Mississippi licenses independent clinical social workers as the LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker), through the Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists. Mississippi has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but no multistate licenses are being issued yet. Below: what Mississippi asks of a social worker already licensed in another state, and where those applications slow down.
Mississippi Social Work License Requirements
Mississippi licenses social workers at 3 levels: the LSW (Licensed Social Worker), the LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) and the LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker).
LSW: ASWB Bachelors. Board rules require a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program.
LMSW: ASWB Masters.
LCSW: ASWB Clinical. Since July 1, 2020, only the Clinical exam is accepted for the LCSW.
Independent clinical practice requires the LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker).
Licensed elsewhere: Reciprocity is available to holders of a comparable license in good standing earned with the ASWB exam for that level; state-made exams do not count. Under Mississippi's universal recognition law, a new resident licensed at least one year in another state can also be licensed at the same practice level.
How Much Does a Mississippi Social Work License Cost?
We have not published a Mississippi figure yet
We have not verified Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists's current schedule, and board fees change between legislative sessions
Board: Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists
We handle the Mississippi 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 Mississippi Applications Get Delayed
LCSW supervision is measured in time, not total practice hours: at least 24 and no more than 36 months of Board-approved supervision as an LMSW, with at least one hour a week of face-to-face supervision totaling at least 100 hours, inside an agency, institution or group practice.
An LMSW cannot gain LCSW supervision while practicing independently outside an agency or group setting.
Telehealth to clients in Mississippi requires a Mississippi 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 Mississippi Social Work License
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
CE Requirement
40 CE hours per renewal cycle
The Social Work Compact and Mississippi
Mississippi has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact (March 28, 2025). When the Compact opens, a social worker whose home state is Mississippi 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 Mississippi license.
Keeping it current
Mississippi renews social work licenses every 2 years, with 40 hours of continuing education per cycle. 40 hours every two years, including 4 in ethics, 2 in cultural diversity and 1 in mandated reporting. At least 20 must be in person or live interactive, and no more than 20 may be prerecorded or self-directed. No CE is due at the first-ever renewal. Holding licenses in several states means several calendars and several sets of CE rules, which is most of what our annual compliance service tracks.
Mississippi Social Work License FAQ
What social work licenses does Mississippi issue?
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Can I use the Social Work Compact for Mississippi?
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I'm licensed in another state. How do I get licensed in Mississippi?
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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 — checked 2026-10-08
- Part 1902 rules: license requirements, exams, supervision, reciprocity, universal licensure, CE — checked 2026-10-08
- current requirements for licensure (matches 2022 published rules) — checked 2026-10-08
- exam levels, last amended 11/17/2022 — checked 2026-10-08
- Miss. Code 73-53-13 (24 months of supervision for LCSW), 73-53-15 biennial renewal — checked 2026-10-08
- telehealth requires a Mississippi license; CE carryover — checked 2026-10-08
- reciprocity checklist (rev. March 2025) — checked 2026-10-08
- SB 2727 approved by the Governor 2025-03-28 — 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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