About ASWB
Who is the ASWB? Are you the licensing board? Are you NASW?
What do you mean by the word “jurisdiction”?
What do you mean by the word “board”?
Is ASWB in charge of social work boards?
Licensing and social work boards
Is the licensing board the same as the National Association of Social Workers?
Are licensure levels and titles the same from one state or province to another?
How can I contact my board? Why is my board not answering my call?
Can I obtain a license with a non-social work degree?
How can I find an accredited social work degree program?
How long does it take to get licensed?
If I am in the military, why can I not be nationally licensed?
I passed my exam. What do I do now?
What kind of supervision should I be getting?
Continuing Education
What continuing education programs will be accepted by my licensing board(s)?
What kind of continuing education should I be getting?
How many hours of continuing education should I be getting?
I have licenses in more than one jurisdiction. Can my CE hours be applied to meet the various license requirements?
Moving within the US and Canada
Which states have reciprocity?
I’m moving, and need to send my test scores to my new state/province. How do I do that?
Will the exam scores transfer?
I’m moving to/from California. Will my exam scores transfer?
If I have to move to another state (not sure which), can I take the exam for one state and not get a license?
Can I be licensed in more than one state or province?
Moving from/to another country
I am residing outside of the United States. How can I obtain a license?
How do I transfer a foreign license?
Can I take the exam outside of the United States?
How do I get a foreign degree evaluated in the United States?
Who is the ASWB? Are you the licensing board? Are you NASW?
The Association of Social Work Board (ASWB) is the nonprofit association of social work licensing boards in the United States and Canada. The association is NOT affiliated with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), nor is NASW in charge of licensing in any state. The association does not create or enforce licensing requirements for individual jurisdictions—that’s the responsibility of the individual boards. The Association owns and maintains the licensing examinations used by its member boards, and also provides services to boards and social workers, such as the Approved Continuing Education program, the ASWB Social Work Registry, and the Public Protection Database.
What do you mean by the word “jurisdiction”?
Basically, we mean your state or provincial social work regulatory board. Similar boards exist for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What do you mean by the word “board”?
We mean the regulatory body in charge of issuing licenses in your state or province. Usually they are called a “board”, but they are also known as “board of examiners,” “college (Canada)”, or other terms such as council, association, department, or bureau. In the United States, these boards are NOT affiliated with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) or state NASW chapters. ASWB is NOT a board.
Is ASWB in charge of social work boards?
No.
The social work regulatory boards that are members of ASWB operate according to the laws of their relevant jurisdictions. The Association of Social Work Boards does not control what they do or how they function.
Is the licensing board the same as the National Association of Social Workers?
No.
In the United States, these boards are NOT affiliated with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) or state NASW chapters.
Are licensure levels and titles the same from one state or province to another?
No.
There can be significant variation in the ways states and provinces set up their licensure categories, as well as the titles conferred. The various acronyms – LCSW, LSW, LGSW, etc. –can mean different things, and be accompanied by different requirements. ASWB’s online comparison guide contains information on how requirements and titles vary among jurisdictions.
How can I contact my board? Why is my board not answering my call?
To get board contact information, click here. Sometimes, it can be hard to get in touch with your board. Unfortunately, it’s a situation only remedied through patience and perseverance. Try to avoid calling during peak hours—lunchtimes are almost always busy—and investigate the possibility of sending an email instead or in addition to your call.
Can I obtain a license with a non-social work degree?
With a few exceptions, no.
There are a few states that offer “associate” type licenses for people without social work degrees (check requirements in the online comparison guide), but those exceptions are extremely limited. For the most part, you must have a degree in social work (BSW or MSW) to obtain a social work license.
How can I find an accredited social work degree program?
The Council on Social Work Education provides a list of accredited programs on its website at www.cswe.org ; the Canadian Association for Social Work Education offers similar listings at its website www.caswe-acfts.ca/en/
How long does it take to get licensed?
That varies, and depends on many factors.
Generally, after the application for licensure is sent to the board, it ‘s not unusual for it to take a month or more to receive word on whether you can register for the exam. After you register for the exam, you must wait one day before calling to schedule the test. Scheduling a test depends on appointment availability at the test centers; then once your scores have been received by the board (a process that can take up to two weeks), the board must issue the license, which can mean another wait of a week or more.
If I am in the military, why can I not be nationally licensed?
There is no national social work license available.
The United States Constitution reserves the regulation of professions to the individual states. ASWB is working to create more uniformity among state regulatory frameworks, but licensing is likely to remain a state-governed issue for the foreseeable future.
I passed my exam. What do I do now?
That depends on where you’re getting licensed.
Your scores on the examination are automatically forwarded to the board you designated when you registered; this usually happens within two weeks after taking your test. In most jurisdictions, the board processes this score and issues the license (turnaround times for this vary). In a few jurisdictions, you may still need to contact the board to proceed with your license application. Registration materials sent to you by ASWB include a sheet that explains what should happen after you take your test.
What kind of supervision should I be getting?
Your jurisdiction’s social work board sets the rules for this. It is extremely important that you check with your board to ensure that you are following all the requirements. Contact your board for details. You can obtain basic information on supervision requirements through ASWB’s online comparison guide.
What continuing education programs will be accepted by my licensing board(s)?
You will need to contact your licensing board for this information. For contact numbers, click here.
What kind of continuing education should I be getting?
Your jurisdiction’s social work board sets the rules for this. It is extremely important that you check with your board to ensure that you are following all the requirements. Contact your board for details. You can obtain basic information on continuing education requirements through ASWB’s online comparison guide. ASWB also offers some basic advice about CE here.
How many hours of continuing education should I be getting?
Social work regulatory boards have differing requirements for not only how many hours of CE you should obtain, but also how these hours are counted, and which kinds of activities will be accepted for CE. You must contact your social work board to get the details on requirements.
I have licenses in more than one jurisdiction. Can my CE hours be applied to meet the various license requirements?
That depends on the jurisdictions in question. Continuing education requirements may overlap in ways that will allow you to apply the same CE hours to multiple licenses, but often there are variations in hours needed and course topics accepted. Contact the relevant social work boards for details.
Which states have reciprocity?
Basically, none.
Reciprocity is the system that would allow you to obtain a license in a new state or province by virtue of having a license in another state or province. No such system exists for licensed social workers in the U.S. (Canadian provinces are discussing future “mutual recognition” scenarios for social workers moving from one province to another, but finalized processes have not been put in place). Each time you move, you will need to provide the new state with much of the same information as the state in which you are currently licensed (transcripts, supervision documents, background information, etc.). The exception may be with your examination scores—more often than not, these can be transferred from one jurisdiction to another. Much of the hassle of providing these materials each time you move can be lessened by joining the ASWB Social Work Registry.
I’m moving, and need to send my test scores to my new state/province. How do I do that?
It’s called a “score transfer” and you can do it by calling us at 1-888-579-3926, or online.
Will the exam scores transfer?
Yes.
Providing the state/province uses the exam level you took or are taking, you can have your scores sent to that state or province and not have to re-take the exam. Be aware that some states in the U.S. put limits on how “old” a score can be in order to be accepted. At present, five years is the most stringent limit in place.
I’m moving to/from California. Will my exam scores transfer?
Probably not.
Currently, California is the only state that uses a state-specific examination for social work licensing. Your scores on the ASWB examinations will not be accepted for purposes of licensure in California; likewise, very few states accept a California exam score as a substitute for the ASWB examination.
If I have to move to another state (not sure which), can I take the exam for one state and not get a license?
No.
First, you need to be approved by a regulatory board before you can register for the exam. This usually involves making an application to the state or province in question. When you register for the test, you must sign an affidavit acknowledging that you are taking the exam for purposes of licensure in a particular jurisdiction—in other words, you can’t just take the exam as a “first step” and then apply it to whatever state or province you might select later.
Remember, however, that you don’t need to take the exam in the state/province in which you’re trying to get licensed. The ASWB examinations required are offered at over 200 test centers—you can take the exam for any state or province in any test center, and have the results sent to the board of your choice.
Can I be licensed in more than one state or province?
Yes.
Remember, however, that you will be required to comply with each board’s requirements for maintaining your license, and that a violation of one jurisdiction’s licensing law will likely affect the licenses you hold in other states or provinces.
I am residing outside of the United States. How can I obtain a license?
Procedures vary by state or province. Contact the individual board office for instructions. Generally, licensing boards will require that you have a social work degree that is determined to be equivalent to a social work degree issued in the U.S. and Canada, and that (in some instances) you have achieved acceptable post-degree supervision. You will also be required to take a licensing examination.
How do I transfer a foreign license?
Foreign licenses can’t be transferred. You must apply to the individual social work board, and undergo some kind of evaluation of your degree and (in some cases) post-degree supervision.
Can I take the exam outside of the United States or Canada?
Yes. The ASWB exams are available through Pearson Professional Centers in locations worldwide.
How do I get a foreign degree evaluated in the United States?
The International Social Work Degree Equivalency Recognition Service (ISWDERS) provided by the Council on Social Work Education is the most widely used program among social work regulatory boards in the United States. The CSWE evaluation will provide the regulatory board with a determination as to whether the degree you earned outside the U.S. or Canada is equivalent to a social work degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. In almost every state, CSWE accreditation is required for purposes of licensure. |
