How much supervision does an LICSW in Minnesota require?

200 hours; 100 one-on-one (in person or eye-to-eye electronic media); minimum four and maximum eight hours of supervision for every 160 hours of practice

Is there a time limit for completing the hours in Minnesota?

8,000 hours of supervised clinical practice as LGSW (hardship extension up to 2,000 more hours)

Which exams are required for an LICSW in Minnesota?

ASWB Clinical exam; alternatively the 2024 provisional-license pathway (Minn. Stat. 148E.0551, 148E.055 subd. 5b) without the exam

Can I be supervised by video in Minnesota?

Yes. Required supervision can be done entirely by live video, with no in-person minimum. LGSW clinical track: 200 h supervision. 100 h one-on-one, in person or via 'eye-to-eye electronic media' (board must accept all 100 by video); the other 100 h one-on-one or group, in person, by telephone or by video; never by email.

Minnesota requirements

LICSW requirements in Minnesota

What it takes to become a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Minnesota: 4,000 supervised hours, plus supervision, time limits, exams and whether you can be supervised by video. Every figure is sourced to the state board and dated.

Sourced to Minnesota Board of Social WorkChecked September 25, 2026Not individually reviewed by a clinicianAbout this site

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (clinical social worker) · Minnesota · regulated by Minnesota Board of Social Work · high confidence

Pre-license credential	LGSW (Licensed Graduate Social Worker) engaged in clinical practice
Supervised experience	no less than 4,000 hours and no more than 8,000 hours of postgraduate clinical social work practice
Direct client contact	at least 1,800 hours of direct clinical client contact
Supervision	200 hours; 100 one-on-one (in person or eye-to-eye electronic media)
Time limit	8,000 hours of supervised clinical practice as LGSW (hardship extension up to 2,000 more hours)
Exams	ASWB Clinical exam; alternatively the 2024 provisional-license pathway (Minn. Stat. 148E.0551, 148E.055 subd. 5b) without the exam

Supervision

How much: 200 hours; 100 one-on-one (in person or eye-to-eye electronic media)
How often: minimum four and maximum eight hours of supervision for every 160 hours of practice
Group supervision: remaining 100 hours one-on-one or group; group limited to six supervisees; not by email
Who may supervise: LICSW with 30 hrs supervision training and ≥2,000 hrs practice incl. 1,000 clinical hrs post-LICSW; alternate supervisors (e.g., 245I mental health professional ≤25%) with board approval

When hours count and what to keep

Before your degree: not counted (postgraduate practice after LGSW licensure)
Paperwork: Supervision plan on board form within 60 days of starting a position; supervised-practice verification per 148E.125 subd. 3

Can you be supervised remotely in Minnesota?

Yes. Required supervision can be done entirely by live video, with no in-person minimum.

Video supervision: LGSW clinical track: 200 h supervision. 100 h one-on-one, in person or via 'eye-to-eye electronic media' (board must accept all 100 by video); the other 100 h one-on-one or group, in person, by telephone or by video; never by email.
Phone only: allowed only for the 100 non-mandatory-one-on-one hours (telephone); the required 100 one-on-one hours need visual contact
In-person minimum: none
Supervisor licensed in Minnesota? other: LICSW by default; the board may approve alternates: up to 25% by a 245I.04 mental health professional; up to 100% by a social worker practising in IA, ND, SD, WI, Manitoba or Ontario, or an equivalent supervisor when the licensee practises outside Minnesota
Supervisor credential: none beyond license: LICSW with 2,000 h practice (1,000 clinical post-LICSW) + 30 h supervision training, self-attested on a board form (subject to audit)
Supervisee cap: group supervision limited to six supervisees
Board approval first: Supervision plan due within 60 days of starting a social work position (and within 60 days of changes); the board must approve the supervisor and plan. A late plan brings a late fee, and renewal is blocked without a plan.
If you live outside Minnesota: Supervised clinical practice outside Minnesota can count with an equivalent (alternate) supervisor; nothing read addresses an LGSW outside Minnesota treating Minnesota clients

The client’s location decides which state’s rules apply. This is not legal advice; confirm with the board before building a program. Compare every state on the remote-supervision map.

Recent and pending changes

2024 c 127 art 23 created provisional licenses, including an LICSW path by completing provisional-license requirements (supervised practice with evaluations every six months) instead of the exam.

Where the rules are unclear

Minnesota’s own documents disagree or are silent on these points. Ask the board if they affect you:

Minn. Stat. 148E.125 subd. 1(e)(3) asks the supervision plan for 'the number of hours of one-on-one in-person supervision', while 148E.106 subd. 3(1) lets all one-on-one hours be by eye-to-eye electronic media. Does the plan form treat video as 'in-person'?

In the board’s own words

“in no less than 4,000 hours and no more than 8,000 hours of postgraduate, clinical social work practice” — Minn. Stat. 148E.106, subd. 2(1)✓ matched in the source

“a minimum of four hours and a maximum of eight hours of supervision must be obtained during every 160 hours of practice” — Minn. Stat. 148E.106, subd. 1(1)✓ matched in the source

“100 hours must be provided through one-on-one supervision” — Minn. Stat. 148E.106, subd. 3(1)✓ matched in the source

“a licensed graduate social worker must not engage in clinical social work practice under supervision for more than 8,000 hours” — Minn. Stat. 148E.106, subd. 7(a)✓ matched in the source

“satisfy the supervision requirement of this clause with all required hours of supervision provided via eye-to-eye electronic media” — Minn. Stat. 148E.106, subd. 3(1)✓ matched in the source

“The supervision may be in person, by telephone, or via eye-to-eye electronic media, while maintaining visual contact. The supervision must not be provided by email.” — Minn. Stat. 148E.106, subd. 3(2)✓ matched in the source

“The supervision must be provided either in person or via eye-to-eye electronic media, while maintaining visual contact.” — Minn. Stat. 148E.106, subd. 3(1)✓ matched in the source

“the supervisor is a social worker engaged in authorized social work practice in Iowa, Manitoba, North Dakota, Ontario, South Dakota, or Wisconsin” — Minn. Stat. 148E.120, subd. 2(b)(3)✓ matched in the source

“The board shall approve up to 25 percent of the required supervision hours by a mental health professional” — Minn. Stat. 148E.120, subd. 2(a)✓ matched in the source

“attest, on a form provided by the board, that the social worker has met the applicable requirements specified in this section” — Minn. Stat. 148E.120, subd. 1(a)(3)✓ matched in the source

“Group supervision is limited to six supervisees.” — Minn. Stat. 148E.106, subd. 3(2)✓ matched in the source

“A licensing supervisor can be someone within your agency or employer or outside of it.” — MN Board of Social Work, Supervised Practice FAQs (Wayback 20260316)✓ matched in the source

5 more quotes are in the state explorer.

Other licenses in Minnesota

Sources

Checked against Minnesota Board of Social Work’s rules, statutes and publications on September 25, 2026. The board decides; if your situation is unusual, confirm with them.

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General information, not legal advice. Requirements are summarized from each state’s licensing board, statutes and regulations on the date shown; the board decides, and rules change. Becoming Licensed is not affiliated with any licensing board.