Social Work License from Florida to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) ↗
A social work license transfers from Florida to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health), verify your Florida license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB transfer your score electronically to the Board. Under 17 DCMR 7007 your initial US licence must have been obtained by an exam equivalent to the level you apply for, which is the Clinical exam for the LICSW. No DC jurisprudence exam is listed on the endorsement checklist..
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
This move runs entirely through the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health). Your Florida license is verified, your ASWB score is sent rather than retaken, and District of Columbia's own checks follow; the Social Work Licensure Compact plays no part because neither state has enacted it.
In District of Columbia the clinical license is the LICSW. Apply for it under that name, whatever your Florida license is called; boards match by scope, meaning independent diagnosis and treatment, not by initials. DC's LISW is a different, non-clinical license, so do not apply for that one.
What changes, Florida → District of Columbia
| Florida (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| SW Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $180 ($180 total: $100 non-refundable application fee + $75 initial license fee + $5 unlicensed activity fee. $80 is refunded if the application is denied or withdrawn. Livescan fingerprint fees are paid to the vendor. Florida may reduce fees for military members, veterans and their spouses.) | $230 ($230 combined application and license fee per the Board's endorsement checklist; + $50 criminal background check paid online. Social work licenses expire July 31 of odd years.) |
| Processing time | ~6 weeks (The Board says to allow up to 30 business days for the initial review of new applications (about 6 weeks). Under Fla. Stat. 456.0145 the Board must issue the license within 7 days once all documentation, including background screening, is received.) | DC Health publishes no processing time for social work endorsement applications. |
| Licensing authority | Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling | DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current, good-standing social work license obtained by an exam equivalent to the LICSW level under requirements the Board finds substantially equivalent (17 DCMR 7007).
- Have every jurisdiction where you have ever held a professional license send official verification (primary-source website verification may be accepted).
- Have your school send an official MSW transcript directly to the Board.
- Complete a DC criminal background check with the online application ($50).
- Submit three character references (two from professional social workers) and a work experience form.
- Pay the fees ($230 ($230 combined application and license fee per the Board's endorsement checklist; + $50 criminal background check paid online. Social work licenses expire July 31 of odd years.)) and allow DC Health publishes no processing time for social work endorsement applications..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does District of Columbia accept a Florida social work license?
A social work license transfers from Florida to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health), verify your Florida license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB transfer your score electronically to the Board. Under 17 DCMR 7007 your initial US licence must have been obtained by an exam equivalent to the level you apply for, which is the Clinical exam for the LICSW. No DC jurisprudence exam is listed on the endorsement checklist..
Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from Florida to District of Columbia?
The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB transfer your score electronically to the Board. Under 17 DCMR 7007 your initial US licence must have been obtained by an exam equivalent to the level you apply for, which is the Clinical exam for the LICSW. No DC jurisprudence exam is listed on the endorsement checklist. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
What does the Florida-to-District of Columbia move cost and how long does it take?
$230 ($230 combined application and license fee per the Board's endorsement checklist; + $50 criminal background check paid online. Social work licenses expire July 31 of odd years.) Processing: DC Health publishes no processing time for social work endorsement applications.
Will District of Columbia accept the supervised hours I completed in Florida?
Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. District of Columbia's rule, where the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) 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.
- DC Health — Social Work Licensing ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- DC Board of Social Work — LGSW, LISW and LICSW New License Application Endorsement Checklist ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- DC Municipal Regulations Chapter 17-70 (Social Work) — section list incl. 7007 License by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Florida Board of CSW, MFT and MHC — Licensed Clinical Social Worker (endorsement requirements, fees, processing) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Florida Board of CSW, MFT and MHC — Application for Licensure by Endorsement (DH-MQA 5048, rev. 2/2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Florida Statutes 491.006 — Licensure or certification by endorsement (Florida Legislature) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Florida Statutes 456.0145 — MOBILE Act licensure by endorsement (Florida Legislature) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Florida Department of Health — Background Screening ↗ (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]