Social Work License from Maryland to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) ↗
Both Maryland and Kansas have enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-09-27). Until the compact activates, transfer your social work license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact enacted — endorsement for now
Interim path until the compact activates: licensure by endorsement.
Maryland and Kansas have both enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but it was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27. Shared enactment changes nothing about this move today: you apply to the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) through its standard out-of-state process below, and your ASWB score is transferred, not retaken.
What changes, Maryland → Kansas
| Maryland (current) | Kansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| SW Compact status | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| Application fee | $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.) | $50 (LSCSW application fee under K.A.R. 102-2-3(a)(3); + $150 original LSCSW license fee (102-2-3(c)(3)); optional $100 expedited-application fee (102-2-3(b)). A temporary permit for out-of-state independent clinical social workers practising up to 30 days a year costs $200.) |
| Processing time | ~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.) | Not verified. The BSRB website (ksbsrb.ks.gov) blocked automated access (HTTP 403) on 2026-09-27. BSRB testimony on HB 2340 (2023) says the bill required the Board to process applications within a set time; the figure was not confirmed. |
| Licensing authority | Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners | Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kansas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Kansas's current requirements on the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Request the LSCSW reciprocity application from the Board and pay the application fee.
- Have your current clinical-level licensing agency complete the Board's verification form, including license dates, renewal and lapse history and any serious discipline.
- Qualify on substantially equivalent standards, or otherwise document 5 continuous years of clinical-level licensure (10 years if you never passed a national clinical exam).
- Verify your master's or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited program.
- Pay the fees ($50 (LSCSW application fee under K.A.R. 102-2-3(a)(3); + $150 original LSCSW license fee (102-2-3(c)(3)); optional $100 expedited-application fee (102-2-3(b)). A temporary permit for out-of-state independent clinical social workers practising up to 30 days a year costs $200.)) and allow Not verified. The BSRB website (ksbsrb.ks.gov) blocked automated access (HTTP 403) on 2026-09-27. BSRB testimony on HB 2340 (2023) says the bill required the Board to process applications within a set time; the figure was not confirmed..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kansas accept a Maryland social work license?
Both Maryland and Kansas have enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-09-27). Until the compact activates, transfer your social work license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.
Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from Maryland to Kansas?
The ASWB exam is not retaken: Kansas exempts applicants who passed an exam similar to the required one (K.S.A. 65-6309(a)); the LSCSW corresponds to the ASWB Clinical exam. An applicant who never passed a national clinical exam must document 10 continuous years of clinical-level licensure instead of 5 (K.A.R. 102-2-2b). No Kansas jurisprudence exam was identified. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
What does the Maryland-to-Kansas move cost and how long does it take?
$50 (LSCSW application fee under K.A.R. 102-2-3(a)(3); + $150 original LSCSW license fee (102-2-3(c)(3)); optional $100 expedited-application fee (102-2-3(b)). A temporary permit for out-of-state independent clinical social workers practising up to 30 days a year costs $200.) Processing: Not verified. The BSRB website (ksbsrb.ks.gov) blocked automated access (HTTP 403) on 2026-09-27. BSRB testimony on HB 2340 (2023) says the bill required the Board to process applications within a set time; the figure was not confirmed.
Maryland and Kansas are both compact states. Can I practice in Kansas on my Maryland license?
No. The Social Work Licensure Compact was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so it authorizes no practice in Kansas. You need a Kansas license from the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB).
Will Kansas accept the supervised hours I completed in Maryland?
Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. Kansas's rule, where the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) 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.
- K.A.R. 102-2-2b — Application for licensure based on reciprocity (LSCSW) (official text via Cornell LII) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- K.A.R. 102-2-3 — Fees (official text via Cornell LII) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- K.S.A. 65-6309 — Exemption from examination; temporary licensure (Kansas Revisor of Statutes) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- K.S.A. 65-6309a — Temporary permit for out-of-state clinical social workers (Kansas Revisor of Statutes) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Kansas BSRB — testimony on HB 2340 (2023), reciprocity practice period cut from 48 to 12 months ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- ASWB — Look up a license (board license-search directory) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland BSWE — Guide Sheet: How to apply for LCSW-C by Endorsement, Over 5 Years Experience (July 2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland BSWE — Licensing and FAQ content (reciprocity, endorsement applications, CHRC, LCSW-C criteria) (read via the Board site's SharePoint list data) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland BSWE — Fee Schedule (read via the Board site's SharePoint list data) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- COMAR 10.42 Board of Social Work Examiners (incl. 10.42.01.11 Licensure by Endorsement and 10.42.05.02 Fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland BSWE — Criminal History Records Check instructions ↗ (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]