North Carolina LCSWA to LCSW hours requirements
Paid clinical social work experience after the MSW, toward the North Carolina LCSW. North Carolina states no minimum for direct client contact, and practicum or internship hours from a degree program do not count.
The short answer
Headline figures: Total post-MSW clinical social work experience 3,000 clock hours.
Supervision: A minimum of 100 hours of supervision, on a regular basis, no less than once every two weeks, with at least one hour of supervision during every 30 hours of experience.
Time limit: The 3,000 hours must be accumulated over not less than two years nor more than six consecutive years.
Post-degree experience · Title while gaining experience: Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA) · Authority: North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board
Requirements
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total post-MSW clinical social work experience | 3,000 clock hours Work or employment for a fee or salary |
| Supervision | 100 hours |
| Supervision rate | At least 1 hour during every 30 hours of experience And no less than once every two weeks |
| Group supervision | Up to 25 hours Of the 100 |
| Supervision through technology | Up to 50 hours Unless the board preapproves more |
Supervision
- A minimum of 100 hours of supervision, on a regular basis, no less than once every two weeks, with at least one hour of supervision during every 30 hours of experience.
- Supervision may be individual or group; no more than 25 hours of group supervision count toward the 100.
- No more than 50 hours may be provided through technology unless the board preapproves more. It must be synchronous, with audio and video throughout the session.
- Your supervisor must be an LCSW, or a board-approved alternate.
Time limits
- The 3,000 hours must be accumulated over not less than two years nor more than six consecutive years.
- Supervision and experience hours earned under an associate license expire six years from the date the associate license was first issued.
- The associate license is issued for no more than two years at a time, and all requirements for the LCSW must be completed within three renewal cycles, or six years, unless the board directs otherwise.
What Accrue checks
- Counts your logged experience toward 3,000 hours and supervision toward 100 hours.
- Warns when a 14-day period with logged hours has less than one hour of supervision. A warning never removes credit.
- Warns when your supervision falls below one hour per 30 hours counted, supervision hours included, checked across all your hours rather than week by week. A warning never removes credit.
- Stops counting hours logged more than six years before the report date.
What Accrue does not check
- The 25-hour limit on group supervision and the 50-hour limit on supervision through technology are not checked.
- The window of two to six consecutive years is not checked.
Common questions
- How many hours do you need for the LCSW in North Carolina?
- The cited rule sets total post-MSW clinical social work experience 3,000 clock hours. Source: 21 NCAC 63 .0211; N.C.G.S. § 90B-7; N.C.G.S. § 90B-3, checked September 17, 2026. Supervision and time limits also apply; see the sections above.
- What supervision does North Carolina require for the LCSW?
- A minimum of 100 hours of supervision, on a regular basis, no less than once every two weeks, with at least one hour of supervision during every 30 hours of experience. Supervision may be individual or group; no more than 25 hours of group supervision count toward the 100. No more than 50 hours may be provided through technology unless the board preapproves more. It must be synchronous, with audio and video throughout the session.
- Is there a time limit for LCSW hours in North Carolina?
- The 3,000 hours must be accumulated over not less than two years nor more than six consecutive years. Supervision and experience hours earned under an associate license expire six years from the date the associate license was first issued. The associate license is issued for no more than two years at a time, and all requirements for the LCSW must be completed within three renewal cycles, or six years, unless the board directs otherwise.
- Does meeting these figures make me eligible?
- No. The North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board 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.