Arizona licenses baccalaureate (LBSW), master (LMSW) and clinical (LCSW) social workers through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Only the LCSW needs supervised experience. Everything below comes from the board's own pages and rules, checked October 18, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the linked pages before you pay.
Check with your board. Social Work Ticket is a study aid. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) or any state social work board; ASWB is their mark, used here only to name the exam. Laws on confidentiality, reporting and licensing differ by state; follow your state's law, your agency and your supervisor.
Arizona at a glance
License
ASWB exam
What it takes
LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker)
Bachelors (or a higher ASWB level)
A BSW; no supervised experience required.
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker)
Masters (or Advanced Generalist or Clinical)
An MSW; no supervised experience required.
LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)
Clinical
3,200 hours of supervised clinical social work over at least 24 months, 1,600 direct psychotherapy, 100 hours of supervision.
Arizona, step by step
Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners
Exams: the LBSW takes the ASWB Bachelors exam (or the Masters, Advanced Generalist or Clinical); the LMSW takes the Masters (or Advanced Generalist or Clinical); the LCSW takes the Clinical exam. You must pass within 12 months of the board's written exam authorization, with no more than three attempts in that window, or the board closes your file and you reapply (a one-time 90-day extension is possible for good cause).
LCSW experience (R4-6-403): at least 3,200 hours of supervised clinical social work in no less than 24 months, with at least 1,600 hours of direct client contact using psychotherapy (no more than 400 of them psychoeducation), no more than 1,600 indirect hours, and at least 100 hours of clinical supervision, including at least one hour in every month you see clients.
Fees (R4-6-215): application for a license by examination $250 (non-refundable), criminal history background check $40, biennial renewal $325. Confirm the current schedule with the board before you pay.
The steps that hold nearly everywhere: a CSWE-accredited degree, your board's approval (or ASWB's, in a few states), the ASWB exam at the level your license needs, then the license. Every ASWB level has 122 questions (110 scored) in 4 hours; Bachelors and Masters cost $230, Advanced Generalist and Clinical $260, and you wait at least 90 days to retake (ASWB Examination Guidebook, August 2026). A passing score counts in every state for the same exam level. The full walk-through: How to get your social work license.