Skip to content
LicenseReciprocity

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

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors ↗

Yes, by endorsement. The Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors issues Pennsylvania's clinical-level social work license to social workers already licensed at the clinical level elsewhere, verifying your license and accepting your ASWB score rather than retesting you. 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.). Processing: Neither the Board's LCSW licensure snapshot nor 49 Pa. Code ch. 47 states an endorsement processing time.. Pennsylvania has not enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact.

Moving to Pennsylvania from a specific state?

Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.

Run the Reciprocity Checker →

Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Outside the Social Work Licensure Compact, Pennsylvania will keep licensing incoming social workers only through its own process even after the compact launches, unless its legislature acts. For a move now, that makes no difference, since no state is issuing compact licenses.

Pennsylvania's clinical license is the LCSW. The non-clinical tiers are the LBSW and LSW. Endorsement is credential-based, and the Board still checks that you meet its education, supervised-experience and exam requirements. There is a second route under Act 41 of 2019 (a general portability law): boards may endorse out-of-state licensees from jurisdictions with substantially equivalent requirements who are active, in good standing, free of discipline and criminal convictions, and have practiced for 2 of the last 5 years. Act 41 is still an application with a review, so it does not make full_reciprocity true. Pennsylvania has NOT enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact (HB 554 is pending).

Pennsylvania requirements at a glance

Out-of-state social work license transfer requirements for Pennsylvania, verified 2026-09-27
ExamThe 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.
Additional requirements
  • Hold a current clinical social work license in good standing in another state
  • Have each board where you are licensed and practicing send a letter certifying licensure and reporting any violations
  • Meet Pennsylvania's education (CSWE-accredited MSW/DSW), supervised clinical experience (3,000 hours over at least 2 years) and ASWB Clinical exam requirements
  • Complete 3 hours of Board-approved child abuse recognition and reporting training
  • Apply through the Department of State's online professional licensing system
Fees$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.)
Processing timeNeither the Board's LCSW licensure snapshot nor 49 Pa. Code ch. 47 states an endorsement processing time.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Pennsylvania's current requirements on the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors website — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors (application linked on this page).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Hold a current clinical social work license in good standing in another state.
  5. Have each board where you are licensed and practicing send a letter certifying licensure and reporting any violations.
  6. Meet Pennsylvania's education (CSWE-accredited MSW/DSW), supervised clinical experience (3,000 hours over at least 2 years) and ASWB Clinical exam requirements.
  7. Complete 3 hours of Board-approved child abuse recognition and reporting training.
  8. Apply through the Department of State's online professional licensing system.
  9. Pay the fees ($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.)) and allow Neither the Board's LCSW licensure snapshot nor 49 Pa. Code ch. 47 states an endorsement processing time..

Official links

Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors ↗Pennsylvania application ↗License verification ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Pennsylvania:

Alabama → PennsylvaniaAlaska → PennsylvaniaArizona → PennsylvaniaArkansas → PennsylvaniaCalifornia → PennsylvaniaColorado → PennsylvaniaConnecticut → PennsylvaniaDelaware → PennsylvaniaDistrict of Columbia → PennsylvaniaFlorida → PennsylvaniaGeorgia → PennsylvaniaHawaii → PennsylvaniaIdaho → PennsylvaniaIllinois → PennsylvaniaIndiana → PennsylvaniaIowa → PennsylvaniaKansas → PennsylvaniaKentucky → PennsylvaniaLouisiana → PennsylvaniaMaine → Pennsylvania
All 50 origin states
Maryland → PennsylvaniaMassachusetts → PennsylvaniaMichigan → PennsylvaniaMinnesota → PennsylvaniaMississippi → PennsylvaniaMissouri → PennsylvaniaMontana → PennsylvaniaNebraska → PennsylvaniaNevada → PennsylvaniaNew Hampshire → PennsylvaniaNew Jersey → PennsylvaniaNew Mexico → PennsylvaniaNew York → PennsylvaniaNorth Carolina → PennsylvaniaNorth Dakota → PennsylvaniaOhio → PennsylvaniaOklahoma → PennsylvaniaOregon → PennsylvaniaRhode Island → PennsylvaniaSouth Carolina → PennsylvaniaSouth Dakota → PennsylvaniaTennessee → PennsylvaniaTexas → PennsylvaniaUtah → PennsylvaniaVermont → PennsylvaniaVirginia → PennsylvaniaWashington → PennsylvaniaWest Virginia → PennsylvaniaWisconsin → PennsylvaniaWyoming → Pennsylvania

Nearby states

Social Work license transfer into the states bordering Pennsylvania:

Pennsylvania for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my social work license transfer to Pennsylvania?

Yes, by endorsement. The Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors issues Pennsylvania's clinical-level social work license to social workers already licensed at the clinical level elsewhere, verifying your license and accepting your ASWB score rather than retesting you. 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.). Processing: Neither the Board's LCSW licensure snapshot nor 49 Pa. Code ch. 47 states an endorsement processing time.. Pennsylvania has not enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact.

Do I have to retake the ASWB exam to get licensed in Pennsylvania?

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. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.

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

$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.)

How long does the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors take?

Neither the Board's LCSW licensure snapshot nor 49 Pa. Code ch. 47 states an endorsement processing time.

Is Pennsylvania in the Social Work Licensure Compact?

No. Pennsylvania had not enacted it as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors is the route in.

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]