Social work licensing requirements
The University of Nevada, Reno MSW program does not meet the requirements for CSW licensure in Florida.
The University of Nevada, Reno MSW program does not meet the requirements for CSW licensure in Florida.
State | Does the Program Meet the Educational Requirements for Licensure? | Educational Exceptions | Available License | Educational Requirements | Additional Required Coursework/Training | Examination Requirements | State Board Website |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Yes | None | LGSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners |
Alaska | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners |
Arizona | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Arizona Board of Behavioral Health |
Arkansas | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Arkansas Licensing Board |
California | Yes | California does not require licensure to practice social work outside of clinical practice. For LCSW licensure, additional coursework is required. | LCSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | 18-hour California Law and Professional Ethics; Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting; Human Sexuality; Alcoholism and Other Chemical Abuse Dependency; Spousal or Partner Abuse Assessment; Detection and Intervention; Aging; Long Term Care; Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse | California Law and Professional Ethics Examination required for renewal | California Board of Behavioral Sciences |
Colorado | Yes | None | LSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Colorado Mental Health Profession’s Jurisprudence Examination and master’s level ASWB examination | Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners |
Connecticut | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Connecticut State Department of Public Health |
District of Columbia | Yes | None | LGSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | DC Health |
Delaware | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners |
Florida | Yes | Florida does not require licensure for social work practice outside of clinical practice. | CSWI | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program to practice social work. | For CSWI licensure: (Coursework) Complete 24 semester hours or 32 quarter hours in theory of human behavior and practice methods as courses in clinically oriented services, including a minimum of one course in psychopathology. Courses not considered to be clinically oriented are: policy, administration, organization and communities. (Practicum) A supervised field placement that was part of the applicant’s master’s program, during which the applicant provided clinical services directly to clients. | Master’s level ASWB examination | Florida Board of Clinical Social Work |
Georgia | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Georgia Social Work Board |
Hawaii | Yes | None | LSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Hawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing, Social Worker Program |
Idaho | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners |
Illinois | Yes | None | LSW | MSW degree | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Social Work-State of Illinois |
Indiana | Yes | None | LSW | MSW degree | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board |
Iowa | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Iowa Board of Social Work |
Kansas | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board |
Kentucky | Yes | None | CSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Kentucky Board of Social Work |
Louisiana | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners |
Maine | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Maine Board of Social Work Licensure |
Maryland | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners |
Massachusetts | Yes | None | LSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Work |
Michigan | Yes | None | LMSW - limited | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Michigan Board of Social Work |
Minnesota | Yes | None | LGSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Minnesota Board of Social Work |
Mississippi | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists |
Missouri | Yes | None | LMSW | MSW degree | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Missouri Committee for Social Workers |
Montana | Yes | None | License is not required for a graduate of a CSWE accredited program | None | Montana Board of Behavioral Health | ||
Nebraska | Yes | None | CSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Nebraska Mental Health and Social Work Practice | |
Nevada | Yes | None | LSW | Baccalaureate or master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Bachelor’s level ASWB examination | Nevada Board of Examiners for Social Workers |
New Hampshire | Yes | New Hampshire does not require licensure for social work practice outside of clinical practice. | Baccalaureate or master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program to be a non-clinical social worker | None | New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice | ||
New Jersey | Yes | None | LSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners |
New Mexico | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | New Mexico Jurisprudence Examination and master’s level ASWB examination | New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners |
New York | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | Coursework or training in the identification and reporting of child abuse offered by a New York State approved provider | Master’s level ASWB examination | New York Social Work |
North Carolina | Yes | None | CMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board |
North Dakota | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners |
Ohio | Yes | None | LSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Ohio Board of Social Work Licensure |
Oklahoma | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers |
Oregon | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers |
Pennsylvania | Yes | None | LSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors |
Rhode Island | Yes | None | LCSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | State of Rhode Island Department of Health: Social Work Licensing |
Puerto Rico | Yes | None | Master’s degree from a university recognized by the PR Board of Postsecondary Institutions | None | Puerto Rico Professional Social Workers | ||
South Carolina | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners |
South Dakota | Yes | None | CSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | South Dakota Department of Social Services |
Tennessee | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Board of Social Workers - Tennessee |
Texas | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Texas Jurisprudence Examination and master’s level ASWB examination | Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners |
Utah | Yes | None | CSW | MSW degree | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing |
Vermont | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Vermont Jurisprudence Examination and master’s level ASWB examination | Vermont State Licensing Board |
Virginia | Yes | None | LMSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Virginia Board of Social Work |
Washington | Yes | None | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | 3200 hours of post-graduate supervision is required to be licensed as a LCSW | Master’s level ASWB examination | Washington State Department of Health | |
West Virginia | Yes | None | LGSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | West Virginia Board of Social Work |
Wisconsin | Yes | None | APSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Wisconsin Statues and Rules Examination and master’s level ASWB examination | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services |
Wyoming | Yes | None | PCSW | Master’s degree from a CSWE accredited program | None | Master’s level ASWB examination | Wyoming Mental health Professions and Licensing Board |