Social Work License from North Carolina to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) ↗
A social work license transfers from North Carolina to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health), verify your North Carolina license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB transfer your score electronically to the Board. Under 17 DCMR 7007 your initial US licence must have been obtained by an exam equivalent to the level you apply for, which is the Clinical exam for the LICSW. No DC jurisprudence exam is listed on the endorsement checklist..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Only North Carolina has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, and since the compact is not issuing multistate licenses anywhere, that difference does not affect this move. You apply to the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) by endorsement, with your North Carolina license verified and your ASWB score transferred.
In District of Columbia the clinical license is the LICSW. Apply for it under that name, whatever your North Carolina license is called; boards match by scope, meaning independent diagnosis and treatment, not by initials. DC's LISW is a different, non-clinical license, so do not apply for that one.
What changes, North Carolina → District of Columbia
| North Carolina (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| SW Compact status | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $145 ($145 nonrefundable application fee per credential level, by certified check, money order or cashier's check (no personal checks). LCSW biennial renewal is $150. The Board may run a criminal or disciplinary history check; no separate fee is stated.) | $230 ($230 combined application and license fee per the Board's endorsement checklist; + $50 criminal background check paid online. Social work licenses expire July 31 of odd years.) |
| Processing time | ~4 weeks (The Board says review and processing generally take at least 30 days once the application is complete and may be extended; no upper bound is published.) | DC Health publishes no processing time for social work endorsement applications. |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board (NCSWCLB) | DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current, good-standing social work license obtained by an exam equivalent to the LICSW level under requirements the Board finds substantially equivalent (17 DCMR 7007).
- Have every jurisdiction where you have ever held a professional license send official verification (primary-source website verification may be accepted).
- Have your school send an official MSW transcript directly to the Board.
- Complete a DC criminal background check with the online application ($50).
- Submit three character references (two from professional social workers) and a work experience form.
- Pay the fees ($230 ($230 combined application and license fee per the Board's endorsement checklist; + $50 criminal background check paid online. Social work licenses expire July 31 of odd years.)) and allow DC Health publishes no processing time for social work endorsement applications..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does District of Columbia accept a North Carolina social work license?
A social work license transfers from North Carolina to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health), verify your North Carolina license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB transfer your score electronically to the Board. Under 17 DCMR 7007 your initial US licence must have been obtained by an exam equivalent to the level you apply for, which is the Clinical exam for the LICSW. No DC jurisprudence exam is listed on the endorsement checklist..
Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from North Carolina to District of Columbia?
The ASWB exam is not retaken; have ASWB transfer your score electronically to the Board. Under 17 DCMR 7007 your initial US licence must have been obtained by an exam equivalent to the level you apply for, which is the Clinical exam for the LICSW. No DC jurisprudence exam is listed on the endorsement checklist. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
What does the North Carolina-to-District of Columbia move cost and how long does it take?
$230 ($230 combined application and license fee per the Board's endorsement checklist; + $50 criminal background check paid online. Social work licenses expire July 31 of odd years.) Processing: DC Health publishes no processing time for social work endorsement applications.
Does the Social Work Licensure Compact help with this move?
No. North Carolina has enacted it and District of Columbia has not, and the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) is the route.
Will District of Columbia accept the supervised hours I completed in North Carolina?
Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. District of Columbia's rule, where the DC Board of Social Work (DC Health) 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.
- DC Health — Social Work Licensing ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- DC Board of Social Work — LGSW, LISW and LICSW New License Application Endorsement Checklist ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- DC Municipal Regulations Chapter 17-70 (Social Work) — section list incl. 7007 License by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- NCSWCLB — Application for Certification/Licensure packet (v2026-05-26), incl. Certification/Licensure by Substantial Equivalency (Comity) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- NCSWCLB — Levels and Eligibility Requirements (LCSW exam, experience, fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- NCSWCLB — Application FAQs (processing time) ↗ (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]