New York licenses independent clinical social workers as the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), through the New York State Board for Social Work, NYSED Office of the Professions. New York is not a Social Work Licensure Compact member. Below: what New York asks of a social worker already licensed in another state, and where those applications slow down.
New York Social Work License Requirements
New York licenses social workers at 2 levels: the LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) and the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
LMSW: ASWB Masters. May provide clinical social work (diagnosis, psychotherapy, assessment-based treatment planning) only under supervision.
LCSW: ASWB Clinical. The "R" psychotherapy privilege (LCSW-R) was an insurance-reimbursement designation, not a separate license. Chapter 818 of the Laws of 2022 dropped its extra 3-year requirement effective 1/1/2023; NYSED no longer processes R applications, and existing holders keep the designation.
Independent clinical practice requires the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
2,000 hours of post-master's supervised experience for the clinical license, including 100 hours of direct supervision.
Licensed elsewhere: An LCSW licensed elsewhere with at least 10 years of licensed clinical practice can be licensed by endorsement, with colleague verification of practice and ASWB Clinical scores. Anyone with less must meet New York's education, supervised-experience and exam rules; there is no reciprocity for the LMSW (NYSED FAQ).
How Much Does a New York Social Work License Cost?
We have not published a New York figure yet
We have not verified New York State Board for Social Work, NYSED Office of the Professions's current schedule, and board fees change between legislative sessions
Board: New York State Board for Social Work, NYSED Office of the Professions
We handle the New York 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 New York Applications Get Delayed
The endorsement route expects 10 years of licensure elsewhere, counted at the level you are applying for.
The LCSW needs at least 36 months (up to 6 years) of post-MSW supervised experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment-based treatment planning, with at least 2,000 client contact hours. More hours do not shorten the 3 years.
You take the ASWB Clinical exam only after NYSED approves your education and experience. Experience gained in New York must be as an LMSW or limited-permit holder, in a setting legally authorized to provide clinical social work.
The LCSW requires 12 semester hours of clinical coursework in the MSW (or completed after it).
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 New York Social Work License
Renewal Cycle
Every 3 years
CE Requirement
36 CE hours per renewal cycle
The Social Work Compact and New York
New York is not a Social Work Licensure Compact member, so a multistate license will not cover practice here even once the Compact opens. Seeing clients located in New York takes a New York license, by endorsement where the state offers it or a full application where it does not.
Keeping it current
New York renews social work licenses every 3 years, with 36 hours of continuing education per cycle. 36 hours per triennial registration period for LMSWs and LCSWs, no more than 12 by self-study, from NYSED-approved providers. A one-time course in child abuse identification and reporting is required for licensure. Holding licenses in several states means several calendars and several sets of CE rules, which is most of what our annual compliance service tracks.
New York Social Work License FAQ
What social work licenses does New York issue?
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Can I use the Social Work Compact for New York?
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I'm licensed in another state. How do I get licensed in New York?
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How many supervised hours does New York 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.
- LCSW requirements, 36 months, 2,000 client contact hours, 100 supervision hours, clinical exam after approval, settings — checked 2026-10-08
- R privilege ended by Ch. 818 of 2022 eff. 1/1/2023; endorsement with 10 years; no LMSW reciprocity; LMSW ASWB master's exam — checked 2026-10-08
- 36 CE hours per triennial registration, 12-hour self-study cap — checked 2026-10-08
- board URL — checked 2026-10-08
- Compact Commission dataset: New York "No Active Legislation" — 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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