To get a Connecticut social work license, you need a master’s or doctoral degree from a CSWE-accredited program, a passing score on the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam, and an application filed with the Department of Public Health (DPH). The Connecticut social work license requirements split into two tiers: the Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) for general practice and the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) for independent clinical work. The LCSW adds 3,000 hours of supervised post-master’s experience on top of the shared requirements.
LMSW or LCSW: Which License You Need
The LMSW is the entry-level credential. It requires the qualifying degree and a passing exam score, with no post-graduate supervised experience. Most people hold the LMSW while they accumulate hours toward clinical licensure, working under an LCSW’s oversight.
The LCSW is the full clinical license. It authorizes independent practice, including diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions, without supervision. You cannot bill insurance independently or hold yourself out as a clinical social worker in Connecticut without it. State law is direct on this point: no person may practice clinical social work without obtaining the LCSW.1Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 383b – Clinical Social Workers and Master Social Workers
Degree Requirements
Both tiers require a master’s or doctoral degree from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Programs completed outside the United States qualify if CSWE considers them equivalent.1Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 383b – Clinical Social Workers and Master Social Workers Connecticut also temporarily accepts degrees from in-state programs holding CSWE candidacy status, a window that runs through the spring 2028 semester.2Connecticut Department of Public Health. LCSW Licensing Requirements
Your school has to send official transcripts directly to the DPH. The department will not accept transcripts you forward yourself. Registrars can be slow, so request the send early.
Supervised Experience for the LCSW
LCSW applicants need 3,000 hours of post-master’s social work experience, including at least 100 hours performed under direct professional supervision.1Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 383b – Clinical Social Workers and Master Social Workers If you are accumulating these hours in Connecticut, state law requires that you hold an active LMSW while doing so. Practicing to build clinical hours without the LMSW puts you on the wrong side of the licensing statute.
Supervisors must be a licensed clinical social worker or a certified independent social worker.2Connecticut Department of Public Health. LCSW Licensing Requirements That is narrower than in many states. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and marriage and family therapists do not qualify as LCSW supervisors in Connecticut, regardless of their credentials. Confirm your supervisor’s Connecticut license type before logging a single hour.
The statute does not set a minimum time period for completing the 3,000 hours. In theory, someone working full-time in a qualifying clinical role could finish in under two years. In practice, most people need two to three years, because clinical caseloads rarely consist entirely of qualifying work.
The ASWB Exam
Both tiers require passing an exam from the Association of Social Work Boards. LMSW applicants take the Masters-level exam; LCSW applicants take the Clinical-level exam.1Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 383b – Clinical Social Workers and Master Social Workers
You cannot register for the exam on your own. The DPH reviews your credentials first and authorizes you to sit. Once approved, you register with the ASWB and schedule at a Pearson VUE testing center. The registration fee is $230 for the Masters exam and $260 for the Clinical exam, paid to the ASWB.3Association of Social Work Boards. Exam Passing scores are reported to the DPH automatically.
Applying Through the DPH
Connecticut processes social work applications through its eLicense online portal. You create an account, select your license type, upload the required verification forms, and pay the fee electronically. LCSW applicants also submit employment verification and supervision verification forms documenting the 3,000 hours and the 100 supervision hours.
As of July 2023, the fee is $125 for an LMSW and $200 for an LCSW. Public Act 23-101 reduced these from the prior amounts of $220 and $315.4Justia Law. Connecticut Code 20-195o – Fees, Renewal of License, Inactive Status
The DPH sends status updates to the email tied to your eLicense account. Processing times are not published, and the department does not promise a specific turnaround. Complete applications tend to move faster, so verify that your transcripts, supervision forms, and exam scores have all arrived before you submit.
Applying by Endorsement From Another State
If you already hold a social work license elsewhere, Connecticut offers an endorsement path. For LMSW endorsement, you must show that your current state’s requirements are substantially similar to Connecticut’s and that you have passed the ASWB Masters exam. For LCSW endorsement, the same standard applies with the Clinical exam.1Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 383b – Clinical Social Workers and Master Social Workers
One hard stop: the DPH will not issue an endorsement license to anyone with pending disciplinary action or an unresolved complaint in any state. Resolve any licensing board issue elsewhere before applying in Connecticut.
Renewing the License
Social work licenses in Connecticut renew annually during your birth month.5Connecticut Department of Public Health. Health Care Practitioner Renewal Information The renewal fee matches the initial license fee: $125 for an LMSW and $200 for an LCSW.4Justia Law. Connecticut Code 20-195o – Fees, Renewal of License, Inactive Status
Each cycle requires 15 hours of continuing education, with two mandated topics:6Connecticut Department of Public Health. Continuing Education Requirements
- At least one hour of cultural competency every renewal period.
- Two hours on veterans’ mental health, covering conditions common to veterans and their families, including screening for PTSD, depression, and suicide risk. This requirement applies in your first renewal period and then repeats every six years.
The remaining hours can cover any topic relevant to social work practice. Keep completion certificates for at least three years after the renewal date they apply to; the DPH can request them at any time.6Connecticut Department of Public Health. Continuing Education Requirements
Reinstating a Lapsed License
Missing your renewal deadline means your license expires and you must stop practicing. Reinstating a lapsed LCSW requires a $200 fee, verification of at least seven hours of continuing education completed within the year before your reinstatement application, a current resume or summary of your professional activity since earning your degree, and employment verification from your most recent social work position.7Connecticut Department of Public Health. LCSW Reinstatement of a Lapsed License
If you have been out of active clinical practice for more than five years, the DPH will likely require either a refresher training period or retaking the ASWB exam before reinstating your license. The longer the gap, the harder reinstatement becomes, so staying current with renewals is worth the effort even during a job transition.