Licensing Requirement & Preparation
If you are interested in being employed as a professional social worker in New York State, you must obtain a New York State license: Licensed Master Social Worker.
To be licensed as a licensed master social worker (LMSW), you must be at least 21 years old, be of good moral character, meet education (completing the MSW degree) and examination requirements, and complete the child abuse reporting training provided by the School or another approved provider. More information on the requirements is available from the state at www.op.nysed.gov/prof/sw
After graduation, you should submit the necessary application and fees to the New York State Education Department. Applications for taking the national examination and for state licensure are both available on the fifth and seventh floors at the School. You may also receive applications and information by calling (518) 474-3817 or from the website www.aswb.org and requesting the Candidate Handbook and master's-level exam application forms. The Licensed Master Social Worker Application Packet and the New York State licensure application forms can also be found online at www.op.nysed.gov/prof/sw
The NYC National Association of Social Workers is a good source of up-to-the-minute information and additional preparation workshops for licensing. Its website is www.naswnyc.org/.
I. Online Seminar with Paul A. Kurzman, Ph.D., ACSW
To view the seminar, click here.
II. Fact Sheet on Social Work Licensure
To download the PDF file, click here.
III. Introducation to LMSW Test Prep
To view click here.
Some Helpful Links:
New York State Office of the Professions
NASW: New York Chapter
LCSW License Requirements
Association News - A new year, a new test. a new test vendor.
Primer on Licensure
