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Your Guide to Becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York

This guide was last updated on January 11, 2022.

Obtaining licensure as a clinical social worker (LCSW) in New York State requires the completion of a master’s degree in social work (MSW), meeting exam requirements and the completion of supervised experience as a licensed master social worker (LMSW).

The license to practice clinical social work is granted by the New York State Office of the Professions, under the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

In this guide, you’ll find easy-to-follow steps to obtain your clinical social worker license in New York State. Please keep in mind, however, that licensure requirements can change over time. We make every effort to keep our guides updated, but always consult the LCSW requirements online for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

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Complete a Master’s Degree in Social Work

To become a licensed clinical social worker in New York State, you must have a master’s degree in social work (MSW) from a program that NYSED recognizes as licensure-qualifying.

For a program to be licensure-qualifying, it must:

  • Require at least 60 semester hours of study or its equivalent
  • Include coursework in:
    • The values and ethics of social work
    • At-risk populations, diversity and social justice
    • Human behavior
    • Social welfare policy and service delivery systems
    • Foundation and advanced social work practice
    • Social work practice evaluation and research
    • Clinical practice (at least 12 semester hours)
  • Include a field practicum in social work of at least 900 hours

Once your education requirements have been met, complete Section I of Form 2: Certification of Professional Education and have your university registrar complete Section II. Your registrar will then need to submit the completed Form 2 and official transcripts.

Submit Your Application for Licensure

Complete Form 1: Application for Licensure and First Registration to begin the licensure process in New York State. You need to include all supporting documentation and pay the combined licensure application and registration fee of $294. This application can be submitted at any time.

Pass the ASWB Masters Exam and Earn the LMSW

After graduating with your MSW degree, the next step is to earn your LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) designation. To earn the LMSW, you must have completed the education requirements described above, complete coursework or training in the identification and reporting of child abuse, and pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Masters exam. More information about the LMSW is available here.

Apply for a Limited Permit (as Needed)

If you have not yet passed the ASWB Masters exam and you need to begin working, you will need to obtain a limited permit (Form 5), which is valid for up to one year. You are eligible to apply for a limited permit after you have met all the requirements for LMSW licensure except for passing the ASWB Masters licensing exam. Completing your professional experience and passing the licensing exam are not required in order for you to obtain your limited permit. The limited permit is valid for one year and may not be extended, and the fee is $70. You can find more detailed information about the limited permit here.

If You Have a License From Another State or Country

If you are licensed in another jurisdiction, you can apply for licensure by endorsement by completing:

  • Form 1 (Application for Licensure) and submitting payment of $294
  • Form 2 (Certification of Professional Education)
  • Form 3 (Verification of Other Professional Licensure/ Certification)
  • You must also request that the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) send your exam scores to NYSED.

All LMSW forms can be found here.

Complete Supervised Experience Requirements

New York State requires at least 36 months (three years) of supervised experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment-based treatment planning to be license-eligible. During this time, applicants must engage in at least 2,000 hours of direct client contact.

In New York State, clinical supervised experience hours will count toward licensure as an LCSW only if they have been obtained after the applicant has become a licensed master social worker or received a limited permit en route to becoming an LMSW.

New York State also requires 100 hours of individual or group clinical supervision, distributed over the period of supervised experience.

Supervisors must be registered and licensed in New York State to practice as a licensed clinical social worker, psychologist or physician. Supervision may also be provided by those with equivalent qualifications, as determined by the state.

Before you begin, you may submit Form 6 to have your supervisor and setting reviewed before beginning your supervised experience.

The supervised experience must take place at a specific location approved by NYSED. Details about acceptable settings are available here.

Document Your Experiences

You are responsible for completing Form 4 with the details of each of your experiences. Your experience supervisor is responsible for maintaining records of your supervised experience as well as submitting verification of your experience on Form 4B. After you complete Section I, send the form to your supervisor. They must complete Section II and return all documentation directly to the Office of the Professions.

You should save copies of these completed documents for your records, along with detailed documentation of your experiences

Pass the ASWB Clinical Examination

New York State requires applicants to successfully complete the ASWB Clinical exam or an exam deemed to be comparable.

To be eligible to sit for the examination, you must:

  • Submit Form 1: Apply for licensure by submitting this form and including the required documentation and $371 fee
  • Submit Form 2: Have your degree verified and approved by NYSED
  • Submit Form 4B: Have your supervised experience verified
  • Receive NYSED approval of your education and all application materials
  • Register with ASWB to take the Clinical exam

Once you have sent the forms above and obtained the department’s approval, the state will inform you and ASWB. You must then contact ASWB to register for the exam. The total cost to sit for the ASWB Clinical exam is $260.

All LCSW forms can be found here.

What’s Next?

Once the documentation and requirements listed below have been reviewed and approved by NYSED, your license number will be issued, and you will be permitted to practice independently.

Document requirements differ, as followed, based on whether you:

A) Graduated from a licensure-qualifying master’s program after 2004

B) Graduated from a licensure-qualifying program before Sept. 1, 2004 or

C) Were a licensed clinical social worker in another jurisdiction and practiced for at least 10 years during the 15-year period preceding your application.

If you graduated from a New York State licensurequalifying program after 2004, you must submit the following forms to apply for licensure:

  • Form 1
  • Form 2
  • Form 3 (only if currently or previously licensed in another jurisdiction)
  • Form 4
  • Form 4B

If you graduated from a New York State licensurequalifying program before Sept. 1, 2004, you must submit the following to apply for licensure:

  • Form 1
  • Form 2 (with official transcript)
  • Course syllabi or other documentation showing thatyour studies met requirements
  • Form 3 (only if currently or previously licensed in another jurisdiction)
  • Form 4
  • Form 4B

If you were licensed in another jurisdiction and have practiced for at least 10 of the previous 15 years, you must submit the following forms to apply for licensure:

  • Form 1
  • Form 2 (with official transcript)
  • Course syllabi or other documentation showing thatyour studies met requirements
  • Form 3
  • Form 4E
  • Form 4F

Once your license has been issued, you will receive written confirmation from NYSED. You can also find out if your license has been issued by checking here.

All LCSW forms can be found here.

While we make every effort to keep our guides updated, this post is an informational resource only. Always consult the New York State Office of the Professions website for the most up-to-date and accurate information as licensure requirements can change over time.