A UV curable silicone composition has exceptional curability by ultraviolet irradiation. The UV curable silicone composition includes (A) an organopolysiloxane composition selected from the following: (A-1) an organopolysiloxane composition comprising a linear organopolysiloxane in which both ends of the molecular chain are capped with alkenyl groups and/or a branched organopolysiloxane containing at least 2 alkenyl groups at the ends of the molecular chain, and an organopolysiloxane containing at least 2 thiol groups in side-chains of the molecular chain, wherein the thiol group content is 1% by mass or more per molecule, (A-2) an organopolysiloxane composition comprising a linear organopolysiloxane in which both ends of the molecular chain are capped with thiol groups, wherein the thiol group content is 1% by mass or more per molecule, and an organopolysiloxane containing at least 2 alkenyl groups in side-chains of the molecular chain and/or a resinous organopolysiloxane containing at least 2 alkenyl groups at the ends of the molecular chain, or (A-3) an organopolysiloxane composition comprising an alkenyl group- and aryl group-containing organopolysiloxane and a multifunctional thiol compound, but furthermore comprising an alkenyl group-containing resinous organopolysiloxane when the multifunctional thiol compound contains only a bifunctional thiol compound, and (B) a silicone-compatible photo-initiator comprising a compound selected from the following: (B-1) an alpha-hydroxyacetophenone, (B-2) a combination of an alpha-hydroxyacetophenone and an alpha-aminoalkylphenone, or (B-3) a combination of an alpha-hydroxyacetophenone and a mono-acylphosphine oxide, wherein the ratio between the thiol groups and alkenyl groups (SH/Vi ratio) included in the organopolysiloxane composition is 0.6 or more.