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LicenseReciprocity

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

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) ↗

Yes, by endorsement. The South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) issues South Carolina'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: $45 (Initial application fee per the Board's fee page and its Out-of-State LISW requirements sheet (both viewed as Internet Archive copies; llr.sc.gov refused automated connections on 2026-09-27).). Processing: No processing time is published. The Board holds regular meetings four times a year (S.C. Code 40-63-50), and files with 'yes' answers are reviewed case by case.. South Carolina passed a version of the Social Work Licensure Compact with material changes and is not on the commission's member list, so treat it as outside the compact.

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

South Carolina is a special case. Its legislature passed the Social Work Licensure Compact, but with material changes, and the commission leaves South Carolina off its member list; its FAQ says states in this position may need to amend their law before they can join. Treat South Carolina as a non-compact state and follow the endorsement steps below.

South Carolina's clinical license is the LISW-CP (Licensed Independent Social Worker, Clinical Practice). The LISW-AP (Advanced Practice) is the non-clinical independent tier, and the LBSW and LMSW sit below both. S.C. Code 40-63-260 licenses a social worker currently licensed in another jurisdiction who has a qualifying degree, has passed a Board-prescribed exam, and holds licenses in good standing with no suspension, revocation or restriction. The applicant is licensed only at the equivalent designation. By-exam LISW-CP applicants need 3,000 supervised hours over 2 to 4 years after LMSW licensure, with 100 face-to-face supervision hours. An out-of-state LISW-CP-equivalent can instead register for behavioral telehealth only (S.C. Code 40-63-35; $10 fee, no discipline in the past five years); that is a telehealth registration, not a license. South Carolina enacted the Social Work Compact (HB 4649) WITH MATERIAL CHANGES and is NOT on the Commission's member list, so it is non_member. The compact is not issuing multistate licenses anywhere.

South Carolina requirements at a glance

Out-of-state social work license transfer requirements for South Carolina, verified 2026-09-27
ExamThe ASWB exam is not retaken: have ASWB send your passing score to the Board. The Board's out-of-state requirements accept the ASWB Clinical or Advanced Generalist exam for the LISW (AP or CP). The LISW-CP requirements sheet names the Clinical exam for the CP tier. No South Carolina jurisprudence exam was found.
Additional requirements
  • Apply and pay the $45 non-refundable application fee
  • Send the Board's 'Verification of Social Work License' form to every state where you are or were licensed
  • Have your school send an official transcript showing a CSWE-accredited MSW or doctorate
  • Have ASWB send your passing exam score to the Board
  • For the LISW-CP, show 45 academic contact hours each in psychopathology and psychodiagnostics
  • Explain any 'yes' answer (discipline, complaint, conviction) with documents; the Board may require an appearance
Fees$45 (Initial application fee per the Board's fee page and its Out-of-State LISW requirements sheet (both viewed as Internet Archive copies; llr.sc.gov refused automated connections on 2026-09-27).)
Processing timeNo processing time is published. The Board holds regular meetings four times a year (S.C. Code 40-63-50), and files with 'yes' answers are reviewed case by case.

Step by step

  1. Confirm South Carolina's current requirements on the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) website — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) (application linked on this page).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Apply and pay the $45 non-refundable application fee.
  5. Send the Board's 'Verification of Social Work License' form to every state where you are or were licensed.
  6. Have your school send an official transcript showing a CSWE-accredited MSW or doctorate.
  7. Have ASWB send your passing exam score to the Board.
  8. For the LISW-CP, show 45 academic contact hours each in psychopathology and psychodiagnostics.
  9. Explain any 'yes' answer (discipline, complaint, conviction) with documents; the Board may require an appearance.
  10. Pay the fees ($45 (Initial application fee per the Board's fee page and its Out-of-State LISW requirements sheet (both viewed as Internet Archive copies; llr.sc.gov refused automated connections on 2026-09-27).)) and allow No processing time is published. The Board holds regular meetings four times a year (S.C. Code 40-63-50), and files with 'yes' answers are reviewed case by case..

Official links

South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) ↗South Carolina application ↗License verification ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into South Carolina:

California → South CarolinaFlorida → South CarolinaGeorgia → South CarolinaIllinois → South CarolinaMichigan → South CarolinaNew York → South CarolinaNorth Carolina → South CarolinaOhio → South CarolinaPennsylvania → South CarolinaTexas → South Carolina

Nearby states

Social Work license transfer into the states bordering South Carolina:

South Carolina for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my social work license transfer to South Carolina?

Yes, by endorsement. The South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) issues South Carolina'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: $45 (Initial application fee per the Board's fee page and its Out-of-State LISW requirements sheet (both viewed as Internet Archive copies; llr.sc.gov refused automated connections on 2026-09-27).). Processing: No processing time is published. The Board holds regular meetings four times a year (S.C. Code 40-63-50), and files with 'yes' answers are reviewed case by case.. South Carolina passed a version of the Social Work Licensure Compact with material changes and is not on the commission's member list, so treat it as outside the compact.

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

The ASWB exam is not retaken: have ASWB send your passing score to the Board. The Board's out-of-state requirements accept the ASWB Clinical or Advanced Generalist exam for the LISW (AP or CP). The LISW-CP requirements sheet names the Clinical exam for the CP tier. No South Carolina jurisprudence exam was found. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.

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

$45 (Initial application fee per the Board's fee page and its Out-of-State LISW requirements sheet (both viewed as Internet Archive copies; llr.sc.gov refused automated connections on 2026-09-27).)

How long does the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) take?

No processing time is published. The Board holds regular meetings four times a year (S.C. Code 40-63-50), and files with 'yes' answers are reviewed case by case.

Is South Carolina in the Social Work Licensure Compact?

Not on the commission's list. South Carolina enacted the compact with material changes and was excluded from the member list as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) 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]