Transfer Your Social Work License to Louisiana: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) ↗
Louisiana does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) grants its clinical-level social work license by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. Fee: $103 (LCSW application fee shown at online payment as $103 (the $100 LCSW application fee in LAC 46:XXV.313 plus the $3 e-commerce fee). Fingerprinting is paid separately to IdentoGO (amount on the vendor's schedule, not stated by the Board). LCSW renewal fee is $100 per LAC 46:XXV.313 as amended October 2025.). Processing: ~2 weeks (The Board says applications are processed within 10-15 business days of receipt and milestones take about 2 weeks to update; the Board then reviews complete files at its meetings (all requirements, including background-check results, are due 7 days before a meeting) and posts its decision 7-10 business days after the meeting. No overall end-to-end time is published. Applicants with complete endorsement files are eligible for a 90-day temporary practice permit issued within 21 calendar days (per the October 2025 LAC 46:XXV rule amendments).). Louisiana 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.
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Verdict
SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Louisiana's legislature has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, and you may see Louisiana 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 Louisiana. 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.
Louisiana's clinical-level license is the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). Other tiers: RSW, CSW and LMSW. Endorsement is governed by R.S. 37:2712 and LAC 46:XXV.319 (amended October 2025): the applicant bears the burden of showing that their state requires substantially equivalent education, supervision and examination to Louisiana's (for the LCSW: CSWE MSW, 3,000 hours of supervised practice with 96 hours of face-to-face supervision, and the ASWB Clinical exam); otherwise the Board may require the missing elements. Louisiana has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but the compact is not yet issuing multistate licenses, so endorsement is the only route in.
Louisiana requirements at a glance
| Exam | The ASWB exam is not retaken; if an ASWB exam was passed for the current credential, have ASWB send LABSWE an official score transfer report. The Louisiana LCSW is issued on the ASWB Clinical exam, and endorsement requires substantially equivalent examination requirements. Endorsement applicants must ALSO pass LABSWE's open-book exam on the Louisiana Social Work Practice Act and rules (50 items, 70% to pass, 3-hour limit, retakes allowed). |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $103 (LCSW application fee shown at online payment as $103 (the $100 LCSW application fee in LAC 46:XXV.313 plus the $3 e-commerce fee). Fingerprinting is paid separately to IdentoGO (amount on the vendor's schedule, not stated by the Board). LCSW renewal fee is $100 per LAC 46:XXV.313 as amended October 2025.) |
| Processing time | ~2 weeks (The Board says applications are processed within 10-15 business days of receipt and milestones take about 2 weeks to update; the Board then reviews complete files at its meetings (all requirements, including background-check results, are due 7 days before a meeting) and posts its decision 7-10 business days after the meeting. No overall end-to-end time is published. Applicants with complete endorsement files are eligible for a 90-day temporary practice permit issued within 21 calendar days (per the October 2025 LAC 46:XXV rule amendments).) |
Step by step
- Confirm Louisiana's current requirements on the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Apply online via endorsement for the credential equivalent to the one you hold (the LCSW for a clinical-level license).
- Have each licensing board send LABSWE a verification of your credential; LCSW endorsements also need verification of supervision hours and your supervisor's license.
- Submit the licensing law from each state showing the qualifications you met for that credential.
- Complete the LSP/FBI fingerprint background check through IdentoGO (service code 27N463) after submitting the online application.
- Pass the Board's open-book exam on the Louisiana Social Work Practice Act and rules.
- Have an official transcript showing your social work degree sent directly to the Board.
- Pay the fees ($103 (LCSW application fee shown at online payment as $103 (the $100 LCSW application fee in LAC 46:XXV.313 plus the $3 e-commerce fee). Fingerprinting is paid separately to IdentoGO (amount on the vendor's schedule, not stated by the Board). LCSW renewal fee is $100 per LAC 46:XXV.313 as amended October 2025.)) and allow ~2 weeks (The Board says applications are processed within 10-15 business days of receipt and milestones take about 2 weeks to update; the Board then reviews complete files at its meetings (all requirements, including background-check results, are due 7 days before a meeting) and posts its decision 7-10 business days after the meeting. No overall end-to-end time is published. Applicants with complete endorsement files are eligible for a 90-day temporary practice permit issued within 21 calendar days (per the October 2025 LAC 46:XXV rule amendments).).
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Louisiana:
All 39 origin states
Nearby states
Social Work license transfer into the states bordering Louisiana:
Louisiana for other professions
- Nursing in Louisiana
- Cosmetology / Barber in Louisiana
- Real Estate in Louisiana
- Contractor in Louisiana
- Teaching in Louisiana
- CPA / Accounting in Louisiana
- Electrician in Louisiana
- Plumber in Louisiana
- Engineering in Louisiana
- Pharmacy in Louisiana
- Physical Therapy in Louisiana
- Psychology in Louisiana
- Counseling in Louisiana
- Occupational Therapy in Louisiana
Frequently asked questions
Does my social work license transfer to Louisiana?
Louisiana does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) grants its clinical-level social work license by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. Fee: $103 (LCSW application fee shown at online payment as $103 (the $100 LCSW application fee in LAC 46:XXV.313 plus the $3 e-commerce fee). Fingerprinting is paid separately to IdentoGO (amount on the vendor's schedule, not stated by the Board). LCSW renewal fee is $100 per LAC 46:XXV.313 as amended October 2025.). Processing: ~2 weeks (The Board says applications are processed within 10-15 business days of receipt and milestones take about 2 weeks to update; the Board then reviews complete files at its meetings (all requirements, including background-check results, are due 7 days before a meeting) and posts its decision 7-10 business days after the meeting. No overall end-to-end time is published. Applicants with complete endorsement files are eligible for a 90-day temporary practice permit issued within 21 calendar days (per the October 2025 LAC 46:XXV rule amendments).). Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
The ASWB exam is not retaken; if an ASWB exam was passed for the current credential, have ASWB send LABSWE an official score transfer report. The Louisiana LCSW is issued on the ASWB Clinical exam, and endorsement requires substantially equivalent examination requirements. Endorsement applicants must ALSO pass LABSWE's open-book exam on the Louisiana Social Work Practice Act and rules (50 items, 70% to pass, 3-hour limit, retakes allowed). ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
How much does a Louisiana clinical social work license cost for an out-of-state applicant?
$103 (LCSW application fee shown at online payment as $103 (the $100 LCSW application fee in LAC 46:XXV.313 plus the $3 e-commerce fee). Fingerprinting is paid separately to IdentoGO (amount on the vendor's schedule, not stated by the Board). LCSW renewal fee is $100 per LAC 46:XXV.313 as amended October 2025.)
How long does the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) take?
~2 weeks (The Board says applications are processed within 10-15 business days of receipt and milestones take about 2 weeks to update; the Board then reviews complete files at its meetings (all requirements, including background-check results, are due 7 days before a meeting) and posts its decision 7-10 business days after the meeting. No overall end-to-end time is published. Applicants with complete endorsement files are eligible for a 90-day temporary practice permit issued within 21 calendar days (per the October 2025 LAC 46:XXV rule amendments).)
Is Louisiana in the Social Work Licensure Compact?
Louisiana has enacted it, but the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. No one can practice in Louisiana on a compact license yet; endorsement through the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) is the route.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- LABSWE — Application Information (license types, endorsement applications, open-book exam, background check) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- LABSWE — How to complete the online application (application fees, processing) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- LABSWE — Endorsement Applications instructions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Louisiana Register Vol. 51 No. 10 (2025-10-20) — LAC 46:XXV rule changes incl. §313 Fees and §319 Reciprocity and Endorsement (posted by LABSWE) ↗ (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
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