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Social Work Licensing Reciprocity by State
(Created Fall 2019 by UNI Social Work Field Office GA Maddie Smith) STATE (alphabetical order) Reciprocity Info https://www.socialworkguide.org/licensure/ Alabama Alabama Licensing Board Social Work License: If you are licensed in another state, you can apply for the equivalent Alabama social work license. To receive a license by reciprocity, your current license must be in good standing and you must meet Alabama’s requirements for the license you are applying to obtain. To apply, complete the Application for Social Work Licensure and pay the $75 fee (as of February 2019). You will also need to provide a Verification of License form and have the ASWB send your past exam scores to the Board. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: The Board requires all licensed social workers to complete 30 continuing education (CE) hours every two years in order to renew their licenses. At least three of these hours must be in ethics. The Board provides extensive information on continuing education requirements, including approved activities and providers. After you have completed the required amount of CE, you can renew your license for a fee of $100 (as of February 2019). https://www.socialworkguide.org/licensure/alabama/ School Social Work specific info: (supporting website) Alaska Alaska Licensing Board Social Work License:
The Board allows social workers licensed in other states to apply for an Alaska social work license
through a process called “licensure by credentials.” To be eligible for licensure using this method,
you must hold a current social work license in good standing from another state. This license
must have been earned by meeting requirements equivalent to or more stringent than Alaska’s.
Additionally, you must have passed the required ASWB exam within the past two years or be able
to document 1,500 hours of work experience and 45 hours of continuing education within the
past five years. To apply, complete the application form for the license you are seeking. You will
need to provide three professional references, official transcripts, past ASWB exam scores or
documentation of work experience, and verification of your current license. As of March 2019,
the application fee for all levels of licensure is $100. LBSW and LMSW applicants can request a
temporary license for an additional $75. You will need to pay an additional fee to receive your
license; the amount varies depending on the level of licensure.
Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Social workers in Alaska must renew their licenses every two years by submitting the Social Worker License Renewal form to the Board and paying the required fee. As of March 2019, the renewal fees are $225 for LBSWs, $275 for LMSWs, and $325 for LCSWs. During each renewal period, social workers must complete 45 continuing education (CE) hours. Of the required 45 CE hours, six hours must be on the topic of substance abuse and three must be in professional ethics. During your first renewal period, six of your CE hours must be from education in cultural topics related to Alaska Natives; in subsequent renewal periods, you must complete six CE hours in cross-cultural education with at least three hours in topics related to Alaska Natives. See the Board’s continuing education page for more details on CE requirements and a list of approved courses. School Social Work specific info: Alaska School Social Work , University of Alaska Arkansas Arkansas Licensing Board License Reciprocity: Arkansas offers social worker licensure by reciprocity. This allows social workers who are licensed in other states to become licensed in Arkansas without retaking the exam. Reciprocity applicants will have to complete the application form for the license they wish to hold (or submit it online), include the Verification of Licensure in Other State form, and request that the ASWB send their past exam scores to the Board. As of February 2019, application fees are $100, with an additional $5.50 fee for applications submitted online. All applicants must also complete a criminal background check. Reciprocity licenses will only be granted if the applicant’s home state has social worker licensure guidelines equal to (or more stringent than) the guidelines in Arkansas. An individual applying for licensure by reciprocity may receive a provisional license that is valid for six months. This license allows the recipient to practice social work while awaiting the results of his or her criminal background check. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Social workers in Arkansas must renew their licenses every two years on the last day of the month in which the license was originally issued. As of February 2019, it costs $80 to renew an Arkansas social work license. Renewal instructions can be found on the Board’s website. Before renewing, all licensees must complete 48 hours of continuing education (CE) during each renewal period. A
have completed at least 3,200 hours of supervised work experience and 104 weeks of supervision. If the licensing body in your state does not have equivalent requirements, time actively licensed as a clinical social worker in your state shall be accepted at a rate of 100 hours per month up to a maximum of 1,200 hours. You will document this along with the Clinical Social Worker Verification of Licensure/Registration/Certification in another state form. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: License renewal is required every two years in California. Licensees must complete 36 hours of continuing education before each renewal period. New licensees are only required to complete 18 hours during their first two years of licensure. You can renew your license online or with a paper application. School Social Work specific info: California Association of School Social Workers Colorado Colorado Licensing Board Social Work License: The Colorado Board accepts applications for social work licensure by endorsement from individuals who are already licensed social workers in other states. To qualify, your current license must be in good standing and you must meet the criteria for either an LSW or LCSW license in Colorado. To apply, submit an application through the Division of Professions and Occupations Online Services, pay the $70 fee (as of February 2019), and provide any required supplemental documentation such as ASWB exam scores and verification of your current license. You will also need to pass the Mental Health Professions Jurisprudence Exam before receiving your Colorado social work license. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Colorado requires licensed social workers to renew their licenses every two years. For both LSW and LCSW licenses, renewals require participation in the Continuing Professional Development Program, which must include 40 hours of professional development in continuing education (CE) activities or categories approved by the Board, with no more than 20 hours in any single category. All licenses are renewed online through the Division of Professions and Occupations Online Services. School Social Work specific info: Colorado School Social Work Connecticut Connecticut Licensing Board Social Work License: The Department offers social work licensure by endorsement for individuals who hold a social work license in good standing in another state. To be eligible, you must hold a license that was earned by
meeting equivalent standards to those required in Connecticut. If you are applying for an LCSW license but did not complete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work experience, you may be able to substitute three years of independent clinical social work experience in lieu of this requirement. To apply for licensure by endorsement, complete an online application and provide any supplemental documentation required, including verification of your current license and your past ASWB exam scores. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Connecticut social work licenses are renewed annually. As of January 2019, the renewal fee for LCSW and LMSW licenses is $195. All Connecticut social workers are required to complete at least 15 hours of continuing education each year. At least two hours must be in topics related to the mental health treatment of veterans and one hour must be in cultural topics School Social Work specific info: Connecticut School Social Work Delaware Delaware Licensing Board Social Work License: Delaware offers licensure by reciprocity to clinical social workers licensed in other states. To be eligible, you must hold a current clinical social work license in another state and have not had any disciplinary actions against you. This license must have been issued under requirements equivalent to Delaware’s or you must be able to provide documentation that you have been actively practicing for at least five of the past seven years. To apply for LCSW licensure by reciprocity, complete the application packet. You will need to provide verification of your current license and past ASWB scores. As of February 2019, reciprocity applicants must pay must pay a $183 application fee and $ criminal background check fee. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Delaware LCSW licenses expire on January 31 of every odd year. The renewal fee is $40 (as of February 2019). You will receive an email reminder in the weeks leading up to the renewal date. To be eligible for renewal, licensees must complete 45 hours of continuing education (CE) during each renewal period. At least three of these CE hours must be in ethics, and no more than 10 hours can come from self-study activities. School Social Work specific info: Delaware Specialist Certification
acquired online. Licensed social workers can visit the National Association of Social Workers: Georgia Chapter for a listing of continuing education offerings. School Social Work specific info: Georgia Board of Ed Hawaii Hawaii Licensing board Social Work License: The Department may enter into reciprocity agreements with states whose licensing requirements are equivalent to Hawaii’s. However, if you are licensed in another state that does not have reciprocity with Hawaii, you can still apply for social work licensure if you meet the requirements for the type of license you are seeking. If you have already taken the required ASWB exam, you will not need to repeat it but must provide documentation of your exam score. If you hold a license in another state, you can apply for a Hawaii social work license by completing the application form for the license you are seeking and providing any additional documentation requested by the Department. As of February 2019, the base application fee for all levels of licensure is $60; additional license fees are required and vary based on the type of license and time remaining in the renewal cycle. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Social work licenses in Hawaii must be renewed every three years before June 30. All licensees must complete 45 hours of continuing education (CE) during each renewal period, with at least three CE hours in ethics. You are not required to complete any continuing education during your first renewal cycle. School Social Work specific info: (supporting website) Idaho Idaho Licensing Board Social Work License: Idaho does not have formal reciprocity with any other state, but the Board offers licensure by endorsement for social workers licensed in other states who do not have disciplinary actions against them. This allows a social worker to become licensed in Idaho without having to repeat requirements such as the licensure exam or supervised experience. To apply for licensure by endorsement, complete the social work application and submit it to the Board with the $90 application fee (as of February 2019). In addition to the documents required of all applicants, you will also need to provide verification of your current license and past ASWB exam scores. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements:
Social workers in Idaho must renew their licenses annually. As of February 2019, renewal fees are $ for LSWs and LMSWs and $90 for LCSWs. To renew your social work license, you must complete 20 hours of continuing education (CE) each year, including one hour in professional ethics. At least half of the required CE hours must be from formal experiences such as seminars and workshops, while any portion of the remainder can come from self-directed activities. School Social Work specific info: (supporting website) Illinois Illinois Licensing Board Social Work License: If you are licensed in another state and meet the requirements for LSW or LCSW licensure in Illinois, you can apply for licensure by endorsement. To do this, you must submit an application along with the supplemental documents needed for licensure by endorsement (e.g., verification of your current license) and a $200 fee. You will also need to have your ASWB exam scores transferred to Illinois. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: A social work license in Illinois expires every two years. The expiration date is November 30th of each odd-numbered year. To renew the license, you must submit a renewal application with a $60 fee and proof of continuing education in the month before it expires. The continuing education requirement is 30 hours of social work coursework every two years. This requirement is waived for the first time that a license expires. Of the 30 hours, you must complete a minimum of three hours in ethics and three hours in cultural competence. https://www.socialworkguide.org/licensure/illinois/ School Social Work specific info: Illinois School Social Work Indiana Indiana Licensing Board Social Work License: Individuals who hold a social work license in another state can apply for licensure in Indiana by reciprocity. To be eligible, you must hold a valid social work license in another state, have no disciplinary actions against you, and have previously passed the ASWB exam required for the level of licensure you are seeking. To apply, complete the application for the Indiana license that corresponds with the one you currently hold and pay the application fee. You will need to provide verification of any social work licenses you hold and have ASWB exam scores transferred to the Board. If the Board
Kansas Licensing Board While Kansas does not have formal reciprocity agreements with other states, the Board offers the option of applying for licensure by reciprocity to social workers licensed in other jurisdictions. To apply for licensure using this method, complete the Licensure Application through Reciprocity and submit it to the Board with all required supplemental documents and the $100 application fee (as of February 2019). In most cases, you will need to show that the requirements in the state you are currently licensed in are equivalent to those in Kansas. However, exceptions may be made for clinical social workers applying for LSCSW licenses who have been practicing for at least 10 years. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Social work licenses in Kansas must be renewed every two years and expire on the last day of the month in which they were originally issued. Renewals can be completed using the Board’s Application for Renewal of Licensure or online through the Board’s license renewal portal. As of February 2019, fees to renew are $100 for LBSWs, $125 for LMSWs, and $150 for LSCSWs. All social workers in Kansas must also complete 40 hours of continuing education (CE) during each renewal period. For LMSWs and LSCSWs, at least six of these hours must be in the assessment and treatment of mental disorders. Additionally, social workers at all levels must complete six hours of training in safety awareness as part of the 40 credits for their first license renewal. This does not need to be repeated during subsequent renewal cycles. School Social Work specific info: Kansas School Social Work Association Kentucky Kentucky Licensing Board Social Work License: Kentucky does not have formal reciprocity for social work licensing with any other state. If you are licensed as a social worker in a state other than Kentucky, you will have to apply to become a licensed social worker using the same process first-time licensees use and pay the associated fees. As a part of the application process, you must supply an official transcript, your official ASWB exam scores, and verification from the state(s) where you previously held a license. If you are applying to become an LCSW, you must provide documentation showing that you have either received 200 hours of supervision from a licensed clinical social worker or have been practicing independently as a clinical social worker for at least five years. For more information, see the Board’s frequently asked questions about out-of-state applicants. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements:
All Kentucky social workers must renew their license every three years. As of January 2019, renewal fees are $75 for an LSW, $125 for a CSW, and $200 for an LCSW. Social workers must complete the online renewal form for their license and pay the associated fee. Before renewing, LSWs must complete 15 hours of continuing education during each renewal period, while CSWs and LCSWs must complete 40 hours. All licensees must complete at least six hours of continuing education in the identification and management of suicidality. School Social Work specific info: (supporting website) Louisiana Louisiana Licensing Board Social Work License: Louisiana does not have formal reciprocity with any other state, but the Board offers social work licensure by endorsement for social workers licensed in other jurisdictions. If your current license was issued under requirements equivalent to (or more stringent than) Louisiana’s, you may be eligible for this type of licensure. For licensure by endorsement, submit an application to the Board. As of February 2019, application fees are $53 for the RSW, $78 for the LMSW, and $103 for the LCSW. You will also need to complete a criminal background check, provide verification of your current license, and have your ASWB exam scores sent to the Board. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Louisiana social workers must renew their licenses every year by August 31. All social workers must obtain 20 hours of continuing education (CE) per year, which includes at least three CE hours of professional ethics every other year. LCSWs must complete 10 CE hours in clinical content as a part of their 20 hours, and LCSW-BACS must complete three hours in supervision every two years. The Louisiana Board of Examiners provides a listing of approved CE courses. As of February 2019, the fees to renew a social work license are as follows:
● Registered Social Worker: $
● Certified Social Worker: $
● Licensed Master Social Worker: $
● Licensed Clinical Social Worker: $
Maine Maine Licensing Board Social Work License:
which are less structured. All social workers must complete at least three hours of CE on ethical, legal, and professional issues. Social workers who are Board-approved supervisors must complete at least three hours in the topic of supervision. School Social Work specific info: (supporting website) Massachusetts Massachusetts Licensing Board Social Work License: The Massachusetts Board offers licensure by reciprocity to applicants who are licensed and in good standing in any of the ASWB’s member jurisdictions. Reciprocity allows social workers from other jurisdictions to become licensed without retaking the exam and repeating the experience requirements. To be eligible, the license you currently hold must have equivalent licensure requirements and scope of practice as the Massachusetts social work license you are planning to apply for. To apply for licensure by reciprocity, complete the Social Worker Licensure Application. You will be required to provide professional references, your ASWB exam scores, verification of your current license, and a transcript of your degree. Application fees for licensure by reciprocity vary based on the license. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: All licensed social workers in Massachusetts are required to renew their licenses every two years. As a prerequisite for renewal, licensed social workers must complete a certain number of continuing education hours:
● LSWAs must complete at least 10 hours of continuing education
● LSWs must complete 15 hours of continuing education
● LCSWs must complete 20 hours of continuing education
● LICSWs must complete 30 hours of continuing education
During each renewal period, licensees must complete at least one course in domestic and sexual violence. Renewal fees vary based on the license; refer to the Board’s fee schedule for the most updated information. School Social Work specific info: (supporting website)
Michigan Michigan Licensing Board Social Work License: Michigan offers prospective LBSWs and LMSWs the opportunity to apply by endorsement if they are currently licensed and in good standing in another state. To apply for licensure by endorsement, complete the Board’s application form. Note that you will need to have your ASWB exam scores transferred to the Michigan Board. The fee for this application is $42.40 (as of December 2018). Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: All permanent social work registrations and licenses must be renewed every three years. Additionally, Michigan requires all LBSWs and LMSWs to complete 45 hours of continuing education (CE) during each three-year renewal period. Five of the 45 required CE hours must be in ethics and one hour must be in pain and pain symptom management. At least half of the required CE hours must be earned through in-person activities (i.e., not online or through home study). The Michigan Social Work CE Collaborative is a helpful resource for understanding the Board’s CE requirements and finding qualifying activities. LSSTs, RSSTs, LLBSWs, and LLMSWs are not required to complete continuing education activities. However, RSST credentials must be renewed every three years. All limited licenses and registrations are intended to be temporary and do not follow the three-year renewal cycle of permanent credentials; however, you can submit a renewal request to the Board if you need a longer period of time to complete the requirements for full licensure or registration. School Social Work specific info: Michigan School Social Work Minnesota Minnesota Licensing Board Social Work License: The Board allows applicants licensed in other jurisdictions to apply for licensure by endorsement in Minnesota. To be eligible for licensure by endorsement, candidates must have a current social work license in another state, meet the educational prerequisites for a Minnesota social work license, and have passed the required ASWB exam. LSW and LGSW applicants do not have to provide documentation of any supervised hours but must obtain 100 hours of supervision once licensed in Minnesota. LISW and LICSW applicants do not have to provide documentation of the required 100 and 200 (respectively) pre-licensure supervision hours if they have completed at least 4,000 hours of supervised work experience. To apply for licensure by endorsement, follow the steps outlined on the Board’s application checklist. Application fees are $85 for all endorsement applicants.
(e.g, ASWB exam scores, verification of current license). As of January 2019, the fee for applying for licensure by reciprocity is $60. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Missouri social workers must renew their licenses every two years. During each renewal period, licensed social workers must complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) activities. Three of these hours must be in professional ethics and two must be in suicide prevention. In addition to organized CE activities, social workers can also earn hours through self-directed activities such as publishing academic works or giving presentations. For more information about the Committee’s CE requirements, see their continuing education guidelines document. School Social Work specific info: Missouri School Social Work Association Montana Montana Licensing Board Social Work License: The Board offers licensure by endorsement to candidates who are licensed as clinical social workers in other states under qualifications equivalent to Montana’s and have been practicing for at least two years. To apply, complete an application through the online portal or mail an application form to the Board. In addition to the information required from all applicants, you will need to provide verification of your current license, past ASWB Clinical exam scores, and documentation of having completed 3,000 hours of supervised experience. The LCSW application fee is $200 (as of February
- and there is an additional $30 fee for the required criminal background check. The Board may issue a temporary license to an endorsement applicant after an initial review of their application that allows them to practice until the application has been fully processed and a license has been issued. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Montana SWLCs and LCSWs must renew their licenses every year by December 31. SWLCs are not required to complete any continuing education (CE) for renewal, but LCSWs must complete 20 hours during each renewal period. Up to 10 CE hours can be earned from activities such as preparing manuscripts or presentations. Renewals can be completed through the online portal or by submitting the renewal form for your license. As of February 2019, renewal fees are $100 for SWLCs and $ for LCSWs. School Social Work specific info: (supporting website) Nebraska Social Work License:
Nebraska Licensing Board The state of Nebraska does not have formal reciprocity with any other state, but the Department will issue social work credentials to out-of-state social workers who meet Nebraska’s credentialing standards and have been practicing under their current licenses for at least one year. To apply for a social work credential by reciprocity, complete the application form corresponding with the level of certification or licensure you are seeking. The fee for a social work credential by reciprocity will vary based on the time of year that you are submitting your application as well as which credential you are seeking. Along with your application, you will need to submit verification of your current license and your past ASWB exam scores. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: All social work credentials in Nebraska need to be renewed every two years by September 1. The Department will mail you renewal instructions in the weeks leading up to the renewal date. All credentialed social workers are required to complete 32 hours of continuing education during each renewal period; if you hold an LMHP or LIMHP license, at least two of these hours must be in ethics. As of February 2019, renewal fees depend on the combination of credentials you hold and can be found on the Department’s fee schedule. School Social Work specific info: (supporting website) Nevada Nevada Licensing Board Social Work License: Nevada allows social workers licensed and in good standing in other jurisdictions to apply for licensure by endorsement. This method allows social workers to become licensed in Nevada without having to repeat the licensure exams or supervised experience. LSW applicants and LISW/LCSW applicants who have been working under their current licenses for at least five years can apply for equivalent Nevada licensure with minimal additional documentation. LISW and LCSW applicants who have been practicing for fewer than five years will need to provide documentation of Board-approved supervised experience. To apply for licensure by endorsement, follow the steps described above (except the exam and supervised experience requirements) for the license that you are seeking. In addition to these steps, you must have the ASWB send your exam scores to the Nevada Board and submit the license verification form for each state in which you are licensed. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Social workers in Nevada must renew their licenses every year on the last day of their birth month. Although licenses are renewed yearly, continuing education (CE) requirements are on two-year
Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: All licensed social workers must renew their licenses every two years in New Jersey. Although each license or certificate has different continuing education requirements, social workers of all levels must complete five hours of continuing education in ethics and three hours related to competence in social and cultural issues. Below are the continuing education requirements specific to each social work credential:
● CSWs must complete 20 hours of continuing education during each renewal period. If
more than 20 credits are earned, up to four can be applied to the next renewal period.
● LSWs must complete 30 hours of continuing education during each renewal period. If
more than 30 credits are earned, up to six can be applied to the next renewal period.
● LCSWs must complete 40 hours of continuing education during each renewal period. At
least 20 credits must be related to clinical social work practice. If more than 40 credits are earned, up to eight can be applied to the next renewal period School Social Work specific info: New Jersey School Social Work New Mexico New Mexico Licensing Board Social Work License: New Mexico offers licensure by reciprocity for social workers licensed in other states, allowing them to earn an equivalent New Mexico social work license without having to repeat requirements such as the national exam or supervised experience. To become licensed using this method, you must have held your current license for at least five years and you must meet the New Mexico Board’s requirements for licensure. To apply, complete the application form for the level of licensure you are seeking and submit it with the Verification of Licensure form. You must also request that the ASWB send your past exam scores to the Board. All reciprocity applicants will need to complete the jurisprudence exam and provide proof of having taken a New Mexico culture course before receiving a license. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: All New Mexico social work licenses must be renewed by July 1st every two years. The renewal fees (as of February 2019) are $100 for LBSWs, $150 for LMSWs, and $200 for LCSWs. 30 hours of continuing education (CE) are required during each renewal period, six of which must be in cultural awareness.
School Social Work specific info: New Mexico School Social Work New York New York Licensing Board Social Work License: There is no reciprocity for an LMSW in New York; however, if you hold a license from another state you may qualify for licensing if you meet all the requirements, which includes passing the ASWB Master’s exam. There is reciprocity for LCSWs in New York. If you have been certified as a clinical social worker in another state and have completed at least 10 years of practice within the last 15 years, you qualify to apply for licensure by endorsement in New York. For this, you will need to submit an application and include supplemental material to verify your education, past ASWB Clinical exam scores, current license status, and active practice within the past 15 years. As of December 2018, application and licensing fees for LCSW licensure by endorsement are $294. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: Both clinical and master social work licenses must be renewed in New York every three years (triennially). Both LMSWs and LCSWs must complete 36 hours of approved continuing education courses. No more than 12 of those hours per three-year period can be self-study. The regular renewal fee is $179 as of December 2018. New licensees are exempt from the continuing education requirement for the first three years of licensure. https://www.socialworkguide.org/licensure/new-york/ School Social Work specific info: New York School Social Work North Carolina North Carolina Licensing Board Social Work License: While the Board does not offer automatic licensure for social work license holders from other states, they do review each application on a case-by-case basis and may offer licensure and certification by substantial equivalency for licensees of other states determined to have licensing standards that are in line with North Carolina’s. If you believe you meet criteria for this type of licensure, you can complete the application packet, filling out the forms for substantial equivalency for your level of licensure or certification. As part of this application, you will need to provide verification of your current license and have your ASWB exam scores transferred to the Board. Licensing Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements:
