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LicenseReciprocity

Social Work License from California to Arizona: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners ↗

A social work license transfers from California to Arizona by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, verify your California license, and meet Arizona's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB send your score. For LCSW by endorsement, Arizona requires a passing score on the ASWB Clinical exam. The Advanced Generalist exam is accepted only if you were licensed as a clinical social worker before July 1, 2004, met the exam requirement of the state you are endorsing from, and have been continuously licensed at that level since (Ariz. Admin. Code R4-6-402(G)). No exam on Arizona law, but you must complete the Board's Arizona Statutes/Regulations Tutorial..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

The compact question does not arise here. Arizona has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact and California has not, but nothing is being issued in either, so the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners's endorsement process below is the whole route.

What changes, California → Arizona

Side-by-side: California vs Arizona (Social Work (LCSW / LICSW)), verified 2026-09-27
California (current)Arizona (destination)
SW Compact statusLicensure by endorsementSW Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee$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.)$250 (Application for license by endorsement fee under Ariz. Admin. Code R4-6-215(A)(2); non-refundable. The rule also lists a $40 criminal history background check charge. The Board site (azbbhe.us) blocked automated access on 2026-09-27, so the fee could not be re-checked there. A $100 issuance fee appears as struck in the codified rule text read.)
Processing timeNot 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.R4-6-302 sets administrative completeness and substantive review time frames in a Table 1 that was not readable in the source consulted, and the Board's own site blocked automated access. Deficiency responses are due within 60 days.
Licensing authorityCalifornia Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arizona sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Arizona's current requirements on the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Hold a current, good-standing clinical-level license in another state that the Board finds substantially equivalent, held for at least one year (A.R.S. 32-3274).
  5. Hold a master's or higher degree in social work from a regionally accredited college or university, shown by official transcript.
  6. Have every state that licensed you send verification of the license and any discipline.
  7. Complete the Arizona Statutes/Regulations Tutorial and submit proof of completion.
  8. Meet the general licensure requirements of A.R.S. 32-3275, including age 21+ and no unresolved discipline.
  9. Pay the fees ($250 (Application for license by endorsement fee under Ariz. Admin. Code R4-6-215(A)(2); non-refundable. The rule also lists a $40 criminal history background check charge. The Board site (azbbhe.us) blocked automated access on 2026-09-27, so the fee could not be re-checked there. A $100 issuance fee appears as struck in the codified rule text read.)) and allow R4-6-302 sets administrative completeness and substantive review time frames in a Table 1 that was not readable in the source consulted, and the Board's own site blocked automated access. Deficiency responses are due within 60 days..

Official links

Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners ↗License verification ↗Social Work Licensure Compact ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Arizona → CaliforniaSocial Work in CaliforniaSocial Work in ArizonaAll social work statesThe SW Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Does Arizona accept a California social work license?

A social work license transfers from California to Arizona by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, verify your California license, and meet Arizona's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB send your score. For LCSW by endorsement, Arizona requires a passing score on the ASWB Clinical exam. The Advanced Generalist exam is accepted only if you were licensed as a clinical social worker before July 1, 2004, met the exam requirement of the state you are endorsing from, and have been continuously licensed at that level since (Ariz. Admin. Code R4-6-402(G)). No exam on Arizona law, but you must complete the Board's Arizona Statutes/Regulations Tutorial..

Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from California to Arizona?

The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB send your score. For LCSW by endorsement, Arizona requires a passing score on the ASWB Clinical exam. The Advanced Generalist exam is accepted only if you were licensed as a clinical social worker before July 1, 2004, met the exam requirement of the state you are endorsing from, and have been continuously licensed at that level since (Ariz. Admin. Code R4-6-402(G)). No exam on Arizona law, but you must complete the Board's Arizona Statutes/Regulations Tutorial. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.

What does the California-to-Arizona move cost and how long does it take?

$250 (Application for license by endorsement fee under Ariz. Admin. Code R4-6-215(A)(2); non-refundable. The rule also lists a $40 criminal history background check charge. The Board site (azbbhe.us) blocked automated access on 2026-09-27, so the fee could not be re-checked there. A $100 issuance fee appears as struck in the codified rule text read.) Processing: R4-6-302 sets administrative completeness and substantive review time frames in a Table 1 that was not readable in the source consulted, and the Board's own site blocked automated access. Deficiency responses are due within 60 days.

Does the Social Work Licensure Compact help with this move?

No. Arizona has enacted it and California has not, and the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners is the route.

Will Arizona accept the supervised hours I completed in California?

Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. Arizona's rule, where the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners 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.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]