The Commission adopted a $20 administrative fee on September 9, 2026, charged for each multistate license issuance, renewal or category change. Each member state adds its own fee, which it sets and keeps. No member state had published its multistate fee as of early October 2026.
Until September 2026, the honest answer to "what will a multistate license cost?" was that nobody knew. The Commission's June 2026 FAQ still said "All fees are yet to be determined." That is now half out of date.
What did the Commission decide?
On September 9, 2026, the Commission adopted Chapter 5, its Rule on Fees. The core of it is one sentence: "An Administrative Fee of $20 shall be paid to the Commission by Member States for each Multistate License Transaction."
A transaction is defined as any time a multistate license is issued, renewed, or changes category between bachelor's, master's and clinical. So the $20 applies:
- when your multistate license is first issued;
- every time it renews;
- when you move up a category, for example from master's to clinical after you are licensed as an LCSW.
The Commission's separate rule on changing home states adds that a reissuance after a move between member states also carries the administrative fee, on top of a reissuance fee set by the new home state.
What will my state charge?
That part is still unknown. The compact lets the home state "charge a fee for granting the Multistate License," and the fee rule says each member state sets its own fee under its own laws and procedures and keeps it. We had not found a single member state with a published multistate fee as of early October 2026.
Two details in the rule are worth knowing:
- A state may waive or reduce its own fee. It cannot waive the $20; if it chooses not to collect it from you, the state pays it to the Commission itself.
- The $20 can change. The rule says the administrative fee is "subject to future changes" through Commission rulemaking, with at least 30 days' public notice.
The Commission's guide for boards suggests some states may offer discounts to active-duty service members, veterans or military spouses. That is a suggestion, not a requirement.
What else will it cost?
- Your home-state license. The multistate license sits on top of it, so you keep paying its renewal and meeting its CE.
- Fingerprints. Every applicant needs a fingerprint-based FBI and state check. If you already did one for your state license, ask your board whether it can be reused for the multistate application or whether you will need a new set.
- A jurisprudence exam, sometimes. Member states cannot add exams for multistate holders practicing there, but a new home state may require its jurisprudence exam when you move.
How does this compare with separate licenses?
Each separate state license means an application fee, license fee, background check and renewal cycle of its own. The compact replaces all of that with one state fee and $20 per transaction. For a social worker with clients in several member states, the savings will be real once states publish their fees. For a social worker who needs one non-member state, the compact saves nothing.
For what we charge, see pricing; government, board and ASWB fees are always separate from ours. For the timeline, see when applications might open.
Common questions
- How much does a social work multistate license cost?
- The Commission's share is $20 per transaction. Each home state will add its own fee, and none had published one as of early October 2026, so the total is not yet known.
- Do I pay the $20 again at renewal?
- Yes. The fee rule applies the $20 administrative fee to every issuance, renewal and change of category.
- Can my state waive the compact fee?
- A state can waive or reduce its own fee. It cannot waive the $20 Commission fee; if it does not collect it from you, the state pays it.
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