Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) states
51
Above median
Occupational licensing · Mental Health · 51 state boards
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensing Requirements by State
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensing rules differ by state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible state boards (current as of May 15, 2026), this registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Licensed Professional Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist, Psychologist.
- States regulated
- 51
- Avg initial fee
- $155
- Require an exam
- 100%
- Avg education hours
- 3,459
Board Pathway Strip
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): 51 boards · ~3,459 avg pre-licensure hrs · exam on 100% · background check on 100% · avg first fee $155. Same-lane boards: Licensed Professional Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist, Psychologist.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) vs. every tracked profession
Average confirmed pre-licensure education hours, board-sourced state requirements
3,459 10th of 47 higher than 37 of 47 professions
professions with confirmed education-hour requirements, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more professions. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCredential NCSL and state-board corpus · 2026
Provides mental health counseling. Requires MSW degree and clinical hours.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) initial fees swing $75 (NH) to $248 (CA), a $173 spread across 51 boards ; Licensed Professional Counselor often lands on a different fee band.
Board thresholds for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Licensed Professional Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist in mental health. Methodology notes live on our methods page.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) edu hrs
3,459 hrs
Top quartile, highest
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) first fee
$155
Above median
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) renewal
$132
Above median
Board gates for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): exam on 51/51 (100%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , CE on 51/51 (avg 30 hrs/cycle) . Stack that against Licensed Professional Counselor / Marriage and Family Therapist before calling this license soft or hard.
Training-hour peers beyond mental health
Coverage band
- Security Alarm Installer · 51 states
- Amusement Ride Operator · 51 states
- Animal Breeder · 51 states
- Arborist / Tree Surgeon · 51 states
Hour load
- Occupational Therapist · 3,459 avg hrs
- Physical Therapist · 3,459 avg hrs
- Speech-Language Pathologist · 3,459 avg hrs
- Physician Assistant · 3,689 avg hrs
Cheapest vs priciest jurisdiction for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
A $173 fee spread for the same credential
Initial licensing fees in New Hampshire ($ 75) and California ($ 248) bracket the field, a 3.3× spread for identical practice rights.
NH
New Hampshire
$75 initial licensing fee
CA
California
$248 initial licensing fee
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) boards vs Licensed Professional Counselor / Marriage and Family Therapist - state table
51 statesWhat to do with this
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) is regulated in 51 states -- here's how to use that before you act.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) ranks #10 of 47 professions by average pre-licensure education hours -- see how it compares to similar roles. Browse all professions
- #44 of 97 professions by number of states requiring a license -- see which states are strictest overall. State burden rankings
- Initial fees for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) range from $75 (NH) to $248 (CA) -- check whether your license transfers before assuming you'd need to pay again. Reciprocity guide
Requirements are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research and verified against state board sites where possible; always confirm current rules with the licensing board before relying on any single row.
Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.