Michigan LMSW hours requirements
Post-degree supervised social work experience toward the Michigan LMSW, earned while holding a limited license. The clinical practice designation uses the same 4,000 hours, earned in clinical activities. Michigan states no minimum for direct client contact.
The short answer
Headline figures: Total supervised work experience 4,000 hours.
Supervision: Supervisory review for at least 4 hours per month, with at least 2 of those hours conducted between you and your supervisor, either individually or in a group that gives 50% of the supervision to individual contact.
Time limit: The 4,000 hours accrue over not less than 2 years.
Post-degree experience · Title while gaining experience: Limited master's social worker license · Authority: Michigan Board of Social Work
Requirements
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total supervised work experience | 4,000 hours After completing all graduation requirements |
| Weekly average | At least 16 and not more than 40 hours a week |
| Yearly limit | Not more than 2,080 hours in any 12-month period |
| Supervision | At least 4 hours per month At least 2 of them between you and your supervisor |
Supervision
- Supervisory review for at least 4 hours per month, with at least 2 of those hours conducted between you and your supervisor, either individually or in a group that gives 50% of the supervision to individual contact.
- Individual supervision by a telecommunications method with live and simultaneous contact counts.
Time limits
- The 4,000 hours accrue over not less than 2 years.
- Supervised work experience may only be earned while holding a Michigan limited master's social worker license, which is valid for 1 year at a time.
- Experience earned before you complete all graduation requirements does not count.
What Accrue checks
- Counts your logged experience toward 4,000 hours.
- Credits at most 40 hours in any 7 days and at most 2,080 hours in any 365 days.
- Warns when a 30-day period with logged hours has less than 4 hours of supervision. A warning never removes credit.
What Accrue does not check
- The 16-hour weekly minimum is not checked.
- The individual share of the monthly supervision is not checked.
- The limited license term is not tracked. The rules say the license may be renewed no more than 6 times, while MCL 333.18509(2) says it is renewable for not more than 6 years.
Common questions
- How many hours do you need for the LMSW in Michigan?
- The cited rule sets total supervised work experience 4,000 hours. Source: MCL 333.18509; Mich Admin Code R 338.2921 to R 338.2965, checked September 17, 2026. Supervision and time limits also apply; see the sections above.
- What supervision does Michigan require for the LMSW?
- Supervisory review for at least 4 hours per month, with at least 2 of those hours conducted between you and your supervisor, either individually or in a group that gives 50% of the supervision to individual contact. Individual supervision by a telecommunications method with live and simultaneous contact counts.
- Is there a time limit for LMSW hours in Michigan?
- The 4,000 hours accrue over not less than 2 years. Supervised work experience may only be earned while holding a Michigan limited master's social worker license, which is valid for 1 year at a time. Experience earned before you complete all graduation requirements does not count.
- Does meeting these figures make me eligible?
- No. The Michigan Board of Social Work reviews your application and your supervisors' verifications and decides. Accrue keeps the record and shows how the cited rule applies to it.
Sources
Sources checked
Accrue is a record-keeping aid and is not affiliated with any licensing board, accreditor or school. Rules change; confirm the requirements that apply to you with the authority that sets them before you rely on a figure.