How to get a social work license in New Mexico

New Mexico licenses baccalaureate (LBSW), master (LMSW) and independent social workers (LISW, or LCSW for those who show clinical expertise) through the Board of Social Work Examiners. Every level needs a New Mexico cultures course or exam. 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.

New Mexico at a glance

LicenseASWB examWhat it takes
LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker)ASWB examA CSWE-accredited BSW, New Mexico cultures. $75 application.
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker)ASWB examA CSWE-accredited MSW, New Mexico cultures. $100 application.
LISW / LCSW (Licensed Independent / Clinical Social Worker)Clinical or Advanced (as the board determines) + jurisprudence3,600 hours of licensed LMSW experience within 60 months, 90 hours of supervision. $125 application.

New Mexico, step by step

New Mexico Board of Social Work Examiners (Regulation and Licensing Department)

  1. New Mexico cultures: a three-credit course in New Mexico cultures on your transcript, an approved workshop or seminar, or proof of passing the New Mexico cultural exam.
  2. LBSW and LMSW: a CSWE-accredited degree, ASWB scores and the application fee ($75 LBSW, $100 LMSW). ASWB sets and collects its own exam fees.
  3. LISW/LCSW experience (16.63.11): be licensed as an LMSW before supervision starts, then document 3,600 hours of licensed master's-level social work experience within no more than 60 months and 90 hours of supervision (at least 70 direct, no more than 20 group, no more than 30 interdisciplinary) with a board-approved supervisor. The board's FAQ lists 100 hours over at least two years, so check with the board.
  4. Exams: the ASWB exam at the Clinical or Advanced level, as the board determines, and the board's jurisprudence exam. Your supervision verification must be approved before you get a provisional license or exam approval.

Sources: 16.63.11 NMAC (clinical / independent social worker), 16.63.10 NMAC (master social worker), 16.63.8 NMAC (fees), NM Board of Social Work Examiners FAQ. 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. Practice for the Advanced Generalist exam, freeLeadership, personnel, program evaluation, grants and research ethics, on the 2026 Advanced Generalist 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