Social Work License from North Carolina to North Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) ↗
Both North Carolina and North Dakota 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.
North Carolina and North Dakota 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 North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) through its standard out-of-state process below, and your ASWB score is transferred, not retaken.
What changes, North Carolina → North Dakota
| North Carolina (current) | North Dakota (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| SW Compact status | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| 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.) | $150 (LCSW reciprocity application fee per the Board's reciprocity page (archived 2026-05-16 copy; live site refused connections on 2026-09-27). Criminal history and child-abuse check costs are paid by the applicant (N.D.C.C. 43-41-04.2); the amount is not published on the page. NDAC 75.5-02-03-03 lists a $75 biennial renewal fee.) |
| 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.) | The Board publishes no processing time. A Board member reviews each file once all items are received, and the nationwide fingerprint check adds time. |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board (NCSWCLB) | North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — North Dakota sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm North Dakota's current requirements on the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Submit the online application and the $150 non-refundable reciprocity application fee.
- Have each board where you are or were licensed complete the NDBSWE license verification form, or send a letter directly.
- Submit a detailed letter or resume describing your clinical supervision hours, clinical practice hours, and diagnosing experience.
- Complete the LCSW Reciprocity Applicant Affidavit showing that your supervised clinical practice meets N.D.C.C. 43-41-04.
- Complete the statewide and nationwide criminal history record check and child abuse and neglect inquiry (packet sent after you apply).
- Provide a copy of the other jurisdiction's law and rules in force when you were first licensed, if the Board asks for it (NDAC 75.5-02-05-01).
- Pay the fees ($150 (LCSW reciprocity application fee per the Board's reciprocity page (archived 2026-05-16 copy; live site refused connections on 2026-09-27). Criminal history and child-abuse check costs are paid by the applicant (N.D.C.C. 43-41-04.2); the amount is not published on the page. NDAC 75.5-02-03-03 lists a $75 biennial renewal fee.)) and allow The Board publishes no processing time. A Board member reviews each file once all items are received, and the nationwide fingerprint check adds time..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does North Dakota accept a North Carolina social work license?
Both North Carolina and North Dakota 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 North Carolina to North Dakota?
The ASWB exam is not retaken: N.D.C.C. 43-41-07 licenses an applicant who holds a license in good standing in a jurisdiction with substantially the same requirements, or whose qualifications are substantially similar. The Board's LCSW reciprocity page does not name a required ASWB category, and neither do the Board's rules (NDAC 75.5-02-03-02 only says the exam must be Board-approved). Have ASWB send your score or have your current board include it on the verification. North Dakota has no jurisprudence exam. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
What does the North Carolina-to-North Dakota move cost and how long does it take?
$150 (LCSW reciprocity application fee per the Board's reciprocity page (archived 2026-05-16 copy; live site refused connections on 2026-09-27). Criminal history and child-abuse check costs are paid by the applicant (N.D.C.C. 43-41-04.2); the amount is not published on the page. NDAC 75.5-02-03-03 lists a $75 biennial renewal fee.) Processing: The Board publishes no processing time. A Board member reviews each file once all items are received, and the nationwide fingerprint check adds time.
North Carolina and North Dakota are both compact states. Can I practice in North Dakota on my North Carolina license?
No. The Social Work Licensure Compact was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so it authorizes no practice in North Dakota. You need a North Dakota license from the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE).
Will North Dakota 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. North Dakota's rule, where the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) 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.
- NDBSWE — Application for Licensed Clinical Social Worker Licensed by Reciprocity (Internet Archive copy of 2026-05-16; live site refused automated connections) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- N.D.C.C. chapter 43-41 (Social Workers), incl. 43-41-04 and 43-41-07 ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- NDAC 75.5-02-05 — Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- NDAC 75.5-02-03 — The Licensing Process (examination, fees) ↗ (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]