How to get a social work license in South Carolina

South Carolina licenses social workers at four levels through the Board of Social Work Examiners: Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), and two independent licenses, Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) and Advanced Practice (LISW-AP). It issues no temporary or provisional licenses. 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.

South Carolina at a glance

LicenseASWB examWhat it takes
LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker)BachelorsAn accredited BSW; age 21.
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker)MastersAn accredited MSW or social work doctorate; age 21.
LISW-CP (Independent Social Worker, Clinical Practice)Clinical3,000 hours under clinical supervision over 2 to 4 years after the LMSW, 100 hours of face-to-face supervision, 45 contact hours each in psychopathology and psychodiagnostics.
LISW-AP (Independent Social Worker, Advanced Practice)Advanced Generalist3,000 hours under advanced practice supervision, 90 contact hours in community and organizational practice.

South Carolina, step by step

South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (Labor, Licensing and Regulation)

  1. Every credential: apply online with the $45 non-refundable application fee, a copy of your ID and social security card, official transcripts and ASWB scores sent directly to the board. You must be at least 21. The board passes you for the appropriate ASWB exam for the level you apply for.
  2. LBSW and LMSW: a BSW (LBSW) or an MSW or doctorate (LMSW) from an accredited social work program, and the ASWB exam for that level.
  3. LISW-CP experience: after you are licensed as an LMSW, 3,000 hours of social work practice under clinical supervision over a minimum of two and a maximum of four years, with at least 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision spread evenly. File a plan for clinical supervision with the board before you start. You also need 45 academic contact hours each in psychopathology and psychodiagnostics, and 15 academic or 20 CE contact hours in professional ethics during supervision.
  4. LISW-CP exam: the ASWB Clinical exam.
  5. LISW-AP: 90 academic contact hours in advanced practice with communities and organizations, 3,000 hours under advanced practice supervision, and the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam.
  6. Renewal: $90; supervisor applications $45.

Sources: SC LLR: Social work licensure, SC LLR: Social work examination, SC LLR: Social work fees, S.C. Code Title 40, Chapter 63. Checked October 18, 2026.

Practice for the Bachelors exam, freeThe Bachelors level: generalist practice, benefits programs and task-centered work, on the 2026 Bachelors outline. Practice for the Masters exam, freeVignette questions on the 2026 Masters outline, every answer sourced. Practice for the Advanced Generalist exam, freeLeadership, personnel, program evaluation, grants and research ethics, on the 2026 Advanced Generalist outline. Practice for the Clinical exam, freeDSM-5-TR diagnosis, psychotherapy models, clinical ethics and supervision, on the 2026 Clinical outline.

The national steps, briefly

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.

Official pages