Connecticut's Department of Public Health licenses Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW). A change worth knowing: the ASWB Masters exam is now required for MSW degrees earned on or after January 1, 2026. Everything below comes from the board's own pages and rules, checked October 18, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the linked pages before you pay.
Check with your board. Social Work Ticket is a study aid. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) or any state social work board; ASWB is their mark, used here only to name the exam. Laws on confidentiality, reporting and licensing differ by state; follow your state's law, your agency and your supervisor.
Connecticut at a glance
License
ASWB exam
What it takes
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker)
Masters (MSW earned on or after Jan 1, 2026)
A CSWE-accredited MSW. No application fee.
LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)
Clinical
3,000 hours of post-master's social work experience, including 100 hours under professional supervision by an LCSW or certified independent social worker. No application fee.
Connecticut, step by step
Connecticut Department of Public Health, Social Work licensing
Degree: a master's (or doctorate, for the LCSW) from a CSWE-accredited social work program, or from a Connecticut school in CSWE candidate status between spring 2024 and spring 2028.
LMSW: apply online with a photo; your school sends the official transcript. If your MSW was earned on or after January 1, 2026, you must pass the ASWB Masters exam; the department approves you for it once it has your application and transcript. There is no application fee.
LCSW experience:3,000 hours of post-master's social work experience, including at least 100 hours of work under professional supervision by a licensed clinical or certified independent social worker, documented on the department's employment and supervision verification forms.
LCSW exam and application: the ASWB Clinical exam; the department tells you when you are eligible and how to register. Apply online, no application fee.
The steps that hold nearly everywhere: a CSWE-accredited degree, your board's approval (or ASWB's, in a few states), the ASWB exam at the level your license needs, then the license. Every ASWB level has 122 questions (110 scored) in 4 hours; Bachelors and Masters cost $230, Advanced Generalist and Clinical $260, and you wait at least 90 days to retake (ASWB Examination Guidebook, August 2026). A passing score counts in every state for the same exam level. The full walk-through: How to get your social work license.