Social work licensure in New Mexico

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners, Regulation and Licensing Department.

License levels

LBSWBaccalaureate Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
A CSWE-accredited bachelor’s degree, the ASWB examination and New Mexico’s own jurisprudence examination.
LMSWMaster Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
A CSWE-accredited MSW, the ASWB examination, the jurisprudence examination, and documented completion of the required course in New Mexico cultures.
LISWIndependent / Clinical Social Worker
The board lists this level but does not state its ASWB exam on the pages we checked — confirm with them directly.
You must already hold the LMSW, then complete at least two years of post-graduate clinical experience — 3,600 hours of licensed master’s-level work inside a 60-month window, with 90 hours of supervision (one hour for every 40 worked, at least 70 of them direct, no more than 20 in a group of six or fewer, and no more than 30 interdisciplinary). The rule then asks for “the association of social work board examination, clinical or advanced, as determined by the board”, plus the jurisprudence exam and the New Mexico cultures course.

Worth knowing about New Mexico

Two New Mexico requirements have nothing to do with ASWB and are easy to leave until too late: a state jurisprudence examination at every level, and a board-approved course in New Mexico cultures for the master’s and independent licenses. Neither is something you can revise for the night before. The ASWB exam itself is written loosely at the independent level — “clinical or advanced, as determined by the board” — so confirm which one the board expects of you before you register and pay, rather than assuming Clinical.

Common questions about New Mexico

Which ASWB exam do I need for New Mexico?: New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners, Regulation and Licensing Department 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 New Mexico issue?: LBSW (Baccalaureate Social Worker); LMSW (Master Social Worker); LISW (Independent / Clinical Social Worker).
How many supervised hours does New Mexico require?: LISW: 3,600 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 New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners, Regulation and Licensing Department 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 New Mexico calls its license levels, the exam behind them is one of five.

License levels

LBSWBaccalaureate Social Worker

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

A CSWE-accredited bachelor’s degree, the ASWB examination and New Mexico’s own jurisprudence examination.

LMSWMaster Social Worker

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

A CSWE-accredited MSW, the ASWB examination, the jurisprudence examination, and documented completion of the required course in New Mexico cultures.

LISWIndependent / Clinical Social Worker

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

You must already hold the LMSW, then complete at least two years of post-graduate clinical experience — 3,600 hours of licensed master’s-level work inside a 60-month window, with 90 hours of supervision (one hour for every 40 worked, at least 70 of them direct, no more than 20 in a group of six or fewer, and no more than 30 interdisciplinary). The rule then asks for “the association of social work board examination, clinical or advanced, as determined by the board”, plus the jurisprudence exam and the New Mexico cultures course.

Worth knowing about New Mexico

Common questions about New Mexico

Which ASWB exam do I need for New Mexico?

New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners, Regulation and Licensing Department 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 New Mexico issue?

LBSW (Baccalaureate Social Worker); LMSW (Master Social Worker); LISW (Independent / Clinical Social Worker).

How many supervised hours does New Mexico require?

LISW: 3,600 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 New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners, Regulation and Licensing Department on 2026-08-16. Licensure rules change without much notice, so treat the board as the authority and this page as a starting point.