What the Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners requires to reach LICSW — supervised hours, exams, continuing education and renewal.
Maximum supervision window. Alabama's own rule states two different maximums: 850-X-03.04(2)(h) says 4 years, while 850-X-03.04(2)(g) says 3 years. The board's FAQ frames it as 24 months of supervision completed within 36 months. Confirm your deadline with the board before you plan around either figure.
| Credential | Full name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LBSW | Licensed Bachelor Social Worker | Bachelor's-level license. |
| LMSW | Licensed Master Social Worker | Master's level; declares a Clinical or Non-Clinical designation. |
| LICSW | Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker | The independent clinical license. |
| PIP | Private Independent Practice | An add-on authorisation for independent-contractor casework, not a standalone level. |
| Supervised experience | 3,000 hours — post-master's work hours before sitting the LICSW exam |
| Supervision hours | 96 hours clinical supervision from a Board-approved LICSW; may run concurrently with the work hours |
| Supervision frequency | At least 4 hours per month for 24 months, completed within a 36-month window. |
| Minimum elapsed time | 2 years |
| Direct client contact | Not specified by the board |
The board states that approved applicants are eligible to sit the ASWB examination, and its rules say only "an examination prescribed by the Board." The specific ASWB category for each Alabama license level is not named in board sources.
We have flagged the exam mapping above because the board does not state it plainly in the sources we could reach. Confirm it with the board before you register and pay for a category.
30 hours per 2-year renewal cycle, all levels.
Alabama has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact. Thirty-three jurisdictions have. Enactment is not the same as availability: the Compact Commission has not opened applications and no multistate licenses have been issued yet. Until it goes live, licensure by endorsement remains the route into another state. Where the compact actually stands.
Primary authority: Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners. Where anything on this page differs from the board, the board governs.
We do not publish fee amounts. Boards revise fee schedules without notice and a stale figure on a page people budget from is worse than no figure — use the board link above for current fees.
Requirements change. Confirm anything you intend to act on with the board before you apply. Tell us if something here is out of date and we will correct and re-date the page.
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Next scheduled review: January 2027
This guide is the reference. If you want it turned into dates and a checklist — when to register, when each exam opens to you, what the fees come to — the roadmap builder does that for Alabama.
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