Social Work License from Mississippi to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners ↗
Both Mississippi and Maryland 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.
Mississippi and Maryland 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 Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners through its standard out-of-state process below, and your ASWB score is transferred, not retaken.
What changes, Mississippi → Maryland
| Mississippi (current) | Maryland (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| SW Compact status | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| Application fee | $187 (LMSW/LCSW reciprocity total $187, paid through the applicant portal; the Board states this total includes the application fee, initial license fee and background check fee ($50 fingerprint processing). The Board does not publish the split.) | $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 | 4–6 weeks (The Board says fingerprint processing may take 4-6 weeks, longer if prints are unreadable, and the background check must be received before an application is considered. No overall processing time is published.) | ~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 authority | Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists (MBOESWMFT) | Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- 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.
- Complete a Maryland/FBI Criminal History Records Check (out-of-state applicants can request a fingerprint card).
- Request an ASWB Clinical score report and have your official master's transcript emailed to the Board.
- 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.
- Over 5 years: mail Employment Certification Forms and a resume documenting post-licensure clinical practice.
- 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
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Maryland accept a Mississippi social work license?
Both Mississippi and Maryland 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi-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.)
Mississippi and Maryland are both compact states. Can I practice in Maryland on my Mississippi license?
No. The Social Work Licensure Compact was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so it authorizes no practice in Maryland. You need a Maryland license from the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners.
Will Maryland accept the supervised hours I completed in Mississippi?
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.
- 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)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- MBOESWMFT — Reciprocity Application Checklist and packet (rev. 03/14/2025) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- MBOESWMFT — Social Work Forms and Licensing Information (reciprocity, UROLA note) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- MBOESWMFT — 2022 Amended Rules and Regulations (Licensure by Reciprocity/Endorsement) ↗ (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]