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LicenseReciprocity

Social Work License from Florida to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners ↗

A social work license transfers from Florida to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners, verify your Florida license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; request that ASWB send your Clinical Score Report to Maryland. Maryland's clinical license (LCSW-C) is based on the ASWB Clinical exam; Maryland no longer issues the LCSW (its Advanced Generalist-based license), so do not apply for it when seeking clinical endorsement. No Maryland jurisprudence exam is required..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

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

What changes, Florida → Maryland

Side-by-side: Florida vs Maryland (Social Work (LCSW / LICSW)), verified 2026-09-27
Florida (current)Maryland (destination)
SW Compact statusLicensure by endorsementSW Compact enacted — not yet issuing
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 $80 is refunded if the application is denied or withdrawn.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.)$100 ($100 application processing fee (COMAR 10.42.05.02; paid online by Visa or Mastercard only), then a $75 initial license fee once approved. CHRC fingerprinting: $51.25 at state-operated centers or $30 plus the provider's fee at private providers.)
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.)~9 weeks (The Board's July 2026 endorsement guide says it has 60 days to review a completed application after all documents arrive (about 8.6 weeks). Once approved and the $75 fee is paid, the license is usually issued within 7 business days.)
Licensing authorityFlorida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health CounselingMaryland Board of Social Work Examiners

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

Step by step

  1. Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Choose the correct LCSW-C by Endorsement application: over 5 years (5 of the past 10 years at 1,000+ practice hours per year under a clinical license) or under 5 years of clinical licensure.
  5. Complete a Maryland/FBI Criminal History Records Check (out-of-state applicants can request a fingerprint card).
  6. Request an ASWB Clinical score report and have your official master's transcript emailed to the Board.
  7. Under 5 years: document 12 academic credits of clinical coursework and 3,000 hours over 2-6 years of supervised clinical experience on Maryland's Supervision Verification Form.
  8. Over 5 years: mail Employment Certification Forms and a resume documenting post-licensure clinical practice.
  9. Pay the fees ($100 ($100 application processing fee (COMAR 10.42.05.02; paid online by Visa or Mastercard only), then a $75 initial license fee once approved. CHRC fingerprinting: $51.25 at state-operated centers or $30 plus the provider's fee at private providers.)) and allow ~9 weeks (The Board's July 2026 endorsement guide says it has 60 days to review a completed application after all documents arrive (about 8.6 weeks). Once approved and the $75 fee is paid, the license is usually issued within 7 business days.).

Official links

Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners ↗Maryland application ↗License verification ↗Social Work Licensure Compact ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Maryland → FloridaSocial Work in FloridaSocial Work in MarylandAll social work statesThe SW Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Does Maryland accept a Florida social work license?

A social work license transfers from Florida to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners, verify your Florida license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; request that ASWB send your Clinical Score Report to Maryland. Maryland's clinical license (LCSW-C) is based on the ASWB Clinical exam; Maryland no longer issues the LCSW (its Advanced Generalist-based license), so do not apply for it when seeking clinical endorsement. No Maryland jurisprudence exam is required..

Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from Florida to Maryland?

The ASWB exam is not retaken; request that ASWB send your Clinical Score Report to Maryland. Maryland's clinical license (LCSW-C) is based on the ASWB Clinical exam; Maryland no longer issues the LCSW (its Advanced Generalist-based license), so do not apply for it when seeking clinical endorsement. No Maryland jurisprudence exam is required. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.

What does the Florida-to-Maryland move cost and how long does it take?

$100 ($100 application processing fee (COMAR 10.42.05.02; paid online by Visa or Mastercard only), then a $75 initial license fee once approved. CHRC fingerprinting: $51.25 at state-operated centers or $30 plus the provider's fee at private providers.) Processing: ~9 weeks (The Board's July 2026 endorsement guide says it has 60 days to review a completed application after all documents arrive (about 8.6 weeks). Once approved and the $75 fee is paid, the license is usually issued within 7 business days.)

Does the Social Work Licensure Compact help with this move?

No. Maryland has enacted it and Florida has not, and the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners is the route.

Will Maryland 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. Maryland's rule, where the Maryland Board of Social Work 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]