Licensing
Social Work License Requirements: How Licensing Works in Every State
What Does a Board of Social Work Require for a Social Work License?
A board of social work is the state agency that sets the license tiers, exams and supervised experience you need to practice, and each of the 52 jurisdictions checked here runs its own. Most issue a master's-level license after an MSW and an ASWB exam, then a clinical license after roughly two years of supervised work: 35 of the 52 set the clinical experience at 3,000 hours, and the full range runs from 1,500 to 4,000. Use the license pathway tool to see your state's tiers, or read the LCSW requirements guide for the clinical route.
What a Board of Social Work Decides
A board of social work is the state body that turns your degree into a legal right to practice. It decides which license titles exist, which exam each one requires, how many hours of supervised work you need before clinical practice, and who can supervise you. It also handles renewals and discipline.
There is no national social work license. ASWB, the Association of Social Work Boards, writes the exams most boards use, but its own guidance is plain: each board determines which exams candidates must take. CSWE, which accredits MSW programs, says the same from the other side. Accreditation and licensure are separate systems, and your state sets the licensing criteria.
That is why the rules on this page come from the boards themselves. The records cover 52 jurisdictions: all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Some boards license only social workers. Others are combined boards, such as Florida’s Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, or Texas’s State Board of Social Worker Examiners under the Behavioral Health Executive Council.
The License Tiers Most States Use
Most boards stack their licenses in a ladder that matches the degree ladder. The names change from state to state, but the levels are recognizable once you know them.
| Tier | Typical titles | What it usually takes | Boards that issue one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s | LBSW, LSW, CSW | A BSW and, in most cases, the ASWB Bachelors exam | 42 of 52 |
| Master’s (non-clinical) | LMSW, LGSW, LSW, CSW | An MSW and, in most cases, the ASWB Masters exam | 48 of 52 |
| Advanced generalist or macro | LISW, LAPSW, LAMSW, CSWM | An MSW plus supervised non-clinical practice and the Advanced Generalist exam | 15 of 52 |
| Clinical | LCSW, LICSW, LISW-CP, LCSW-C | An MSW, supervised clinical practice and the ASWB Clinical exam | 51 of 52 |
A few patterns stand out in the records:
- The clinical license is near universal. 51 of the 52 jurisdictions have a clinical tier, and 50 records mark the top clinical license as allowing independent practice. Puerto Rico’s board issues provisional and permanent licenses rather than a separate clinical tier.
- The master’s license is the first step for MSW graduates. It lets you practice under the conditions your board sets, and in most states it is the license you hold while you build clinical hours. Read the LMSW license guide for what it allows.
- The advanced generalist tier is a minority route. Only 15 boards issue a separate non-clinical independent license, including Minnesota’s LISW, Missouri’s Licensed Advanced Macro Social Worker and North Carolina’s Certified Social Work Manager. If you plan a career in administration, policy or community practice, this tier matters, and it is worth reading the macro social work programs page alongside it.
How to Become a Licensed Social Worker
ASWB describes the path in three moves: finish a social work degree, apply to your board for a license or for approval to sit the exam, then pass the right exam. Clinical and independent licenses add supervised practice. Put together with the board records, the sequence for most MSW graduates looks like this:
- Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW. Every accredited program includes at least 900 hours of field education, according to CSWE.
- Apply to your state board. ASWB tells candidates to apply for the license or get the board’s preapproval to take the exam, so the application usually comes first.
- Pass the exam for your tier. For a master’s license that is usually the ASWB Masters exam. Some states add a law or jurisprudence exam.
- Practice under the master’s license. If you want clinical licensure, you register a supervisor and a supervision plan where your board requires one.
- Log supervised clinical hours. 35 of the 52 records set the clinical figure at exactly 3,000 hours.
- Pass the ASWB Clinical exam and apply for the clinical license. Timing rules differ; in Wyoming, for example, your supervised hours must span at least 18 months before you qualify for the Clinical exam.
The order varies. In Michigan you hold a limited license while you accrue hours. In Maine the conditional clinical license (MC) is the one you work under while you gather 3,200 hours. The license pathway tool lays out your state’s own sequence.
Which ASWB Exam Each License Requires
ASWB offers exams at four main levels: Bachelors, Masters, Advanced Generalist and Clinical, plus an Associate exam a few boards use. Every exam has 122 questions, 110 scored and 12 unscored, with four hours to finish. The Associate, Bachelors and Masters exams cost US$230; the Advanced Generalist and Clinical exams cost US$260. The ASWB exam guide covers the content and preparation.
How boards use those exams varies more than most applicants expect:
- Master’s license: 33 boards name the ASWB Masters exam for a master’s tier. Ten boards issue a master’s-level credential with no exam: Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and Utah. In most of those states the no-exam credential is an entry or associate title, and an exam still waits at the next tier.
- Clinical license: 46 of the 52 records name the ASWB Clinical exam for the clinical tier. Ohio lets LISW applicants choose between the Clinical and Advanced Generalist exams. Nevada asks for both the Masters and the Clinical exam for its LCSW.
- State law exams: ten boards list a jurisprudence or law and ethics exam, from California’s Law and Ethics Exam for associate registrants to the Texas Social Worker Jurisprudence Exam, which every Texas license requires.
Social Work License Tiers in Every State
| State | Master's license | Clinical license | Clinical exam | Compact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama MSW programs and license | LMSW | LICSW | – | Member |
| Alaska MSW programs and license | Master Social Worker | Clinical Social Worker | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Arizona MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Arkansas MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| California MSW programs and license | ASW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Colorado MSW programs and license | LSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Connecticut MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Delaware MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| District of Columbia MSW programs and license | LGSW | LICSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Florida MSW programs and license | Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Georgia MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Hawaii MSW programs and license | LSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Idaho MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB (applicable exam for the license type) | – |
| Illinois MSW programs and license | LSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical, or the exam alternative (at least one ASWB Clinical attempt since January 1, 2019 plus 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience) | – |
| Indiana MSW programs and license | LSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Iowa MSW programs and license | LMSW | LISW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Kansas MSW programs and license | LMSW | LSCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Kentucky MSW programs and license | CSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Louisiana MSW programs and license | CSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Maine MSW programs and license | LM | MC | ASWB Masters | Member |
| Maryland MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW-C | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Massachusetts MSW programs and license | LCSW | LICSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Michigan MSW programs and license | Limited LMSW | LMSW (Clinical) | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Minnesota MSW programs and license | LGSW | LICSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Mississippi MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Missouri MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Montana MSW programs and license | SWLM | SWLC | – | – |
| Nebraska MSW programs and license | PCMSW | LMHP | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Nevada MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Masters and ASWB Clinical | – |
| New Hampshire MSW programs and license | – | LICSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| New Jersey MSW programs and license | LSW | LCSW | – | Member |
| New Mexico MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| New York MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| North Carolina MSW programs and license | CMSW | LCSWA | none | Member |
| North Dakota MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Ohio MSW programs and license | – | LISW | ASWB Clinical or ASWB Advanced Generalist (applicant's choice) | Member |
| Oklahoma MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB (exam level not assigned to this license in the rules retrieved) | Member |
| Oregon MSW programs and license | LMSW | CSWA | none | – |
| Pennsylvania MSW programs and license | LSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Puerto Rico MSW programs and license | Profesional del Trabajo Social Licenciado(a) Permanente (por maestría) | – | – | – |
| Rhode Island MSW programs and license | LCSW | LCSW | none | Member |
| South Carolina MSW programs and license | LMSW | LISW-CP | ASWB Clinical | – |
| South Dakota MSW programs and license | CSW | – | – | Member |
| Tennessee MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Texas MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | – |
| Utah MSW programs and license | CSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Vermont MSW programs and license | LMSW | LICSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Virginia MSW programs and license | LMSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Washington MSW programs and license | Advanced Social Worker Associate | Independent Clinical Social Worker Associate | – | Member |
| West Virginia MSW programs and license | LGSW | LICSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Wisconsin MSW programs and license | APSW | LCSW | ASWB Clinical | Member |
| Wyoming MSW programs and license | Provisional Clinical Social Worker | Provisional Clinical Social Worker | – | – |
From each state's social work board, September 2026; exam names as the boards state them. Compact membership from the Social Work Licensure Compact; membership doesn't mean multistate privileges are available yet.
Boards and Titles in the Most-Searched States
These are the boards people look up most often. Each row comes from that board’s records, checked in September 2026. Follow the state link for its MSW programs and full license detail.
| State | Board | Master’s license | Clinical license and experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | Minnesota Board of Social Work | LGSW | LICSW: 4,000 to 8,000 hours of clinical practice with at least 200 hours of supervision |
| North Carolina | NC Social Work Certification and Licensure Board | CMSW | LCSW: 3,000 hours over two to six years, 100 hours of supervision |
| Virginia | Virginia Board of Social Work | LMSW | LCSW: 3,000 hours over two to four consecutive years, 100 hours of supervision |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Board of Social Work | LGSW (Level B) | LICSW (Level D): two years full time and 3,000 hours, 100 hours of supervision |
| Texas | Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners | LMSW | LCSW: 3,000 hours over at least 24 months, 100 hours of supervision |
| Massachusetts | Board of Registration of Social Workers | LCSW | LICSW: 3,500 hours over two years after the LCSW, 100 hours of supervision |
| Washington | Washington State Department of Health | Associate credentials | LICSW: 3,000 hours over at least two years, 100 hours of supervision |
| New York | NYSED State Board for Social Work | LMSW | LCSW: 36 months full time, 100 hours of supervision |
| Maryland | Board of Social Work Examiners | LMSW | LCSW-C: 3,000 hours over two years, 100 hours of face-to-face supervision |
| Pennsylvania | State Board of Social Workers, MFTs and Professional Counselors | LSW | LCSW: 3,000 hours over two to six years |
| District of Columbia | DC Board of Social Work | LGSW | LICSW: 3,000 hours over two to four years, 100 hours of supervision |
| Indiana | Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board | LSW | LCSW: two years of post-degree clinical experience |
Notice the title traps. The LCSW is a master’s license in Massachusetts and the advanced generalist Level C in West Virginia, while in most states it is the clinical license. In Pennsylvania and Indiana the LSW is the master’s license. Always read the title against the tier, not the letters.
Social Worker Certification Versus Licensure
People search for “social worker certification” expecting a separate credential. In practice, 14 boards use the word “certified” inside their actual license titles. North Carolina is the clearest case: its Certified Social Worker, Certified Master Social Worker and Certified Social Work Manager are the state credentials, issued by its Certification and Licensure Board.
Elsewhere the word means different levels. Kentucky’s and Utah’s Certified Social Worker is a master’s-level title. Arkansas and Mississippi call their clinical license the Licensed Certified Social Worker. Maryland’s LCSW is an advanced tier and its LCSW-C is the clinical one. South Dakota’s Certified Social Worker in Private, Independent Practice is its independent tier.
So when a job posting or employer asks for certification, check which state credential it means. Voluntary specialty credentials from professional associations are a different thing and do not replace the state license.
States Whose Rules Break the Pattern
A handful of boards depart from the ladder in ways that change your plan:
- New York issues no bachelor’s license. You start at the LMSW, and the LCSW requires 36 months of supervised experience rather than an hour count.
- New Hampshire has no master’s non-clinical license. Above its two bachelor’s-level licenses, the next license is the LICSW, which takes 3,000 supervised hours.
- Michigan treats Macro and Clinical as designations on the LMSW, each needing 4,000 supervised hours earned under a limited license.
- Nebraska routes clinical practice through the mental health practice licenses (LMHP and LIMHP), which use the ASWB Clinical exam for social workers.
- California registers you as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) while you complete 3,000 hours over at least 104 weeks, and you must take the California Law and Ethics Exam during registration.
- Rhode Island issues its LCSW as the pre-clinical, no-exam license; the independent clinical license is the LICSW.
- Colorado currently requires 3,000 hours for the LCSW, but the board is revising its rules to implement House Bill 26-1002, which lowers that figure, with a public hearing set for November 13, 2026. Treat the 3,000-hour number as subject to change if you will license there.
- Montana set a 24-month minimum for LCSW applicants licensed after August 22, 2026.
The Social Work Licensure Compact
The compact will let a social worker licensed in one member state practice in others through a multistate license. Its Commission lists 33 jurisdictions that have passed the compact language, from Alabama to Wisconsin; the other 19 in these records, including California, New York, Texas, Florida and Illinois, are not on the list.
The compact has reached activation, but multistate licenses are not being issued yet. The Commission’s July 2026 update says implementation will take about 18 to 24 months before social workers can apply, and its data system is expected in spring 2027.
When it opens, the requirements are set by the compact, not by each state:
- Clinical: an accredited MSW or higher, a qualifying national exam, and 3,000 hours or two years of postgraduate supervised clinical practice.
- Master’s: an accredited MSW or higher and a qualifying national exam.
- Bachelor’s: an accredited BSW or higher and a qualifying national exam.
Every category also needs an active, unencumbered home-state license (or eligibility for one) and a background check. The practical lesson for a student today: an accredited degree and a passed ASWB exam keep the most doors open.
Choosing an MSW With Your License in Mind
Your program choice shapes your license far more than most applicants realize. Use this checklist before you apply:
- Confirm CSWE status. The compact’s master’s and clinical categories require an accredited MSW. A program in candidacy counts once it earns accreditation, as long as it reached candidacy in or before the year you started, according to CSWE. The CSWE-accredited MSW programs page lists every accredited option.
- Pick a clinical concentration if you want the LCSW. Wisconsin, for example, asks applicants without a clinical field placement in their degree for 1,500 extra hours. Programs such as Daemen University’s online MSW in New York (advanced clinical practice with children, youth and families) and Minnesota State University Moorhead’s MSW (Multicultural Clinical) build the clinical route in.
- Study where you plan to license, or check the target board. Field hours count toward your degree, not your post-degree hours, so the board you will apply to matters more than where you study. If North Carolina is your target, East Carolina University’s part-time online MSW is an in-state option with a clinical-community practice focus; in Virginia, Liberty University’s residential MSW offers an individual and family clinical cognate.
- Weigh candidacy and pre-candidacy carefully. UTHealth Houston’s MSW in Clinical Social Work is in pre-candidacy, which is not the same as accredited. Ask yourself whether the start date fits CSWE’s candidacy rule.
- Use advanced standing if you hold a BSW. It shortens the degree and gets you to the master’s license sooner. The advanced standing checker tests your eligibility.
For the clinical route in detail, see how to become an LCSW; for programs built around it, see clinical MSW programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Online MSW Count Toward a Social Work License?
Yes, when the program is CSWE accredited. CSWE says delivery method does not change educational quality, so a board that requires an accredited degree treats an online MSW the same as a campus one. Your state board still decides whether a specific program meets its rules.
How Much Does the ASWB Exam Cost?
ASWB charges US$230 for the Associate, Bachelors or Masters exam and US$260 for the Advanced Generalist or Clinical exam. Each exam has 122 questions, 110 of them scored, with a four-hour time limit. Your board's application fee is separate.
Do All States License Bachelor's-Level Social Workers?
No. 42 of the 52 jurisdictions checked issue a bachelor's-level credential. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington start at the master's level.
Which States Add a Law or Jurisprudence Exam?
Ten boards list one: California, Colorado, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Vermont and Wisconsin. These test the state's own practice act and rules and sit alongside the ASWB exam rather than replacing it.
How Long After the MSW Can You Get a Clinical License?
Usually about two years of supervised work. Twelve boards write a 24-month minimum into the clinical rule, Wyoming allows 18 months, and Georgia and New York ask for 36 months. Many others set a minimum of two years alongside the hour count.
What Happens to Your License if You Move States?
For now you apply to the new state's board. The Social Work Licensure Compact has reached activation, but its Commission says multistate licenses are not yet being issued, and some boards, such as Louisiana's, add a state law exam for applicants licensed elsewhere.
Keep Reading
- MSW SpecializationsThe main MSW specializations, how many verified programs offer each, and the jobs and licenses each one leads to
- Social Work Degree LevelsThe BSW, MSW and doctoral social work degrees, what each qualifies you for and how advanced standing links them
- MSW Admission RequirementsWhat MSW programs require for admission, with counts from verified program pages
- MSW Cost and Financial AidMSW tuition from verified programs, advanced standing savings, federal aid and loan forgiveness for social workers
- MSW Dual DegreesEvery verified dual degree paired with the MSW, by school
- How to Become an LCSWThe steps from MSW to clinical licensure, supervised experience requirements by state and the ASWB Clinical exam
Sources
- ASWB: Social work licensing exams
- ASWB: Getting your first license
- Social Work Licensure Compact
- Social Work Licensure Compact: Compact jurisdictions
- Social Work Licensure Compact: Compact enacted in 35 states (July 2026)
- CSWE: Accreditation FAQs
- Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners
- Each state's social work licensing board, reviewed September 2026 (linked in the table)
- Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): exam levels
- Social Work Licensure Compact