Social Work License from Alabama to California: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) ↗
A social work license transfers from Alabama to California by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), verify your Alabama license, and meet California's endorsement requirements. The national clinical exam is waived for applicants who qualify under Bus. & Prof. Code 4996.17.1, so the ASWB Clinical exam is not retaken. California requires its own board-administered California Law and Ethics Examination on top of that ($150 statutory exam fee), and the applicant must pass it before licensure..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Only Alabama has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, and since the compact is not issuing multistate licenses anywhere, that difference does not affect this move. You apply to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) by endorsement, with your Alabama license verified and your ASWB score transferred.
What changes, Alabama → California
| Alabama (current) | California (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| SW Compact status | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $75 (Reciprocity application fee under Ala. Admin. Code 850-X-5-.02 (amended effective 2024-01-14); + $3.50 Alabama Interactive convenience fee when applying online. Fees are non-refundable. Private independent practice certification is a separate $75 application.) | $250 (Statutory LCSW application fee under Bus. & Prof. Code 4996.3(a)(3) ($250; the Board may raise it by regulation up to $500). Also: $150 California Law and Ethics exam fee, $200 initial license fee, and fingerprint processing fees. The BBS website refused connections on 2026-09-27, so the current regulatory fee schedule could not be confirmed there.) |
| Processing time | The Board publishes no processing time for reciprocity applications. Its FAQ says a license and letter are typically mailed 10-14 days after a passing exam grade is received, but that describes exam candidates, not reciprocity files. | Not verified. The Board of Behavioral Sciences website (bbs.ca.gov) refused connections throughout 2026-09-27, so its published processing times could not be read. |
| Licensing authority | Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners | California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — California sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm California's current requirements on the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a clinical social work license at the highest independent-practice level in another US jurisdiction, current, active and unrestricted for at least two years immediately before applying.
- Hold the master's degree in social work that qualified you for the out-of-state license.
- Complete 12 hours of California law and professional ethics coursework plus 15 hours (one semester unit) on California cultures and socioeconomic position.
- Complete 7 hours of child abuse assessment and reporting training and 6 hours of suicide risk assessment and intervention.
- Pass the California Law and Ethics Examination.
- Meet the Live Scan fingerprint requirement (Bus. & Prof. Code 144).
- Pay the fees ($250 (Statutory LCSW application fee under Bus. & Prof. Code 4996.3(a)(3) ($250; the Board may raise it by regulation up to $500). Also: $150 California Law and Ethics exam fee, $200 initial license fee, and fingerprint processing fees. The BBS website refused connections on 2026-09-27, so the current regulatory fee schedule could not be confirmed there.)) and allow Not verified. The Board of Behavioral Sciences website (bbs.ca.gov) refused connections throughout 2026-09-27, so its published processing times could not be read..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does California accept an Alabama social work license?
A social work license transfers from Alabama to California by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), verify your Alabama license, and meet California's endorsement requirements. The national clinical exam is waived for applicants who qualify under Bus. & Prof. Code 4996.17.1, so the ASWB Clinical exam is not retaken. California requires its own board-administered California Law and Ethics Examination on top of that ($150 statutory exam fee), and the applicant must pass it before licensure..
Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from Alabama to California?
The national clinical exam is waived for applicants who qualify under Bus. & Prof. Code 4996.17.1, so the ASWB Clinical exam is not retaken. California requires its own board-administered California Law and Ethics Examination on top of that ($150 statutory exam fee), and the applicant must pass it before licensure. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
What does the Alabama-to-California move cost and how long does it take?
$250 (Statutory LCSW application fee under Bus. & Prof. Code 4996.3(a)(3) ($250; the Board may raise it by regulation up to $500). Also: $150 California Law and Ethics exam fee, $200 initial license fee, and fingerprint processing fees. The BBS website refused connections on 2026-09-27, so the current regulatory fee schedule could not be confirmed there.) Processing: Not verified. The Board of Behavioral Sciences website (bbs.ca.gov) refused connections throughout 2026-09-27, so its published processing times could not be read.
Does the Social Work Licensure Compact help with this move?
No. Alabama has enacted it and California has not, and the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) is the route.
Will California accept the supervised hours I completed in Alabama?
Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. California's rule, where the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) publishes one, is in the requirements on this page; confirm with the board if your hours were logged under a different structure.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- California Business and Professions Code 4996.17.1 — Licensure of out-of-state clinical social workers (California Legislative Information) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- California Business and Professions Code 4996.17.2 — Out-of-state education or experience (California Legislative Information) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- California Business and Professions Code 4996.3 — LCSW fees (California Legislative Information) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- ASWB — Look up a license (board license-search directory) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Alabama Admin. Code 850-X-4-.02 — Reciprocity and Applications from Non-Residents (Alabama Legislature) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Alabama Admin. Code 850-X-5-.02 — Processing Fees (Alabama Legislature) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners — Reciprocity requirements and application (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners — Online Applications and Forms ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners — Frequently Asked Questions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- ASWB — Sending your exam results to another state or province ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]