Transfer Your Social Work License to New York: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Social Work) ↗

New York does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Social Work) grants its clinical-level social work license by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. Fee: $294 ($294 fee for licensure and first registration (same fee for endorsement and standard applicants). Partial refunds may be available on withdrawal.). Processing: NYSED publishes no processing time on the LCSW requirements page.. New York has not enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact.

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

New York has not enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, which matters less than it sounds: the compact is not issuing licenses anywhere yet, so every social worker moving to any state follows that state's own licensing process, here the one below.

New York's clinical-level license is the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker); the other tier is the LMSW. Endorsement (NYSED calls it 'often referred to as reciprocity') is available only to clinical social workers licensed elsewhere with at least 10 years of practice in the 15 years before applying, whose initial license rested on requirements similar to New York's (MSW with clinical content, post-MSW supervised experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment-based treatment planning, and the ASWB clinical exam). Everyone else applies by the standard route, which requires New York's full LCSW requirements: 12 semester hours of clinical coursework and 36 months of post-MSW supervised experience. Out-of-state experience can count if obtained post-MSW in an authorized setting under a qualified supervisor, and a passing ASWB Clinical score is transferred, not retaken. Applicants who do not yet qualify can hold an LMSW while completing requirements. New York has NOT enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, and the compact is not issuing multistate licenses anywhere yet.

New York requirements at a glance

Out-of-state social work license transfer requirements for New York, verified 2026-09-27
Exam	The ASWB exam is not retaken; ASWB must send the Clinical exam score directly to NYSED (scores from the candidate or other jurisdictions are not accepted). Endorsement requires that your initial clinical license was based on the ASWB clinical social work exam. No New York jurisprudence exam; New York-approved child-abuse identification and reporting coursework is required of all LCSW applicants.
Additional requirements	File Form 1 (Application for Licensure) with the $294 fee Show at least 10 years of licensed clinical social work practice in the 15 years before applying (Forms 4E and 4F) to qualify for endorsement Have your school verify your MSW with clinical content on Form 2 Have each jurisdiction where you are licensed verify your initial basis of licensure and good standing on Form 3 Have ASWB send your Clinical exam score directly to NYSED Complete New York State-approved training in identifying and reporting child abuse
Fees	$294 ($294 fee for licensure and first registration (same fee for endorsement and standard applicants). Partial refunds may be available on withdrawal.)
Processing time	NYSED publishes no processing time on the LCSW requirements page.

Step by step

Confirm New York's current requirements on the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Social Work) website — rules change.
Submit the endorsement application to the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Social Work) (application linked on this page).
Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
File Form 1 (Application for Licensure) with the $294 fee.
Show at least 10 years of licensed clinical social work practice in the 15 years before applying (Forms 4E and 4F) to qualify for endorsement.
Have your school verify your MSW with clinical content on Form 2.
Have each jurisdiction where you are licensed verify your initial basis of licensure and good standing on Form 3.
Have ASWB send your Clinical exam score directly to NYSED.
Complete New York State-approved training in identifying and reporting child abuse.
Pay the fees ($294 ($294 fee for licensure and first registration (same fee for endorsement and standard applicants). Partial refunds may be available on withdrawal.)) and allow NYSED publishes no processing time on the LCSW requirements page..

Official links

New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Social Work) ↗New York application ↗License verification ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into New York:

All 50 origin states

Nearby states

Social Work license transfer into the states bordering New York:

New York for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my social work license transfer to New York?

Do I have to retake the ASWB exam to get licensed in New York?

The ASWB exam is not retaken; ASWB must send the Clinical exam score directly to NYSED (scores from the candidate or other jurisdictions are not accepted). Endorsement requires that your initial clinical license was based on the ASWB clinical social work exam. No New York jurisprudence exam; New York-approved child-abuse identification and reporting coursework is required of all LCSW applicants. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.

How much does a New York clinical social work license cost for an out-of-state applicant?

$294 ($294 fee for licensure and first registration (same fee for endorsement and standard applicants). Partial refunds may be available on withdrawal.)

How long does the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Social Work) take?

NYSED publishes no processing time on the LCSW requirements page.

Is New York in the Social Work Licensure Compact?

No. New York had not enacted it as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Social Work) is the route in.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.

NYSED Office of the Professions — LCSW License Requirements (incl. Applicants Licensed in Another State) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
NYSED Office of the Professions — Licensed Clinical Social Worker profession page ↗ (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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