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LicenseReciprocity

Transfer Your Social Work License to North Dakota: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) ↗

North Dakota does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) grants its clinical-level social work license by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. Fee: $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 Dakota is a Social Work Licensure Compact state on paper only: nothing was being issued as of 2026-09-27, and endorsement through the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) is the route in.

Moving to North Dakota from a specific state?

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Verdict

SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing

Being a compact state has not changed how North Dakota licenses incoming social workers. The Social Work Licensure Compact is law here but was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) handles every out-of-state applicant through the steps below. If you expect to work across state lines later, a North Dakota license will be a sensible base once the compact is running; the commission's stated target for its data system is Spring 2027.

North Dakota's clinical license is the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). The Board's page URLs say 'licsw', but the credential is titled LCSW. Tiers are LBSW, LMSW and LCSW. Only an LCSW may engage in private practice (N.D.C.C. 43-41-05). By statute, a new LCSW needs an approved MSW or doctorate plus 3,000 hours of supervised post-master's clinical experience within four years, with the first 1,500 hours supervised by an LCSW. If the reviewing Board member finds you ineligible by reciprocity, you may still be licensed on your clinical experience, but you may need to send more documentation. North Dakota has ENACTED the Social Work Licensure Compact, but the compact is not issuing multistate licenses yet, so reciprocity is the only route in.

North Dakota requirements at a glance

Out-of-state social work license transfer requirements for North Dakota, verified 2026-09-27
ExamThe 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.
Additional requirements
  • 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)
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.)
Processing timeThe Board publishes no processing time. A Board member reviews each file once all items are received, and the nationwide fingerprint check adds time.

Step by step

  1. Confirm North Dakota's current requirements on the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) website — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) (application linked on this page).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Submit the online application and the $150 non-refundable reciprocity application fee.
  5. Have each board where you are or were licensed complete the NDBSWE license verification form, or send a letter directly.
  6. Submit a detailed letter or resume describing your clinical supervision hours, clinical practice hours, and diagnosing experience.
  7. Complete the LCSW Reciprocity Applicant Affidavit showing that your supervised clinical practice meets N.D.C.C. 43-41-04.
  8. Complete the statewide and nationwide criminal history record check and child abuse and neglect inquiry (packet sent after you apply).
  9. 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).
  10. 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

North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) ↗North Dakota application ↗License verification ↗Social Work Licensure Compact ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into North Dakota:

Alabama → North DakotaAlaska → North DakotaArizona → North DakotaArkansas → North DakotaCalifornia → North DakotaColorado → North DakotaConnecticut → North DakotaDelaware → North DakotaFlorida → North DakotaGeorgia → North DakotaIllinois → North DakotaIowa → North DakotaKansas → North DakotaKentucky → North DakotaLouisiana → North DakotaMaine → North DakotaMaryland → North DakotaMichigan → North DakotaMinnesota → North DakotaMississippi → North Dakota
All 39 origin states
Missouri → North DakotaNebraska → North DakotaNew Hampshire → North DakotaNew Jersey → North DakotaNew York → North DakotaNorth Carolina → North DakotaOhio → North DakotaOklahoma → North DakotaPennsylvania → North DakotaRhode Island → North DakotaSouth Dakota → North DakotaTennessee → North DakotaTexas → North DakotaUtah → North DakotaVermont → North DakotaVirginia → North DakotaWashington → North DakotaWest Virginia → North DakotaWisconsin → North Dakota

Nearby states

Social Work license transfer into the states bordering North Dakota:

North Dakota for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my social work license transfer to North Dakota?

North Dakota does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) grants its clinical-level social work license by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. Fee: $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 Dakota is a Social Work Licensure Compact state on paper only: nothing was being issued as of 2026-09-27, and endorsement through the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) is the route in.

Do I have to retake the ASWB exam to get licensed in 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.

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

$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.)

How long does the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) take?

The Board publishes no processing time. A Board member reviews each file once all items are received, and the nationwide fingerprint check adds time.

Is North Dakota in the Social Work Licensure Compact?

North Dakota has enacted it, but the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. No one can practice in North Dakota on a compact license yet; endorsement through the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) is the route.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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]