How to get a social work license in South Dakota

South Dakota licenses four levels: Social Work Associate (SWA), Social Worker (SW), Certified Social Worker (CSW) and Certified Social Worker in Private, Independent Practice (CSW-PIP). Every level needs a board-approved ASWB 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.

South Dakota at a glance

LicenseASWB examWhat it takes
Social Work Associate (SWA)ASWB (lower pass score)A non-social-work bachelor's or an approved human services associate degree. $90.
Social Worker (SW)BachelorsA CSWE-accredited BSW. $130.
CSW (Certified Social Worker)MastersAn MSW or DSW from a CSWE-accredited school. $170.
CSW-PIP (private, independent practice)ClinicalA CSW for at least two years, plus two years of board-approved supervision in your area of specialization. $210.

South Dakota's rule (ARSD 20:59:06:01) says "the board-prescribed examination" from ASWB; the board says the SWA and SW take the same test, with a lower passing score for the SWA. The board's approval letter tells you your level.

South Dakota, step by step

South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners

  1. Apply first: send the notarized application, the fee and official transcripts to the board office. The board approves you before ASWB lets you register, and you get three exam attempts per application.
  2. CSW-PIP supervision (ARSD 20:59:05): file a supervision agreement with a supervisor who is a CSW-PIP, psychologist or psychiatrist licensed in South Dakota for at least two years. Work at least 30 hours a week with at least four hours of individual supervision a month for two years (part-time of 18 to 29 hours a week: four years at two hours a month). Group supervision can be up to half.
  3. Reports: your supervisor sends evaluations every six months (6, 12, 18 and 24-month forms).
  4. Fees: application $90 (SWA), $130 (SW), $170 (CSW), $210 (CSW-PIP); renewal at the same amounts every two years with 30 CE hours, 6 in ethics.

Sources: SD Board of Social Work Examiners: licensing information, Fee schedule, Instruction checklist (PDF), ARSD 20:59: Social Workers. 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