Social work licensure in Kentucky

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the Kentucky Board of Social Work.

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, despite the name: a baccalaureate from a CSWE-accredited social work or social welfare program, or a baccalaureate plus equivalent coursework the board accepts. An LSW may practice social work but expressly may not practice clinical social work.
CSWCertified 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: an MSW or doctorate. A CSW may practice clinical social work only under a written contract with an LCSW who takes responsibility for and supervises that practice — and the contract has to be approved by the board before the work starts.
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.
An MSW or doctorate from a CSWE-accredited institution and at least two years of post-master’s supervised experience. The regulation sets supervision at a minimum of 150 hours — at least two hours of individual supervision in every two weeks of practice, with at least 100 hours individual and no more than 50 in a group.

Worth knowing about Kentucky

Kentucky reverses the naming most candidates expect. Here the Licensed Social Worker is the bachelor’s license and the Certified Social Worker is the master’s one — “certified” sits above “licensed”, not below it — so an out-of-state CSW and a Kentucky CSW are not the same animal. The clinical route is unusual too: rather than a provisional license, a Kentucky CSW practices clinical social work under a written, board-approved contract with a supervising LCSW, and must stop the moment that contract ends. All three license sections were amended by 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 77 and took effect on 15 July 2026, which also wrote remote and virtual practice into the display-your-license rule, so anything you read that predates this summer may be describing the old text.

Common questions about Kentucky

Which ASWB exam do I need for Kentucky?: Kentucky Board of Social Work 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 Kentucky issue?: LSW (Licensed Social Worker); CSW (Certified Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
Is this information current?: These requirements were last checked against Kentucky Board of Social Work 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 Kentucky 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, despite the name: a baccalaureate from a CSWE-accredited social work or social welfare program, or a baccalaureate plus equivalent coursework the board accepts. An LSW may practice social work but expressly may not practice clinical social work.

CSWCertified 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: an MSW or doctorate. A CSW may practice clinical social work only under a written contract with an LCSW who takes responsibility for and supervises that practice — and the contract has to be approved by the board before the work starts.

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.

An MSW or doctorate from a CSWE-accredited institution and at least two years of post-master’s supervised experience. The regulation sets supervision at a minimum of 150 hours — at least two hours of individual supervision in every two weeks of practice, with at least 100 hours individual and no more than 50 in a group.

Worth knowing about Kentucky

Common questions about Kentucky

Which ASWB exam do I need for Kentucky?

Kentucky Board of Social Work 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 Kentucky issue?

LSW (Licensed Social Worker); CSW (Certified Social Worker); LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).

Is this information current?

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