How to get a social work license in Maryland

Maryland licenses Bachelor (LBSW), Master (LMSW) and Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) social workers through the Board of Social Work Examiners. The non-clinical LCSW took new applicants only through December 31, 2023. 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.

Maryland at a glance

LicenseASWB examWhat it takes
LBSW (Licensed Bachelor Social Worker)BachelorsA CSWE-accredited BSW. $100 application.
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker)MastersA CSWE-accredited master's. $100 application.
LCSW-C (Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical)ClinicalTwo years (104+ weeks) and 3,000 supervised clinical hours as a licensee, 1,500 face to face, 100 hours of face-to-face supervision, 12 clinical credits. $100 application.

Maryland's non-clinical LCSW (certified social worker) was available to new applicants only through December 31, 2023.

Maryland, step by step

Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners

  1. LBSW or LMSW: apply online and pay the $100 application fee before sending any documents. You can be approved for the ASWB Bachelors or Masters exam in the last semester of your BSW or MSW, or after graduating; your university emails the official transcript with the conferral date. The board recommends doing the criminal history records check after you pass.
  2. LCSW-C coursework: a master's in social work with at least 12 credits of clinical (micro practice) coursework, at least 6 of them in the master's program.
  3. LCSW-C experience: two years as a licensee, at least 104 weeks and 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work in direct service to clients, half of it (1,500 hours) face-to-face client contact, with at least 100 hours of periodic face-to-face supervision from a board-approved LCSW-C supervisor. In Maryland, sign a Contract Agreement Form before each job and supervision begins.
  4. LCSW-C application and exam: apply and pay the $100 fee, then mail the Supervision Verification Forms, contract agreements and your resume in one packet. The board has up to 60 days to review a complete application, then approves you for the ASWB Clinical exam.

Sources: Guide sheet: LBSW and LMSW by examination, Guide sheet: LCSW-C by examination, Supervision Verification Form instructions, Health Occupations Title 19, Subtitle 3. Checked October 18, 2026.

Practice for the Bachelors exam, freeThe Bachelors level: generalist practice, benefits programs and task-centered work, on the 2026 Bachelors outline. Practice for the Masters exam, freeVignette questions on the 2026 Masters outline, every answer sourced. Practice for the Clinical exam, freeDSM-5-TR diagnosis, psychotherapy models, clinical ethics and supervision, on the 2026 Clinical outline.

The national steps, briefly

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.

Official pages