Social work licensure in Idaho

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the Idaho State Board of Social Work Examiners, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL).

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.
The bachelor’s-level license on the board’s application form. The rule requires “the applicable Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) licensing examination for the license type”.
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.
The master’s-level license, applied for on the same form as the LSW. No post-graduate supervised hours are set out in the licensure rule for this level.
LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience over no fewer than two years and no more than five: 1,750 hours of direct client contact involving treatment and 1,250 hours of assessment, diagnosis and other clinical work, plus at least 100 hours face-to-face with the supervisor (no more than 50 of them in a group). At least half the supervision must come from an LCSW.

Worth knowing about Idaho

Idaho puts a clock on the exam itself: the rule counts only an ASWB examination “passed within the previous seven (7) years”. A pass older than that no longer satisfies the requirement, which matters if you sat the exam in another state years ago and are only now applying here. Applying also comes first — the board processes your application and then sends a letter with instructions for exam registration, so you cannot simply book a seat and sort the paperwork out afterwards. One more thing to watch: the current rule’s own preamble lists five license types, including a Licensed Master Social Worker Independent and a Licensed Social Worker Independent, while the board’s application forms still use LSW, LMSW and LCSW. Ask the board which set applies to you before you pay a fee.

Common questions about Idaho

Which ASWB exam do I need for Idaho?: Idaho State Board of Social Work Examiners, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) 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 Idaho issue?: LSW (Licensed Social Worker); LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
How many supervised hours does Idaho require?: LCSW: 3,000 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 Idaho State Board of Social Work Examiners, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) 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 Idaho 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.

The bachelor’s-level license on the board’s application form. The rule requires “the applicable Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) licensing examination for the license type”.

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.

The master’s-level license, applied for on the same form as the LSW. No post-graduate supervised hours are set out in the licensure rule for this level.

LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker

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

3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience over no fewer than two years and no more than five: 1,750 hours of direct client contact involving treatment and 1,250 hours of assessment, diagnosis and other clinical work, plus at least 100 hours face-to-face with the supervisor (no more than 50 of them in a group). At least half the supervision must come from an LCSW.

Worth knowing about Idaho

Common questions about Idaho

Which ASWB exam do I need for Idaho?

Idaho State Board of Social Work Examiners, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) 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 Idaho issue?

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

How many supervised hours does Idaho require?

LCSW: 3,000 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 Idaho State Board of Social Work Examiners, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.