LICENSURE IN NEW YORK STATE

Licensure for 2007 Graduates | Examination Information | FAQ’s

To the Graduates of 2007: 
What Needs to Happen to be Licensed on Time

David Hamilton, Ph.D., LMSW
Executive Secretary to the State Board for Social Work, & State Board for Mental Health Practitioners, Office of the Professions- New York State Education Department.

The class of 2007 will be graduates of the master of social work programs that are registered as "license-qualifying" for the Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). This means two things must be submitted to the NYS Education Department (NYSED) in order to sit for the licensure examination.

Submit to the NYS Education Department:

  1. The applicant must submit Form 1-Application for Licensure and the fee of $270 for licensure. (This can be submitted at any time, thus automatically creating an application for licensure.)
  2. The applicant must ask the school's registrar to complete Form 2 - Certification of Professional Education and submit directly to the NYS Education Department.   (Form 2 indicates that the student has completed the registered program and all course work and received the MSW degree.

There is also an option on Form 2 for the registrar to indicate, prior to the awarding of the degree, that the student has completed all coursework and met all requirements for the degree and the date the degree will be awarded. The NYSED does not require a transcript when a student graduates from a registered program.

What happens next?

  1. When the NYS Education Department receives the application for licensure along with the fee and verification that the degree was earned on Form 2, they will notify the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) and the applicant, that the applicant is approved to take the Master's examination.
  2. The applicant must then register with ASWB and schedule an examination. You can access information about ASWB and the exam, including test sites, at www.aswb.org. ASWB will notify the NYS Education Dept when the applicant has passed the examination.

The Limited Permit

Education Law allows the Education Department to issue a limited permit to an applicant who has filed an application for licensure, completed the required MSW degree (as verified by Form 2), and filed the application for permit (Form 5) and fee of $70. The permit allows the applicant to work under the supervision of an LMSW or LCSW for up to one year, while attempting to pass the licensing examination.

Forms and Instructions

All the necessary licensure application forms and limited permit forms and instructions are on the NYS Education Department Office of the Professions website www.op.nysed.gov/sw.htm.

How Long Does it Take?

Applicants for licensure are advised that it can take 8 to 12 weeks between the time the Form 1 – Application for Licensure is mailed to the Education Department and the education verifying information (Form 2) are received by the Department directly from the school. Once received, you will then be contacted by the Education Dept that you qualify to take the Master level examination.

Apply Early

Since all professional schools graduate in May or June, it would not hurt for upcoming graduates to plan well in advance for the steps they will need to take in May and June to seek licensure and employment.

We hope the Schools of Social Work will review the requirements for licensure and hold workshops that help students prepare for licensing. Members of the State Board for Social Work are available to assist in such workshops.

 
         
NASW-NYS   188 Washington Ave.   Albany, NY 12210   Tel: 518.463.4741 or 800.724.6279   Fax: 518.463.6446   info@naswnys.org