Transfer Your Social Work License to Ohio: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) ↗
Ohio does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) grants its clinical license (the LISW) by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. 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.). Processing: 2–6 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.). Ohio is a Social Work Licensure Compact state on paper only: nothing was being issued as of 2026-09-27, and endorsement through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) is the route in.
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Verdict
SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Being a compact state has not changed how Ohio 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 Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) handles every out-of-state applicant through the steps below. If you expect to work across state lines later, a Ohio license will be a sensible base once the compact is running; the commission's stated target for its data system is Spring 2027.
Ohio calls its clinical license the LISW, not the LCSW. An out-of-state LCSW, or any license that authorizes diagnosis and treatment without clinical supervision, is what qualifies you for it.
Ohio's clinical-level license is the LISW (Licensed Independent Social Worker), not 'LCSW'. The dependent tier is the LSW, and Ohio issues NO LMSW, so an out-of-state LMSW applies for the LSW. Reciprocal licensure is governed by OAC 4757-19-07. Ohio has ENACTED the Social Work Licensure Compact (SB 90), but the compact is not issuing multistate licenses yet, so endorsement is the only route in. Since 2026-07-10 Ohio grants a new LISW by examination only on the ASWB Clinical exam, a change the Board made to align with the compact. The out-of-state page (checked 2026-09-27) still lists Advanced Generalist results as acceptable for reciprocal applicants; anyone holding only the Advanced Generalist should confirm with the Board. For LISW-by-exam applicants, Ohio requires a CSWE-accredited MSW plus two full years and 3,000 hours of post-MSW, post-LSW experience with 150 hours of LISW-S training supervision. Out-of-state supervised experience completed under that state's rules 'can most often be accepted'. An applicant granted a reciprocal LSW who later seeks the LISW by examination must meet Ohio's full LISW requirements.
Ohio requirements at a glance
| Exam | The ASWB exam is not retaken; submit the score or have ASWB send it via ASWB Score Transfer. Ohio's out-of-state LISW instructions accept ASWB Clinical or Advanced Generalist results (older than seven years only if actively licensed elsewhere). No separate Ohio jurisprudence exam; applicants must watch the Board's online Laws and Rules video. |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $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.) |
| Processing time | 2–6 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.) |
Step by step
- Confirm Ohio's current requirements on the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an out-of-state license (e.g. LCSW) that authorizes diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders without clinical supervision to qualify for the LISW.
- Submit an online license look-up or have each current licensing board send verification of your active license.
- Submit ASWB exam results or request an ASWB score transfer to the Board.
- Complete Ohio BCI and FBI fingerprint background checks (valid for one year).
- Watch the Board's online Laws and Rules video.
- Apply online through Ohio eLicense.
- Pay the fees ($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.)) and allow 2–6 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.).
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Ohio:
All 50 origin states
Nearby states
Social Work license transfer into the states bordering Ohio:
Ohio for other professions
Frequently asked questions
Does my social work license transfer to Ohio?
Ohio does not transfer your license as-is, but you do not start over: the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) grants its clinical license (the LISW) by endorsement, crediting your existing ASWB pass. 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.). Processing: 2–6 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.). Ohio is a Social Work Licensure Compact state on paper only: nothing was being issued as of 2026-09-27, and endorsement through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) is the route in.
Do I have to retake the ASWB exam to get licensed in Ohio?
The ASWB exam is not retaken; submit the score or have ASWB send it via ASWB Score Transfer. Ohio's out-of-state LISW instructions accept ASWB Clinical or Advanced Generalist results (older than seven years only if actively licensed elsewhere). No separate Ohio jurisprudence exam; applicants must watch the Board's online Laws and Rules video. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
How much does an Ohio clinical social work license cost for an out-of-state applicant?
$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.)
How long does the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) take?
2–6 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.)
Is Ohio in the Social Work Licensure Compact?
Ohio has enacted it, but the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. No one can practice in Ohio on a compact license yet; endorsement through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) is the route.
What is the clinical social work license called in Ohio?
The LISW. It is Ohio's equivalent of the LCSW, the license for independent diagnosis and treatment.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Ohio CSWMFT Board — Out-of-State Social Workers ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio CSWMFT Board — Out of State Applicants (reciprocity steps and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio CSWMFT Board — Social Workers (LISW exam change, July 2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio CSWMFT Board — Licensed Independent Social Worker FAQs ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio CSWMFT Board — BCI and FBI background checks ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio CSWMFT Board — General Renewal Instructions (renewal fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- ASWB — Sending your exam results to another state or province ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]