Social Work License from Pennsylvania to South Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does South Dakota accept a Pennsylvania social work license?
A social work license transfers from Pennsylvania to South Dakota by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet South Dakota's endorsement requirements. SDCL 36-26-18 exempts an out-of-state licensee from any exam if their state imposes substantially the same requirements and they passed a similar exam there. The Board accepts ASWB scores verified by another state; otherwise have ASWB send a score report directly. The Board's pages name no required ASWB category for the CSW-PIP and no state jurisprudence exam.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The compact question does not arise here. South Dakota has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact and Pennsylvania has not, but nothing is being issued in either, so the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners's endorsement process below is the whole route.
What's different between Pennsylvania and South Dakota
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into South Dakota. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to South Dakota (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
South Dakota to Pennsylvania (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Pennsylvania matter?
Coming from Pennsylvania matters here: only 18 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into South Dakota.
The others get: compact enacted — not yet issuing; until it issues, licensure by endorsement (32).
- SW Compact membership
South Dakota has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact; Pennsylvania has not.
- Application fee
South Dakota lists $210 for an out-of-state applicant and Pennsylvania lists $90 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
South Dakota and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- South Dakota (this move): SDCL 36-26-18 exempts an out-of-state licensee from any exam if their state imposes substantially the same requirements and they passed a similar exam there. The Board accepts ASWB scores verified by another state; otherwise have ASWB send a score report directly. The Board's pages name no required ASWB category for the CSW-PIP and no state jurisprudence exam.
- Pennsylvania (the reverse move): The ASWB exam is not retaken: Pennsylvania requires a pass on the ASWB Clinical examination for the LCSW, and an endorsement applicant must meet the Board's examination requirement. Send the score through ASWB Score Transfer. No Pennsylvania jurisprudence exam, but 3 hours of Board-approved child abuse recognition and reporting training are required for initial licensure.
What changes, Pennsylvania → South Dakota
| Pennsylvania (current) | South Dakota (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| SW Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| Application fee | $90 (49 Pa. Code 47.4 sets one fee for 'licensure and original license issuance as a licensed clinical social worker': $90. Biennial renewal is $95. Any criminal-history check costs are not stated on the LCSW snapshot.) | $210 (Application fee for Certified Social Worker-Private Independent Practice per the Board's fee schedule (non-refundable). Biennial renewal is $105.) |
| Processing time | Neither the Board's LCSW licensure snapshot nor 49 Pa. Code ch. 47 states an endorsement processing time | No processing time is published. A Board review officer approves applications |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors | South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — South Dakota sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm South Dakota's current requirements on the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current CSW-PIP or equivalent independent license in another state.
- Submit the signed, notarized application and the application fee (check or money order).
- Have every state where you hold or held a license send official verification directly to the Board.
- Provide proof of supervision from your original licensing state; it must be substantially equivalent to South Dakota's (Verification of Out of State Experience form).
- Have your school send an official transcript for your highest degree.
- Have ASWB send a score report if your state's verification does not show the exam level and test passed.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does the Social Work Licensure Compact help with this move?
No. South Dakota has enacted it and Pennsylvania has not, and the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners is the route.
Will South Dakota accept the supervised hours I completed in Pennsylvania?
Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. South Dakota's rule, where the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners 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.
- SD Board of Social Work Examiners — Application instruction and checklist sheet (out-of-state PIP applicants) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- SD Board of Social Work Examiners — Fee Schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- SD Board of Social Work Examiners — Licensing Information ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- SDCL 36-26-18 — Exemption from examination for out-of-state licensees ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- SDCL 36-26-17 — Independent practice requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- PA Department of State — Clinical Social Worker Licensure Requirements Snapshot (endorsement and Act 41) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- 49 Pa. Code 47.4 — Licensure fees ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact map (PA bill pending) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27
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