Texas Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Guide - 2024

Texas Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensure Process

LCSWs have the ability to practice independently and can perform all of the services an LBSW and LMSW provide. The scope of their practice includes:

• Diagnosing mental, emotional, developmental, behavioral, and addiction issues
• Assessing, diagnosing, and treating children, adolescents, and adults with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders
• Applying clinical treatments, mediations, counseling sessions, and psychotherapy

Education Requirements

An MSW or doctoral degree in social work is needed before applying for an LCSW license. The degree must be earned from a CSWE-accredited university or program.

Here you can find all schools offering social work degree programs in Texas.

Experience Requirements

LCSWs must complete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work experience in 2-4 years. The clinical experience must include 100 hours of direct supervision with a board-approved LCSW.

Background Check

Each licensure candidate will have a criminal background check performed. Once you submit your application, you’ll receive an email with instructions for submitting your fingerprints to complete the process.

Examination Requirements

The Texas Jurisprudence exam tests your knowledge of the state’s regulations governing social work. The fee for the test is $40 and is around two hours long, and consists of 126 questions. Print a copy of your certificate of completion when finished.

You also need a passing score on the ASWB Clinical exam, which takes four hours to complete and has a registration fee of $260. The 170-question test confirms your advanced knowledge of social work and that you know how to apply techniques commonly applied in clinical settings.

Applying for Licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Go online to submit the LCSW application along with the $111 non-refundable fee. Next, sign up and pay for the Jurisprudence exam, and don’t forget to print a copy of the certificate to send to the Board for verification. You can also upload the certificate and submit it with your application.

Your official transcript will be sent to the Board by your school. Send an email containing your NPDB self-query report to: transcripts@bhec.texas.gov or mail the hard copy to:

The NPDB should be sealed in its original envelope if you’re mailing it to the Board.

Because you’re upgrading your license, you have to prove you’ve completed the required supervised experience hours. Before you can begin accruing hours, you must submit a Clinical Supervision Plan to the Board for approval. After the plan is accepted and you’ve completed the experience, a Clinical Supervision Verification for LCSW form needs to be submitted. You’ll also need to verify your employment which is a part of the application packet.

The Board will notify the ASWB once you’re eligible for the Master’s exam. Wait for the approval, which can take between 8-10 weeks for processing. You can then schedule an appointment to take the exam and pay the $260 registration fee. It takes about two weeks for the Board to receive your passing score, and once they do, you will be able to call yourself an LCSW.