from approved providers (at least 10 of them live or synchronous), including at least 2 hours on mental health conditions of veterans and their families and at least 1 hour of social work ethics; up to 10 may be Category II. You also earn CE while you are under supervision. (wvsocialworkboard.org)
• The West Virginia Legislature passed the Social Work Licensure Compact in 2026, effective June 9, 2026. The Board says the Compact is not live yet and it is not accepting Compact applications. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

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Summary of key numbers and Board‑defined hour types

For LICSW in West Virginia, as of the rule effective July 1, 2022 and the Board's May 2026 Clinical Supervision Manual:

• Degree: MSW (or higher) in social work from a CSWE‑accredited program.
• Clinical education:
  • Supervised clinical field placement or equivalent post‑master’s clinical training;
  • One graduate course in psychopathology or abnormal psychology, or equivalent. (wvsocialworkboard.org)
• Clinical practice experience:
  • At least 3,000 hours of post-MSW supervised clinical social work practice, earned while holding an LGSW or LCSW under a Board-approved supervision contract;
  • Spanning at least two years of full‑time (or equivalent part‑time) employment. (wvsocialworkboard.org)
• Clinical supervision:
  • At least 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision with a Board-approved LICSW (or equivalent clinical social worker),
  • At roughly 1 supervision hour per 30 hours of supervised practice, with sessions at least every two weeks,
  • With at least 50% of supervision in an individual (1:1) format,
  • Conducted over the same two‑year/3,000‑hour period. (apps.sos.wv.gov)
• Exam: ASWB Clinical examination. (wvsocialworkboard.org)

Those figures and terms reflect the Board's statute, rules and manuals as of 2026; applicants should still confirm current requirements directly with the West Virginia Board of Social Work before applying, in case of future rule changes.