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You pass the ASWB Clinical exam once, but your LCSW license is maintained through your state board
on an ongoing cycle. Here’s how it works.
Does the LCSW exam expire?
No — the exam is a one-time milestone. What you maintain is your state LCSW license.
How license renewal works
State boards typically renew clinical social work licenses every one to two years,
each with its own continuing-education requirements — often including specific hours in ethics
and sometimes other mandated topics. The exact number of CE hours, the cycle length, and the required
topics are all set by your state.
Stay ahead of it
Track your CE as you earn it and note any mandated topics (ethics is common), so renewal is a
formality rather than a scramble. Your state board’s rules govern your right to practice, so follow
them precisely.
Unlock 600+ LCSW practice questions across 4 full-length simulators — $19.99 lifetime →
Sources & references
The exam facts on this page are drawn from official certifying-body materials, reviewed 2026-06-18 by the DrCertifications exam-prep team (10+ years in exam preparation and publishing).