How to Track LCSW Clinical Hours in California
California requires 3,000 supervised hours for LCSW licensure — with higher direct clinical minimums and unique LCSW-supervision requirements compared to LMFT and LPCC. This guide covers every category, cap, and rule, sourced from the BBS ASW FAQ revised January 2026.
Total Hours
3,000
Direct Clinical
2,000 min
Psychotherapy
750 min
Supervised Weeks
104
LCSW hour categories
The BBS breaks LCSW hours into two main buckets with specific minimums and caps:
| Category | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment | Minimum 2,000 hours |
| — Face-to-face psychotherapy (subset of above) | Minimum 750 hours |
| Non-clinical (advocacy, consultation, research, workshops, supervision contact) | Maximum 1,000 hours |
| Total | 3,000 hours / 104 weeks |
The LCSW supervision requirement
LCSW has a unique requirement not shared by LMFT or LPCC: a significant portion of your hours must be supervised specifically by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
- 1,700 hours minimum must be supervised by an LCSW
- 13 weeks minimum of individual/triadic supervision by an LCSW (of the 52 required individual weeks)
- Remaining hours can be supervised by other BBS-qualified professionals (LMFT, LPCC, licensed psychologist, psychiatrist)
- Supervision by a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP) is capped at 1,200 hours
This means choosing your primary supervisor carefully. If your main supervisor is an LMFT rather than an LCSW, you'll need to arrange at least 1,700 hours of LCSW oversight separately — which can be logistically challenging.
No pre-degree hours
Unlike LMFT (which allows up to 1,300 pre-degree trainee hours), LCSW requires all 3,000 hours to be earned post-degree as a registered ASW. Practicum and fieldwork hours completed during your MSW program do not count. The 90-day rule applies: if you submit your ASW registration application within 90 days of graduation, hours earned between graduation and registration issuance can count.
Supervision ratios and weekly caps
- Weekly minimum: 1 unit of supervision per work setting (1 hr individual/triadic or 2 hrs group)
- Ratio trigger: If more than 10 hours of clinical diagnosis/assessment/treatment in a week in any setting, 1 additional unit required
- Weekly experience cap: 40 hours in any 7 consecutive days
- Weekly supervision cap: 6 hours
- 104 supervised weeks total, with 52 including individual/triadic
How LCSW differs from LMFT and LPCC
| Difference | LCSW | LMFT / LPCC |
|---|---|---|
| Direct clinical minimum | 2,000 | 1,750 |
| Specialty sub-minimum | 750 psychotherapy | 500 CFC (LMFT) / None (LPCC) |
| Non-clinical cap | 1,000 | 1,250 |
| LCSW-specific supervision | 1,700 hrs + 13 weeks | Not required |
| Clinical exam | ASWB Clinical (national) | LMFT Clinical (CA) / NCMHCE |
Source: BBS ASW FAQ revised January 2026, BBS LCSW Experience Chart
Frequently asked questions
How many hours do I need for LCSW licensure in California?
Can I count pre-degree hours toward LCSW?
Do I need to be supervised by an LCSW?
What is the supervision ratio for ASWs?
What counts as face-to-face psychotherapy for the 750-hour requirement?
What is the weekly hour cap for ASWs?
Track your LCSW hours with HourJourney
BBS-compliant tracking for ASWs. Auto-validates supervision ratios and fills your weekly logs.