Maryland licenses independent clinical social workers as the LCSW-C (Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical), through the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners. Maryland has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but no multistate licenses are being issued yet. Below: what Maryland asks of a social worker already licensed in another state, and where those applications slow down.
Maryland Social Work License Requirements
Maryland licenses social workers at 5 levels: the Provisional license (Provisional license (bachelor or master social work)), the LBSW (Licensed Bachelor Social Worker), the LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker), the LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker) and the LCSW-C (Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical).
Independent clinical practice requires the LCSW-C (Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical).
3,000 hours of post-master's supervised experience for the clinical license, including 100 hours of direct supervision.
Licensed elsewhere: Maryland licenses an out-of-state social worker at the same level held elsewhere. A clinical licensee who passed an exam and practiced at least 1,000 paid hours a year in 5 of the last 10 years qualifies under Health Occ. 19-302.1; others must show the full Maryland education and 3,000-hour supervision record.
How Much Does a Maryland Social Work License Cost?
We have not published a Maryland figure yet
We have not verified Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners's current schedule, and board fees change between legislative sessions
We handle the Maryland application end-to-end.
Eligibility screening, document prep, board follow-ups, and tracking — so you don't lose a board meeting cycle to a missing form.
View full pricingWhere Maryland Applications Get Delayed
The LCSW-C requires 3,000 supervised hours over at least 2 years as an LMSW, half in face-to-face client contact, with 100 hours of face-to-face supervision, plus 12 credits of clinical coursework (at least 6 in the MSW program).
Maryland stopped issuing new LCSW (nonclinical) licenses after December 31, 2023. Instead, an LBSW or LMSW can apply for Board approval to practice independently after 4,500 supervised hours over 3 years with 150 hours of supervision.
A provisional license that does not require the exam starts November 1, 2026 for first-time LBSW and LMSW applicants. The exam is still required for the full license, and the provisional license does not qualify for a compact multistate license.
Supervisor attestations and verifications from other boards take the longest. Request them the week you decide to apply, not the week you file.
Renewing Your Maryland Social Work License
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
CE Requirement
40 CE hours per renewal cycle
The Social Work Compact and Maryland
Maryland has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact (April 8, 2025). When the Compact opens, a social worker whose home state is Maryland will be able to apply for one multistate license that covers every member state, and members' multistate licensees will be able to practice here. That has not happened yet: as of October 2026 the Commission was still building its data system and had issued no multistate licenses. Until it does, practicing here takes a Maryland license.
Keeping it current
Maryland renews social work licenses every 2 years, with 40 hours of continuing education per cycle. 40 CE units every two years (30 for LBSWs); at least 20 (15 for LBSWs) must be Category I. Each cycle includes 3 hours of ethics and 3 hours of anti-oppressive practice; Board-approved supervisors also need 3 hours on supervision. Licenses run November 1 to October 31. Holding licenses in several states means several calendars and several sets of CE rules, which is most of what our annual compliance service tracks.
Maryland Social Work License FAQ
What social work licenses does Maryland issue?
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Can I use the Social Work Compact for Maryland?
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I'm licensed in another state. How do I get licensed in Maryland?
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How many supervised hours does Maryland require for the clinical license?
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Where these facts come from
Checked against primary sources. Boards change rules between sessions, so we confirm the current process again before anything is filed.
- board name and site; August 3, 2026 ASWB exam changes — checked 2026-10-08
- license categories, exam requirement, LCSW cutoff, LCSW-C hours and supervision, independent practice approval — checked 2026-10-08
- out-of-state LCSW-C route (5 of 10 years) — checked 2026-10-08
- 2-year license term — checked 2026-10-08
- COMAR 10.42.01: ASWB exam score required, licensure by endorsement at the same level — checked 2026-10-08
- LCSW-C supervised experience rules — checked 2026-10-08
- COMAR 10.42.06.03: 40 CEUs (30 for LBSW), content requirements, Nov 1 to Oct 31 cycle — checked 2026-10-08
- CE content table — checked 2026-10-08
What Working with Us Costs
Transparent, a la carte service fees. Board, exam and fingerprinting fees are paid directly to those organizations. Our concierge fee is separate and is the only thing you pay us.
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