Transfer Your Social Work License to Arkansas: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) ↗
Arkansas does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) grants its clinical-level social work license by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. Fee: $100 (Arkansas Rule VII sets the application filing fee at $100. Under Act 114 of 2023 the Department of Health cut it to $5 for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 only; its 2025-05-16 letter says the cut 'may or may not apply in future years'. When checked on 2026-09-27 the Board had posted no reduction for the year starting 1 July 2026, so the rule's $100 applies. The application form (rev. 01/2024, posted January 2026) still prints the old $5, so confirm the amount with the Board before paying. Background check fees are extra.). Processing: No processing time is published. Background check results must arrive before the Board reviews the application, and applications stay valid for six months.. Arkansas has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but it was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so the compact does not change this application.
Moving to Arkansas from a specific state?
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Verdict
SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Arkansas's legislature has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, and you may see Arkansas described as a compact state. In practice that means nothing yet. No multistate license has been issued anywhere, there is no application to file, and a license from another compact state gives you no right to practice in Arkansas. Plan on the endorsement file below; the compact becomes relevant only once the commission launches, and its stated target for the data system that launch depends on is Spring 2027.
Arkansas's clinical-level license is the LCSW, which Arkansas calls the Licensed Certified Social Worker (tested on the ASWB Clinical exam). The other tiers are the LSW (bachelor's) and LMSW. Arkansas has no formal reciprocity agreements; endorsement turns on the Board finding your state's standards substantially equivalent. For LCSW endorsement, Rule V(A)(4) requires documentation of 24 months of supervision and 4,000 hours in a master's-level position supervised by an LCSW. The Board may waive that if you practised at the independent clinical level for the last three years and met your current state's requirements for independent clinical licensure. Arkansas has ENACTED the Social Work Licensure Compact, but the compact is not issuing multistate licenses yet, so endorsement is the only route in.
Arkansas requirements at a glance
| Exam | The ASWB exam is not retaken. Arkansas waives its exam for applicants currently licensed elsewhere who passed a social work exam approved by the licensing state (Rule V). Submit an official ASWB score report or transfer; the LCSW tier corresponds to the ASWB Clinical exam. No Arkansas jurisprudence exam is required. |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $100 (Arkansas Rule VII sets the application filing fee at $100. Under Act 114 of 2023 the Department of Health cut it to $5 for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 only; its 2025-05-16 letter says the cut 'may or may not apply in future years'. When checked on 2026-09-27 the Board had posted no reduction for the year starting 1 July 2026, so the rule's $100 applies. The application form (rev. 01/2024, posted January 2026) still prints the old $5, so confirm the amount with the Board before paying. Background check fees are extra.) |
| Processing time | No processing time is published. Background check results must arrive before the Board reviews the application, and applications stay valid for six months. |
Step by step
- Confirm Arkansas's current requirements on the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current social work license in another state whose standards the Board finds substantially equivalent (A.C.A. 17-103-302).
- Have your CSWE-accredited MSW program send an official transcript directly to the Board.
- Document 24 months of supervision and 4,000 hours in a master's-level position supervised by an LCSW (waivable after 3 years of independent clinical practice).
- Send the Board's Verification of Licensure form to every state where you hold or have held a license.
- Complete Arkansas State Police state and FBI criminal background checks using the Board's forms.
- Pay the fees ($100 (Arkansas Rule VII sets the application filing fee at $100. Under Act 114 of 2023 the Department of Health cut it to $5 for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 only; its 2025-05-16 letter says the cut 'may or may not apply in future years'. When checked on 2026-09-27 the Board had posted no reduction for the year starting 1 July 2026, so the rule's $100 applies. The application form (rev. 01/2024, posted January 2026) still prints the old $5, so confirm the amount with the Board before paying. Background check fees are extra.)) and allow No processing time is published. Background check results must arrive before the Board reviews the application, and applications stay valid for six months..
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Arkansas:
All 39 origin states
Nearby states
Social Work license transfer into the states bordering Arkansas:
Arkansas for other professions
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- Cosmetology / Barber in Arkansas
- Real Estate in Arkansas
- Contractor in Arkansas
- Teaching in Arkansas
- CPA / Accounting in Arkansas
- Electrician in Arkansas
- Plumber in Arkansas
- Engineering in Arkansas
- Pharmacy in Arkansas
- Physical Therapy in Arkansas
- Psychology in Arkansas
- Counseling in Arkansas
- Occupational Therapy in Arkansas
Frequently asked questions
Does my social work license transfer to Arkansas?
Arkansas does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) grants its clinical-level social work license by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. Fee: $100 (Arkansas Rule VII sets the application filing fee at $100. Under Act 114 of 2023 the Department of Health cut it to $5 for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 only; its 2025-05-16 letter says the cut 'may or may not apply in future years'. When checked on 2026-09-27 the Board had posted no reduction for the year starting 1 July 2026, so the rule's $100 applies. The application form (rev. 01/2024, posted January 2026) still prints the old $5, so confirm the amount with the Board before paying. Background check fees are extra.). Processing: No processing time is published. Background check results must arrive before the Board reviews the application, and applications stay valid for six months.. Arkansas has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but it was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so the compact does not change this application.
Do I have to retake the ASWB exam to get licensed in Arkansas?
The ASWB exam is not retaken. Arkansas waives its exam for applicants currently licensed elsewhere who passed a social work exam approved by the licensing state (Rule V). Submit an official ASWB score report or transfer; the LCSW tier corresponds to the ASWB Clinical exam. No Arkansas jurisprudence exam is required. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
How much does an Arkansas clinical social work license cost for an out-of-state applicant?
$100 (Arkansas Rule VII sets the application filing fee at $100. Under Act 114 of 2023 the Department of Health cut it to $5 for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 only; its 2025-05-16 letter says the cut 'may or may not apply in future years'. When checked on 2026-09-27 the Board had posted no reduction for the year starting 1 July 2026, so the rule's $100 applies. The application form (rev. 01/2024, posted January 2026) still prints the old $5, so confirm the amount with the Board before paying. Background check fees are extra.)
How long does the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) take?
No processing time is published. Background check results must arrive before the Board reviews the application, and applications stay valid for six months.
Is Arkansas in the Social Work Licensure Compact?
Arkansas has enacted it, but the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. No one can practice in Arkansas on a compact license yet; endorsement through the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) is the route.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board — Rules (Rule V Endorsement, Rule VII Fees; 2022 revision) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board — Application for licensure (rev. 01/2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Arkansas Department of Health — Social Work Licensing Board FY26 fee reduction letter (2025-05-16) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board — Licensing Information & FAQs ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board — Board page ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (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]