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Social Work Licensure Compact (ASWB)

The Social Work Licensure Compact, administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), lets licensed clinical, master's-level, and bachelor's-level social workers practice across member states under a single multistate privilege. The compact is in active rollout — most member states have enacted it; full operational launch is staged through 2026 and 2027.

Who can apply

The ASWB Social Work Compact covers three license categories: LCSW (clinical social work — LCSW, LICSW, LISW, LISW-CP, LISW-S, LCSW-C, LCSW-BACS, LSCSW), LMSW (master's-level), and LSW/CSW (bachelor's-level). Applicants must hold an active, unencumbered license in their home state (a member state), have completed the relevant ASWB exam, and have a clean disciplinary record.

The compact privilege is tied to your home state of legal residence — if you move your residence to a non-member state, the privilege ends. Disciplined or restricted licensees are not eligible.

Member states

The Social Work Compact has been enacted in 30 jurisdictions as of 2026-06, but is not yet issuing multistate privileges anywhere. The commission's May 2026 FAQ projects operational launch around 2027. Check swcompact.org for the latest list of states currently issuing privileges.

Members: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

last_verified: 2026-05 · sourced from data/compacts.json

How to apply

Applications run through the Social Work Compact Commission's portal. You verify your home state license, pay the privilege fee, and select the member states where you want practice privileges.

Apply via the Social Work Compact →

Fees and processing time

The compact privilege fee varies by state and credential level (approximately $100-$250 per state). Processing time varies — the compact is still in early operational rollout, so some states issue privileges quickly while others are still standing up their portals. Confirm current fees and timing directly with the Social Work Compact Commission. last_verified: 2026-05.

How TeleVerify uses the ASWB Compact

When your NPI returns an LCSW, LICSW, LMSW, LSW, or similar credential, TeleVerify auto-detects ASWB Compact eligibility and asks you to confirm your home state and which member-state privileges you've activated. Once confirmed, sessions where the patient is in one of your privileged member states are tagged compliant_compact. Because the compact is mid-rollout, we recommend re-checking your profile quarterly to add new privileges as additional states come online.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Social Work Compact actually go live?
The compact has been enacted in 36+ states, but operational launch (when providers can request privileges) is rolling out state-by-state through 2026 and 2027. As of 2026-05, several states are issuing privileges; others are still standing up portals. Check swcompact.org for the live list.
Which social work credentials are covered?
Three license categories: LCSW (clinical level), LMSW (master's level), and LSW/CSW (bachelor's level). The specific abbreviation in your state may differ — for example, LICSW in Massachusetts, LISW-CP in South Carolina, LCSW-C in Maryland.
How does TeleVerify know I have compact privileges?
You confirm in your provider profile which member states you've requested privileges in. We attest the list at signup and on every profile update; the compact privilege is verifiable via swcompact.org.
What if my home state hasn't started issuing privileges yet?
Even if your home state is a member, you can't use the compact until your home state's licensing board has launched its privilege-issuance process. Until then, individual state licenses are required for cross-state work. TeleVerify keeps track and flips your status from "eligible" to "compact-active" once your home state launches.
What's the difference between the Social Work Compact and the Counseling Compact?
The Social Work Compact covers social work licenses (LCSW, LMSW, LSW). The Counseling Compact covers professional counselor licenses (LPC, LMHC, LCPC, LPCC). A practitioner with both credentials would enroll in both compacts independently.
Does the compact cover all forms of social work, or just clinical?
All three license tiers are included (LCSW, LMSW, LSW/CSW), but each tier's scope of practice is set by each member state — the compact does not expand your scope, only your geographic reach. An LMSW cannot perform clinical-level work just because they have a privilege in a member state.
Are macro/policy social workers covered?
The compact is built around licensed social work practice. Macro and policy social work without a state license is generally not regulated under social work statutes; the compact does not apply.
⚖️ Reference information — not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with your compliance officer, state licensing board, or a telehealth attorney before relying on this for clinical or business decisions.

Related TeleVerify resources

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Help
FAQ and support
Common questions about compliance verification.