Social work licensure in New York

Requirements last verified August 16, 2026 against the New York State Board for Social Work, Office of the Professions.

License levels

• LMSWLicensed Master Social Worker

  Requires the ASWB Masters exam.

  The board’s wording: licensure “requires successful completion of the ‘Masters’ (formerly Intermediate) examination administered by the ASWB”, or a comparable exam it approves.

• LCSWLicensed Clinical Social Worker

  Requires the ASWB Clinical exam.

  At least 36 months of supervised experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment-based treatment planning, including at least 100 hours of in-person individual or group clinical supervision.

Common questions about New York

Which ASWB exam do I need for New York?

LMSW requires the ASWB Masters exam; LCSW requires the ASWB Clinical exam. Your board tells ASWB which category you are approved to take, so confirm with them before you register — registration fees are nonrefundable.

What social work licenses does New York issue?

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

Is this information current?

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