Pennsylvania licenses independent clinical social workers as the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), through the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors. A Social Work Licensure Compact bill has been introduced in Pennsylvania but not enacted. Below: what Pennsylvania asks of a social worker already licensed in another state, and where those applications slow down.
Pennsylvania Social Work License Requirements
Pennsylvania licenses social workers at 3 levels: the LBSW (Licensed Bachelor Social Worker), the LSW (Licensed Social Worker) and the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
LBSW: ASWB Bachelors. Created by the 2020 regulations (49 Pa. Code 47.12e).
LSW: ASWB Masters. Still requires the ASWB Masters exam: 49 Pa. Code 47.11(a) and 47.12a (current through August 8, 2026) and the board's licensure snapshot list it, and no repeal was found in board notices.
LCSW: ASWB Clinical.
Independent clinical practice requires the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
3,000 hours of post-master's supervised experience for the clinical license, including 150 hours of direct supervision.
Licensed elsewhere: An LCSW in good standing elsewhere can be licensed by endorsement if the education, supervised experience and exam meet Pennsylvania's requirements. Act 41 of 2019 adds a route for licensees from substantially equivalent states who have practiced 2 of the last 5 years.
How Much Does a Pennsylvania Social Work License Cost?
We have not published a Pennsylvania figure yet
We have not verified State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors's current schedule, and board fees change between legislative sessions
Board: State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors
We handle the Pennsylvania application end-to-end.
Eligibility screening, document prep, board follow-ups, and tracking — so you don't lose a board meeting cycle to a missing form.
View full pricingWhere Pennsylvania Applications Get Delayed
The LCSW requires 3,000 supervised clinical hours over at least two years, with 2 hours of supervision per 40 hours worked (at least 1 individual and in person), which works out to 150 hours; at least half the hours must be supervised by a qualified LCSW-level supervisor (49 Pa. Code 47.12c).
The LSW requires an MSW and the ASWB Masters exam but no post-degree experience, and the provisional LSW license was eliminated in 2020 (49 Pa. Code 47.12b reserved).
Compact bill HB 554 passed the House 187-15 on June 4, 2025 and has sat in Senate Appropriations since March 16, 2026; the 2025-26 session is still open.
Supervisor attestations and verifications from other boards take the longest. Request them the week you decide to apply, not the week you file.
Renewing Your Pennsylvania Social Work License
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
CE Requirement
30 CE hours per renewal cycle
The Social Work Compact and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is not a Social Work Licensure Compact member. A bill to join has been introduced, but nothing changes until it is enacted, and even then no state is issuing multistate licenses yet. Plan on a Pennsylvania license.
Keeping it current
Pennsylvania renews social work licenses every 2 years, with 30 hours of continuing education per cycle. Biennium runs March 1 of odd years. The 30 hours include 3 in ethics, 2 in Act 31 child abuse recognition and reporting, and 1 in suicide prevention; no carryover. New applicants also need 3 hours of child abuse training before licensure. Holding licenses in several states means several calendars and several sets of CE rules, which is most of what our annual compliance service tracks.
Pennsylvania Social Work License FAQ
What social work licenses does Pennsylvania issue?
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Can I use the Social Work Compact for Pennsylvania?
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I'm licensed in another state. How do I get licensed in Pennsylvania?
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How many supervised hours does Pennsylvania require for the clinical license?
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Where these facts come from
Checked against primary sources. Boards change rules between sessions, so we confirm the current process again before anything is filed.
- LSW: master's degree, ASWB master's exam, no experience; 30 CE hours incl. 2 child abuse, 3 ethics, 1 suicide prevention; Act 41 (2 of last 5 years) — checked 2026-10-08
- LCSW: ASWB Clinical exam, 3,000 hours over at least 2 years, endorsement and Act 41 routes — checked 2026-10-08
- Exam by level: Masters for LSW, Bachelors for LBSW, Clinical for LCSW (code current through 56 Pa.B. 5370, Aug. 8, 2026) — checked 2026-10-08
- LCSW: 3,000 hours, supervision 2 hours per 40, half by qualified supervisor — checked 2026-10-08
- LBSW requirements — checked 2026-10-08
- 30 CE hours per biennium, 3 ethics, 2 child abuse, no carryover — checked 2026-10-08
- HB 554 history: House passage 06/04/2025 (187-15), re-referred to Senate Appropriations 03/16/2026 (archived; palegis.us refused connections from this server) — checked 2026-10-08
What Working with Us Costs
Transparent, a la carte service fees. Board, exam and fingerprinting fees are paid directly to those organizations. Our concierge fee is separate and is the only thing you pay us.
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