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LicenseReciprocity

Social Work License from Ohio to Arkansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) ↗

Both Ohio and Arkansas 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.

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Verdict

Compact enacted — endorsement for now

Interim path until the compact activates: licensure by endorsement.

Ohio and Arkansas 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 Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) through its standard out-of-state process below, and your ASWB score is transferred, not retaken.

Ohio calls its clinical license the LISW. Arkansas knows the same tier by its own title, so apply for the Arkansas license that authorizes independent clinical practice rather than one whose initials happen to match.

What changes, Ohio → Arkansas

Side-by-side: Ohio vs Arkansas (Social Work (LCSW / LICSW)), verified 2026-09-27
Ohio (current)Arkansas (destination)
SW Compact statusSW Compact enacted — not yet issuingSW Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee$100 (LISW reciprocal application fee per the Board's Out of State Applicants page; + $3.50 eLicense processing fee; + BCI/FBI fingerprinting fees paid to the vendor (amount not published by the Board). LISW then renews every two years at $103.50 including the eLicense fee.)$100 (Arkansas Rule VII sets the application filing fee at $100. Under Act 114 of 2023 the Department of Health cut it to $5 for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 only; its 2025-05-16 letter says the cut 'may or may not apply in future years'. When checked on 2026-09-27 the Board had posted no reduction for the year starting 1 July 2026, so the rule's $100 applies. The application form (rev. 01/2024, posted January 2026) still prints the old $5, so confirm the amount with the Board before paying. Background check fees are extra.)
Processing time2–6 weeks (The Board says to allow at least 10 business days for LISW application processing; out-of-state fingerprint checks can take 4-6 weeks, so applicants fingerprinted outside Ohio should expect the longer end. Files with a criminal history may need Board review, and the Board meets every 60 days.)No processing time is published. Background check results must arrive before the Board reviews the application, and applications stay valid for six months.
Licensing authorityOhio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT)Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health)

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arkansas sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Arkansas's current requirements on the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Hold a current social work license in another state whose standards the Board finds substantially equivalent (A.C.A. 17-103-302).
  5. Have your CSWE-accredited MSW program send an official transcript directly to the Board.
  6. Document 24 months of supervision and 4,000 hours in a master's-level position supervised by an LCSW (waivable after 3 years of independent clinical practice).
  7. Send the Board's Verification of Licensure form to every state where you hold or have held a license.
  8. Complete Arkansas State Police state and FBI criminal background checks using the Board's forms.
  9. Pay the fees ($100 (Arkansas Rule VII sets the application filing fee at $100. Under Act 114 of 2023 the Department of Health cut it to $5 for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 only; its 2025-05-16 letter says the cut 'may or may not apply in future years'. When checked on 2026-09-27 the Board had posted no reduction for the year starting 1 July 2026, so the rule's $100 applies. The application form (rev. 01/2024, posted January 2026) still prints the old $5, so confirm the amount with the Board before paying. Background check fees are extra.)) and allow No processing time is published. Background check results must arrive before the Board reviews the application, and applications stay valid for six months..

Official links

Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health) ↗Arkansas application ↗License verification ↗Social Work Licensure Compact ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Arkansas → OhioSocial Work in OhioSocial Work in ArkansasAll social work statesThe SW Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Does Arkansas accept an Ohio social work license?

Both Ohio and Arkansas 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 Ohio to Arkansas?

The ASWB exam is not retaken. Arkansas waives its exam for applicants currently licensed elsewhere who passed a social work exam approved by the licensing state (Rule V). Submit an official ASWB score report or transfer; the LCSW tier corresponds to the ASWB Clinical exam. No Arkansas 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 Ohio-to-Arkansas move cost and how long does it take?

$100 (Arkansas Rule VII sets the application filing fee at $100. Under Act 114 of 2023 the Department of Health cut it to $5 for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 only; its 2025-05-16 letter says the cut 'may or may not apply in future years'. When checked on 2026-09-27 the Board had posted no reduction for the year starting 1 July 2026, so the rule's $100 applies. The application form (rev. 01/2024, posted January 2026) still prints the old $5, so confirm the amount with the Board before paying. Background check fees are extra.) Processing: No processing time is published. Background check results must arrive before the Board reviews the application, and applications stay valid for six months.

Ohio and Arkansas are both compact states. Can I practice in Arkansas on my Ohio license?

No. The Social Work Licensure Compact was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so it authorizes no practice in Arkansas. You need an Arkansas license from the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of Health).

Will Arkansas accept the supervised hours I completed in Ohio?

Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. Arkansas's rule, where the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board (Arkansas Department of 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.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]