Indiana Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

How to Become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Indiana

In an Indiana hospital behavioral health unit, a job offer may hinge on when the LCSW can be issued. Exam timing and supervised-hours documentation often decide the start date.

Indiana’s clinical social work license tells employers and credentialing teams that clinical work has been completed under qualified supervision and verified through the state process. It can shape assigned responsibilities, how services are billed or credentialed, and whether certain clinical duties are permitted in a given role.

Quick summary (what Indiana expects): To become an LCSW in Indiana, applicants typically complete a graduate social work degree, earn qualifying post-degree clinical experience under board-recognized supervision (including minimum monthly face-to-face supervision), pass the ASWB Clinical exam, apply through the state system, and maintain the license through renewal and continuing education.

The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Information (Social Work) posts program guidance, while core legal authority comes from Indiana’s social work licensure statutes (Indiana Code Title 25, Article 23.6) and administrative rules. For a readable reference copy of the statutory framework, see Indiana Code Title 25, Article 23.6 (reference copy). Supervision and experience definitions for clinical licensure appear in 839 IAC 1-3-2.

Educational Requirements for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Indiana

In an Indiana community mental health clinic, the education requirement confirms graduate-level social work training before clinical experience can count toward public protection.

Degree level and what must match on transcripts

Indiana’s clinical social work pathway requires completing a graduate degree in social work before qualifying supervised clinical experience is credited. Make sure transcripts clearly show:

• The degree awarded (as printed on the transcript and diploma).
• The field (social work) and the date the graduate degree was conferred, since post-degree experience timing matters.
• The institution name exactly as it appears across all documents submitted with the application.

Accreditation expectations (CSWE)

CSWE accreditation is commonly used to confirm a program meets professional standards for social work education. Program status can be checked through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation directory.

Education timing and its impact on supervised experience eligibility

Indiana’s supervision rule limits qualifying clinical experience to hours earned after receiving a graduate degree in social work. Consistent, clear documentation helps prevent experience being questioned or discounted during review. See 839 IAC 1-3-2.

If education was completed outside Indiana or outside the U.S.

Out-of-state or international education may require extra documentation so records clearly support a graduate social work degree and a conferral date. If anything about the degree title/field is ambiguous, resolve it before counting post-degree experience toward clinical licensure.

Examination Requirements for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Indiana

At an Indianapolis outpatient behavioral health clinic, passing the required licensing exam confirms clinical competency before Indiana authorizes LCSW practice to protect the public.

Required exam and who administers it

Indiana requires the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam at the Clinical level for LCSW licensure. Register and schedule through ASWB: https://www.aswb.org/exam/.

Timing, score reporting, and what happens after testing

Indiana’s licensing information page includes the following direct quote about exam score reporting and issuance timing:

“Upon completion of the ASWB Clinical level examination, results will be released to our office the following week from when you took your exam. If you passed the examination, your clinical of social work license will be issued.”

For the official program page, see the PLA Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Information hub.

Name matching and identity details that prevent score delays

• Use one consistent legal name on ASWB registration and your Indiana application so results match without manual review.
• Keep identifiers consistent (suffixes, hyphens, middle initials) so a passing result attaches cleanly.
• If a name changed recently, update records early and keep supporting documentation ready.

If an exam result does not appear on the application timeline

First confirm your ASWB registration details match your Indiana application exactly. Then check your application status in the Indiana portal (MyLicense): https://mylicense.in.gov/eGov/.

Supervision Requirements for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Indiana

Indiana LCSW licensure requires documented, post-graduate clinical social work experience with board-recognized supervision and specific monthly face-to-face supervision time.

“Supervision” in the rules vs. supervision at work

Workplace supervision may include administrative oversight, but Indiana’s licensing rule focuses on clinical skill development. Under 839 IAC 1-3-2, supervision is face-to-face contact between supervisor and supervisee for clinical skill-building and must occur for a minimum of four (4) hours per month.

Post-degree experience: what counts and how it is measured

After earning a graduate degree in social work, Indiana requires at least two (2) years of clinical social work experience completed under a supervisor recognized by the board. The rule defines “experience” as full-time paid experience of at least 1,500 hours per year.

The rule also describes how part-time experience may be counted when totals are verifiable (including a 4,500-hour total framework, with 3,000 hours occurring after the graduate degree). See 839 IAC 1-3-2.

Supervisor qualifications: keep it “board-recognized,” not just employer-approved

The standard is supervision by a qualified supervisor as determined by the board, which can be stricter than an employer’s internal supervision model. Before you count hours toward LCSW licensure, confirm the supervision structure you are using matches the rule’s definitions and the board’s expectations. See 839 IAC 1-3-2.

Documentation habits that prevent avoidable verification problems

• Track dates and totals consistently: keep monthly work-hour totals aligned to the rule’s full-time/part-time definitions.
• Log supervision properly: record face-to-face supervision time and confirm it meets the minimum of four (4) hours per month.
• Preserve proof that experience was paid and post-degree: maintain HR verification, payroll records, or equivalent documentation showing post-degree employment dates.
• Avoid retroactive reconstruction: logs kept in real time are easier to verify and defend.

If an experience plan changes midstream

Job changes, supervisor changes, or a shift from full-time to part-time can still fit the rule if totals remain verifiable. Keep separate logs per setting/supervisor and retain contact information for every supervisor who may need to attest to your experience later.

Application Process for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensure in Indiana

In an Indiana community mental health clinic, the LCSW application step—filed through the state system—creates a verified record that education, supervised experience, and testing meet public-protection standards.

Where the application happens

• Start and track the application in MyLicense: https://mylicense.in.gov/eGov/
• Use the PLA licensing hub for program guidance: Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Information

Before clicking “submit”: assemble items that commonly delay review

• Education documentation: school-issued records showing the graduate social work degree and conferral date.
• Supervised experience verification: supervisor identity/contact details plus experience dates and logs that align with 839 IAC 1-3-2.
• Exam planning: ASWB Clinical exam registration and scheduling details: https://www.aswb.org/exam/.

Upload hygiene: reduce avoidable back-and-forth

• Use consistent filenames (LastName_FirstName_DocumentType_YYYY-MM).
• Keep categories separate: transcripts/education, supervision/experience verification, explanatory notes.
• Assume third-party reporting for exam items: exam results are typically transmitted rather than uploaded by the applicant.
• Keep identity matching clean: the same legal name should appear across ASWB and Indiana portal records.

Exam result release and license issuance timing (direct quote)

“Upon completion of the ASWB Clinical level examination, results will be released to our office the following week from when you took your exam. If you passed the examination, your clinical of social work license will be issued.”

If something changes while an application is in progress

• Name or contact changes: update your MyLicense profile first so incoming items attach correctly.
• Supervisor or job changes: submit separate verifications by setting/supervisor with clearly segmented dates.
• Ambiguous documents: include a short, factual cover note listing what each attachment proves (degree, post-degree paid experience, supervision minimums).