Social work licensure in Arkansas

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board, Department of Health.

License levels

LSWLicensed Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
A BSW from a CSWE-accredited program and a Board-approved examination.
LMSWLicensed Master Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
An MSW from a CSWE-accredited program and a Board-approved examination.
LCSWLicensed Certified Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
Arkansas’s clinical license, despite the name. An MSW plus 24 full months of supervision under an LCSW and a minimum of 4,000 hours worked in a master’s-level clinical social work position, including at least 100 direct supervision hours.

Worth knowing about Arkansas

Two things worth planning around. Arkansas asks for 4,000 hours toward its top license where most states ask for 3,000 — a third more work — and it also requires 24 full months of supervision, so the hours and the calendar are separate hurdles and neither can be used to shorten the other. And the name is misleading in the usual direction: Arkansas’s LCSW is the Licensed CERTIFIED Social Worker. It is the clinical license in practice, since the hours must be worked in a clinical position, but the letters do not say so.

Common questions about Arkansas

Which ASWB exam do I need for Arkansas?: Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board, Department of Health lists its license levels without naming which ASWB exam each requires, on the pages we were able to read. Confirm the exam category with the board directly before registering.
What social work licenses does Arkansas issue?: LSW (Licensed Social Worker); LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker).
How many supervised hours does Arkansas require?: LCSW: 4,000 hours. The board sets the conditions on those hours — who may supervise, over what period — so read its own rules before you begin accruing them.
Is this information current?: These requirements were last checked against Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board, Department of Health on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.

Which exam will you sit?

Whatever Arkansas calls its license levels, the exam behind them is one of five.

License levels

LSWLicensed Social Worker

The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.

A BSW from a CSWE-accredited program and a Board-approved examination.

LMSWLicensed Master Social Worker

The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.

An MSW from a CSWE-accredited program and a Board-approved examination.

LCSWLicensed Certified Social Worker

The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.

Arkansas’s clinical license, despite the name. An MSW plus 24 full months of supervision under an LCSW and a minimum of 4,000 hours worked in a master’s-level clinical social work position, including at least 100 direct supervision hours.

Worth knowing about Arkansas

Common questions about Arkansas

Which ASWB exam do I need for Arkansas?

Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board, Department of Health lists its license levels without naming which ASWB exam each requires, on the pages we were able to read. Confirm the exam category with the board directly before registering.

What social work licenses does Arkansas issue?

LSW (Licensed Social Worker); LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker).

How many supervised hours does Arkansas require?

LCSW: 4,000 hours. The board sets the conditions on those hours — who may supervise, over what period — so read its own rules before you begin accruing them.

Is this information current?

These requirements were last checked against Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board, Department of Health on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.