(a) Licensure. The following education and experience is required for licensure as designated. If an applicant for a license has held a substantially equivalent license in good standing in another jurisdiction for one year immediately preceding the date of application, the applicant will be deemed to have met the experience requirement under this chapter.
  (1) Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
    (A) Has been conferred a master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited social work program, or a doctoral degree in social work from an accredited institution of higher learning acceptable to the Council, and has documentation in the form of a university transcript of successfully completing a field placement in social work.
    (B) Has had 3000 hours of supervised professional clinical experience over a period of at least 24 months, or its equivalent if the experience was completed in another jurisdiction. Hours accrued in non-clinical settings may be used to satisfy the requirements of this rule if the applicant works at least 4 hours per week providing clinical social work as defined in §781.102 of this title.
    (C) Has had a minimum of 100 hours of supervision, over the course of the 3000 hours of supervised experience, with a Council approved supervisor. If the social worker completed supervision in another jurisdiction, the social worker shall have the supervision verified by the regulatory authority in the other jurisdiction. If such verification is impossible, the social worker may request that the Council accept alternate verification of supervision.
    (D) Has passed the Clinical examination administered nationally by ASWB.
  (2) Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW).
    (A) Has been conferred a master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited social work program, or a doctoral degree in social work from an accredited university acceptable to the Council, and has documentation in the form of a university transcript of successfully completing a field placement in social work.
    (B) Has passed the Master's examination administered nationally by ASWB.
  (3) Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW).
    (A) Has been conferred a baccalaureate degree in social work from a CSWE accredited social work program.
    (B) Has passed the Bachelors examination administered nationally by ASWB.
(b) Specialty Recognition. The following education and experience is required for Independent Non-clinical Practice specialty recognitions.
  (1) Is currently licensed in the State of Texas as an LBSW or LMSW.
  (2) While fully licensed as a social worker has had 3000 hours of supervised full-time social work experience over a minimum two-year period, or its equivalent if the experience was completed in another state. Supervised professional experience must comply with §781.404 of this title and all other applicable laws and rules.
  (3) Has had a minimum of 100 hours of supervision, over the course of the 3000 hours of experience, with a Council-approved supervisor. If supervision was completed in another jurisdiction, the social worker shall have the supervision verified by the regulatory authority in the other jurisdiction. If such verification is impossible, the social worker may request that the Council accept alternate verification.
(c) Applicants for a license must complete the Council's jurisprudence examination and submit proof of completion at the time of application.

Source Note: The provisions of this §781.401 adopted to be effective November 19, 2020, 45 TexReg 8161; amended to be effective February 4, 2021, 46 TexReg 816; amended to be effective February 27, 2022, 47 TexReg 778; amended to be effective November 23, 2022, 47 TexReg 7687; amended to be effective June 15, 2023, 48 TexReg 2958