Social Workers Introduction
This section covers the basic requirements and procedures to follow in applying for a license as a "certified social worker" in New York State. Article 154 of New York State Education Law is a title law. This means that you must be licensed to use the title "certified social worker" in New York.
General Requirements
To be licensed as a certified social worker in New York State you must:
Be of good moral character
Be at least 21 years of age
Meet education and examination requirements
You must file an application for licensure in addition to the other forms indicated. Submit all forms, along with the appropriate fee, to the Division of Professional Licensing Services (DPLS) of the New York State Education Department. It is your responsibility to follow up with anyone you have asked to send us material.
The specific requirements for licensure are contained in Article 154 of New York's Education Law and Part 74 of the Commissioner's Regulations. Copies of the relevant sections of NYS Education Law and the Commissioner's Regulations are available upon request by calling the Forms Management Unit at (518) 474-3817 ext. 320, or e-mail opforms@mail.nysed.gov .
You should also read the general licensing information applicable for all professions.
Fees
The licensure and initial registration fee for Social Work is $270. The fee for a limited permit is $70.
The fees listed are those in place when this page was posted. Fees are subject to change. The fee due is the one in law when your application is received (unless fees are increased retroactively). We will bill you for the difference if fees have been increased.
Do not send cash.
Make your check or money order payable to the New York State Education Department. Personal checks are accepted.
Mail the appropriate forms and fee to:
NYS Education Department
Office of the Professions
Division of Professional Licensing Services
Fee Section
State Education Building - 2nd floor
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234-1000
The examination fee is a separate fee paid to the testing organization, the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), formerly the American Association of State Social Work Boards (AASSWB). Please refer to the ASWB Handbook for examination information or contact:
ASWB
P.O. Box 1508
Culpepper, VA 22701
phone: (888) 579-3926, fax: (540) 829-0142
email: info@aswb.org
http://www.aswb.org
PLEASE NOTE: Payment submitted from outside the United States should be made by check or draft on a United States bank and in United States currency; payments submitted in any other form will not be accepted and will be returned. Your canceled check is your receipt.
Fee Refunds
Partial refunds may be granted only if you submit a written request, fax, or email to withdraw your licensure application.
The New York State Education Department is not responsible for any fees paid to an outside testing agency.
If you withdraw your application, obtain a refund, and then decide to seek New York State licensure at a later date, you will be considered a new applicant and be required to pay the licensure and registration fees and meet the licensure requirements in place at the time of reapplication.
Education Requirements
To be licensed as a certified social worker, you must complete a program in social work and receive the master's degree, or its equivalent, e.g., a higher degree, that is either registered by the New York State Education Department as licensure qualifying; accredited by an accrediting organization acceptable to the Department, such as the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); or determined by the Department to be substantially equivalent to such a registered or accredited program.
Experience Requirements
You will need to complete an experience requirement for licensure only if you hold one or more social work licenses in other states based upon professional study at the graduate level and are seeking licensure by endorsement . You will need to document two years of post-licensure professional experience.
Examination Requirements
Licensure as a certified social worker requires successful completion of the "Intermediate" examination administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), formerly the American Association of State Social Work Boards (AASSWB). The ASWB's "Advanced" or "Clinical" examinations are also acceptable. All instructions pertaining to the examinations are contained in the ASWB Candidate Handbook.
Eligibility
You MUST be approved for admission by the New York State Education Department before registering to take the ASWB examination.
1. File a Form 1 with an application fee of $270 addressed to: New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, Division of Professional Licensing Services, Fee Section, State Education Building - 2nd floor, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12234;
AND
2. a. Have a completed, signed and sealed Form 2 sent to the Department directly by your university or college registrar in order to verify that you received a Masters in Social Work (MSW) degree or its equivalent, (e.g., a doctoral degree in social work during which M.S.W. requirements were met) as determined by the Department;
OR
b. Have a letter sent to the Department by the Dean of your professional school in order to verify that you completed an acceptable graduate program in social work. (Note: This letter should be requested only by applicants whose graduation date will occur more than a month from the date they completed the program.)
You and the ASWB will be notified as soon as the Department has approved you to register for the examination. When you receive your notification, you may contact ASWB at 1-888-5SW-EXAM (1-888-579-3926) to register for the exam.
For additional, specific information regarding the examination, you may contact ASWB at:
Association of Social Work Boards
ASWB Registration Center
PO Box 1508, Culpeper, VA 22701
1-888-5SW-EXAM
http://www.aswb.org
Reasonable Testing Accommodations
If you have a disability and may require reasonable testing accommodations for the examination, submit the request form and supporting documentation directly to ASWB. All necessary forms are included in the ASWB Candidate Handbook. You may appeal a denial of accommodations or submit any complaint about your accommodations to the New York State Board for Social Work.
English as a Second Language
New York State licensure requires proficiency in English . The social work licensing examination given in English meets that requirement. Therefore, New York State will accept scores only on licensing examinations given in English.
Endorsement
If you are or ever have been licensed as a social worker in another state or jurisdiction, have at least two years of satisfactory professional practice following your initial licensure, and passed a licensing examination based on professional study at the graduate level or above that was not administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), formerly the American Association of State Social Work Boards (AASSWB), you may apply for licensure by "endorsement". You will not have to take another licensure examination in New York State.
To be licensed by endorsement, you must:
Submit all the required documents for licensure, except for the ASWB score report
Have the licensing authority of each state or jurisdiction in which you are or have been licensed submit a Verification of Social Work Licensure in Another Jurisdiction (Form 3); and
Have a facility representative or licensed colleague verify that you have at least two years of post-licensure experience (Form 4).
Limited Permits
A limited permit enables you to use the title "certified social worker" and to secure employment in a setting that requires licensure before you have passed the licensing examination. If you need a limited permit to obtain a job, you must:
Satisfy all requirements for admission to the licensing examination
Be offered or have a job in an agency or facility that requires licensure as a certified social worker as a condition for employment; and
have not yet taken the licensing examination or failed it only one time
You may apply for a limited permit (Form 5) at the same time or any time after you submit your application for licensure (Form 1), initial licensure fee of $270, and evidence of satisfactory education. The fee for a limited permit is $70.
A limited permit cannot be issued until the Department has determined that you have satisfied all requirements for admission to the licensing examination.
Your limited permit will be voided as of the expiration date printed on the permit or as of the notification date that you have failed the licensing examination for the second time. We reserve the right to notify you and your employer that the limited permit has been voided. We may extend your limited permit once if you have not had a reasonable opportunity to take the licensing examination or to give you a second opportunity to complete the examination successfully, provided that the time authorized by your initial permit and subsequent extension does not exceed 18 months.
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