Becoming a licensed social worker - Association of Social Work Boards

Social work licensing is a fact of professional life

In most jurisdictions, the title of social worker is legally protected. You need a license in order to call yourself a social worker.

But most important is what licensing or registration does for the people you help every day. A licensed or registered social worker provides a practice backed by a legal guarantee that service will be safe, competent, ethical, and responsible.

About social work licensing

All professional licenses in the United States and Canada — social workers, physicians, nurses, lawyers, accountants, architects, and more — are issued by the states, provinces, and territories. There are no federal licenses, but requirements are substantially similar between different states and provinces.

Licenses are issued by social work boards in the United States and social work colleges or associations in Canada. These boards and colleges set the requirements to get a license, determine the standards of practice, and enforce the laws and regulations about social work practice.

To become licensed, you must:

be at least 18 years old
complete the state/provincial license application
pass the required examination
complete a criminal history records check
be of good moral character
pay all applicable fees

Licensing requirements

Detailed licensing requirements vary, but most social work licenses fall into one of four categories:

Bachelors: BSW from an accredited institution and a passing score on the Bachelors examination

Masters: MSW from an accredited institution and a passing score on the Masters examination

Advanced Generalist: MSW from an accredited institution, supervised practice experience post-degree, and a passing score on the Advanced Generalist examination. Advanced Generalist licensees can usually practice independently.

Clinical: MSW from an accredited institution, supervised practice experience post-degree, and a passing score on the Clinical examination. Clinical licensees can practice independently and can engage in private practice.

Getting your first license

Licensing is for all social workers, not just clinical social workers. Most states and provinces offer multiple categories of licensure, recognizing different scopes of practice.

Find out how to get your first social work license

Licensing requirements by state or province

In the United States and Canada, social work license requirements are set by individual states, provinces, and territories. This interactive map shows the requirements by state or province.

View the interactive map on licensing requirements

Spotlight on Regulation

Spotlight on Regulation provides snapshots of jurisdiction requirements that quickly convey key information to users.

Request your copy

About the social work licensing exams

There are four social work licensing exams: Bachelors, Masters, Advanced Generalist, and Clinical. Each is designed to measure entry-level competence at different educational and experience levels. The licensing exams are developed according to psychometric standards and reflect social work values and ethics, which include a commitment to fairness and diversity.

Candidates have four hours to complete the exam, which contains 170 multiple-choice questions written by practicing social workers.

The current licensing exams are based on the 2017 Analysis of the Practice of Social Work. Revised exams based on the 2024 Analysis of the Practice of Social Work will be implemented in 2026.

Assessing social work competence

The social work licensing exams are intended to measure social work knowledge not reading ability. All exam questions are edited for simplicity and clarity.

Readability test show that the ASWB exam are written at about a 10th grade (U.S.) reading level, less challenging than typical social work texts used in BSW and MSW programs.

Learn more about competence assessment

Meet the social workers involved in exam development