How to get a social work license in North Dakota

North Dakota licenses three levels: Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Before August 1, 2019 these were called LSW, LCSW and LICSW, so older forms may still use those names. 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.

North Dakota at a glance

LicenseASWB examWhat it takes
LBSW (Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker)BachelorsA BSW from a CSWE (or CASWE) accredited program; only a social work degree qualifies.
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker)MastersAn MSW from a CSWE (or CASWE) accredited program.
LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker, independent)ClinicalAn MSW or higher, 3,000 hours of supervised clinical practice within four years after the MSW, 150 hours of face-to-face supervision.

North Dakota, step by step

North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners

  1. Exam window: at every level, pass the ASWB exam within one year of filing your application with the board.
  2. LBSW: the application, an official transcript, three references (social work faculty, field placement supervisor, licensed social worker), a nationwide criminal history check and a child abuse and neglect inquiry, then the ASWB Bachelors exam.
  3. LMSW: the same steps with an MSW and the ASWB Masters exam.
  4. LCSW supervision plan: once you hold a North Dakota license and an MSW, submit a supervision plan (practice description, a diagnosing letter, job description, your LCSW supervisor's license) and get it approved before your hours count.
  5. LCSW hours: 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work within a four-year period after the MSW, with at least 150 hours of face-to-face supervision, no more than 50 of them in groups of up to seven. Then the ASWB Clinical exam.
  6. Fees (75.5-02-03-03): application $25 plus initial license $75; renewal $75; licensure upgrade $150.

Sources: ND Board of Social Work Examiners, LCSW requirements, Supervision of LCSW applicants, N.D. Admin. Code 75.5-02-03 (PDF). 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