To get an LMSW in Oregon, you need a Master of Social Work degree from a CSWE-accredited program, passing scores on two exams, and an approved application through the State Board of Licensed Social Workers (BLSW). The license is governed by ORS 675.533, and the application fee is $200.1Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 675.533 – Licensure for Practice of Masters Social Work Expect the process to take a couple of months once your degree is in hand, mostly because of fingerprint processing and transcript delivery.
The Degree You Need
Your MSW has to come from a program the board recognizes, which in practice means accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or the Canadian Association for Social Work Education.1Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 675.533 – Licensure for Practice of Masters Social Work Programs in CSWE candidacy status also qualify, but confirm your program’s standing before you pay the application fee.
Transcripts have to be sent from the school directly to the BLSW. Copies you forward yourself won’t be accepted. If your MSW is from a foreign institution, the board accepts equivalency determinations from CSWE’s International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service, and you pay for that evaluation.
The Two Exams
Oregon requires both the ASWB Masters exam and the Oregon Laws and Rules Exam before the license is issued.2Board of Licensed Social Workers. License Types
ASWB Masters Exam
The Association of Social Work Boards administers this test. It has 170 questions, 150 of them scored, covering human development, assessment and intervention planning, and professional ethics. The 20 unscored pretest items are mixed in, so you won’t be able to tell them apart. Passing generally falls between 90 and 107 correct out of the 150 scored questions, depending on the form you receive.3Association of Social Work Boards. Exam Scoring
Registration is $230.4Association of Social Work Boards. Exam If you fail, ASWB imposes a 90-day waiting period before you can retake it, with one exception: scores within 10 correct answers of passing may be eligible for a waiver if the Oregon board permits.5Association of Social Work Boards. If You Fail the Exam ASWB sends your score directly to the BLSW.
Oregon Laws and Rules Exam
This state exam covers Oregon’s social work statutes (ORS 675.510 through 675.600) and the board’s administrative rules. You need at least 90 percent to pass. Some people call it the jurisprudence exam, but Oregon Laws and Rules Exam is the board’s official name.2Board of Licensed Social Workers. License Types
Submitting Your Application
Applications go through the BLSW’s online portal. You’ll need:
- A $200 nonrefundable application fee.2Board of Licensed Social Workers. License Types
- Official transcripts sent directly from your institution.
- A nationwide fingerprint-based criminal background check, scheduled through the board’s partner Fieldprint. The fee runs about $50 and is paid separately.6Board of Licensed Social Workers. Apply for a License
- A self-disclosure of any criminal history or discipline by other licensing boards.
Schedule fingerprinting early. The processing alone takes at least three to five weeks, and the board’s review adds more time on top of that.6Board of Licensed Social Workers. Apply for a License Missing documents are the most common reason applications stall, so get the transcript request and fingerprint appointment started before you finish the rest of the paperwork.
What an LMSW Can and Cannot Do
ORS 675.510 defines master’s social work practice broadly: assessment, treatment planning, case management, counseling, nonclinical supervision, consultation, education, research, advocacy, community organization, and developing or administering policies and programs.7Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 675.510 – Definitions for ORS 675.510 to 675.600 LMSWs work in public agencies, nonprofits, hospitals, and schools.
What the LMSW does not authorize is clinical social work. Under ORS 675.523, clinical practice is restricted to Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) and certified Clinical Social Work Associates (CSWAs) practicing under supervision.8Oregon Public Law. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 675.523 – License or Certification Required to Practice Clinical Social Work If you want to diagnose mental health conditions or provide psychotherapy, the LMSW alone won’t get you there.
Renewing the License
The LMSW renews every two years for $220.9Board of Licensed Social Workers. Renewals and Status Changes Each cycle requires 30 continuing education credits, including at least 4 in ethics and 4 in cultural competency.10Board of Licensed Social Workers. Continuing Education Requirements You log activity through the board’s licensee portal as you go.
One thing worth knowing before you plan ahead: the LMSW does not allow CE carryover.10Board of Licensed Social Workers. Continuing Education Requirements Extra credits earned in one cycle don’t roll into the next. Finishing early is fine for peace of mind, but it doesn’t bank anything.
If You Want to Practice Clinically Later
The route from LMSW to LCSW runs through the Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) certificate, which lets you practice clinical social work under an approved supervision plan. From there, licensure as an LCSW requires 3,500 clinical practice hours (at least 2,000 of them direct client contact), 100 hours of supervision (at least 50 individual), a minimum of 24 months of supervised practice, and a passing score on the ASWB clinical-level exam.11Board of Licensed Social Workers. CSWA Information A CSWA cannot practice without an approved supervision plan on file, and hours worked between supervisor changes don’t accrue until the updated plan is approved.