Transferring your license from out of state/to another state
Unfortunately, each state has it’s own licensing requirements. Hawai’i does not have "true reciprocity" in the sense that just because you have a license in another state, then Hawaii automatically awards you the Hawai’i license. Our state Dept of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), who oversees our license wants to make sure that you meet the same requirements that our social workers in Hawai’i must meet.
For the LBSW and LSW, you need to submit:
1) the application form (you can find under licensing/ licensing applications)
2) a copy of your transcript from an accredited school of social work
3) verification that you passed the ASWB exam. You can request a copy of your score to be transferred to DCCA by going to the www.aswb.org
For the LCSW, you need to submit:
1) the application form (you can find under licensing/ licensing applications)
2) a copy of your transcript from an accredited school of social work
3) verification that you passed the ASWB clinical level exam. You can request a score transfer from ASWB by going to their website at www.aswb.org
4) documentation of 3000 hours of clinical experience that has been supervised. You can document this in two ways:
a) fill out the supervisor's form that is in the LCSW application. After June 2009 only supervision by a clinical social worker will be accepted. If you look at page 6 of the application form (Verification of Supervised Clinical Social Work Experience) you need to make sure that you have the correct numbers in the blanks. You must have 2000 hours of clinical diagnosis and psychotherapy, 900 hours of client centered advocacy, consultation and education and 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. Of the 100 hours, 40 hours can be in a group but the group cannot be larger than 6 people.
If you cannot find your supervisor to sign the verification form, then you might want to try getting the QCSW to document your 3000 hours.
b) The QCSW (qualified clinical social work certificate that is given by NASW). To get the QCSW, fill out an application from the National website:
http://www.socialworkers.org/credentials/credentials/qcsw.asp
Supervision must have been done by a clinical social worker but there is no requirement that the 3000 hours be broken up into categories. If you have the documentation for the 3000 hours of clinical experience that you submitted to your state’s licensing board, you may submit that to NASW. If you have questions about the QCSW, please explored the website for the National office Credentialing Center https://www.socialworkers.org/Careers/CredentialsCertifications or email them at [email protected]
Please be aware that our license is a three-year license and July 1, 2022 began a new three- year cycle. You just need to pay the fee to renew the license for the next three years. The state of Hawaii recently passed CE requirements for renewing social work licensing in Hawaii (please see Continuing Education/ CE requirements)
For the LBSW and LSW, you need to submit:
1) the application form (you can find under licensing/ licensing applications)
2) a copy of your transcript from an accredited school of social work
3) verification that you passed the ASWB exam. You can request a copy of your score to be transferred to DCCA by going to the www.aswb.org
For the LCSW, you need to submit:
1) the application form (you can find under licensing/ licensing applications)
2) a copy of your transcript from an accredited school of social work
3) verification that you passed the ASWB clinical level exam. You can request a score transfer from ASWB by going to their website at www.aswb.org
4) documentation of 3000 hours of clinical experience that has been supervised. You can document this in two ways:
a) fill out the supervisor's form that is in the LCSW application. After June 2009 only supervision by a clinical social worker will be accepted. If you look at page 6 of the application form (Verification of Supervised Clinical Social Work Experience) you need to make sure that you have the correct numbers in the blanks. You must have 2000 hours of clinical diagnosis and psychotherapy, 900 hours of client centered advocacy, consultation and education and 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. Of the 100 hours, 40 hours can be in a group but the group cannot be larger than 6 people.
If you cannot find your supervisor to sign the verification form, then you might want to try getting the QCSW to document your 3000 hours.
b) The QCSW (qualified clinical social work certificate that is given by NASW). To get the QCSW, fill out an application from the National website:
http://www.socialworkers.org/credentials/credentials/qcsw.asp
Supervision must have been done by a clinical social worker but there is no requirement that the 3000 hours be broken up into categories. If you have the documentation for the 3000 hours of clinical experience that you submitted to your state’s licensing board, you may submit that to NASW. If you have questions about the QCSW, please explored the website for the National office Credentialing Center https://www.socialworkers.org/Careers/CredentialsCertifications or email them at [email protected]
Please be aware that our license is a three-year license and July 1, 2022 began a new three- year cycle. You just need to pay the fee to renew the license for the next three years. The state of Hawaii recently passed CE requirements for renewing social work licensing in Hawaii (please see Continuing Education/ CE requirements)
Licensing requirements and costs for each state can be found here: naswnjclinicalsupervisors.knack.com/social-work-licensing-database#social-work-licensing-database2/
For more information about License Mobility and Portability, you can check out the Social Work Practice Mobility website managed by ASWB movingsocialwork.org/