Idaho Social Work License: Requirements, Hours & Renewal

To work as a social worker in Idaho, you need a license from the Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners, which operates under the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL).¹ There are three license levels tied to your degree, each requiring an approved application, a passing score on the matching Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam, and, for clinical practice, two years of supervised post-graduate work.²

Which License You Need

Idaho Code § 54-3206 defines three license categories, each matched to a specific degree.² The degree must come from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or otherwise approved by the Board.³ A degree in psychology, counseling, or another related field does not qualify, even when the coursework overlaps.¹

Licensed Social Worker (LSW). Requires a bachelor’s degree in social work. LSWs do generalist work: case management, resource coordination, and supportive counseling.
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). Requires a master’s or doctorate in social work. LMSWs perform more specialized assessments and interventions but cannot independently diagnose or treat mental health conditions.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Requires the same graduate degree as an LMSW plus two years of post-graduate supervised clinical experience. LCSWs can diagnose, provide psychotherapy, and practice independently.

Applying Through DOPL

Applications go through the DOPL online portal or by mail. The non-refundable application fee is $70, and the license fee runs separately at roughly $80 per year.⁴ With the Board moving to two-year licenses, expect a combined initial cost of about $150 for a one-year term or $230 for a two-year term.¹

Your application package needs:

Official transcripts sent directly from your degree-granting institution to DOPL, with the degree posted before the Board will issue a license.³
A fingerprint-based criminal background check, with a separate fee paid to the processing agency.
Full disclosure of any criminal history. Idaho Code § 54-3206 bars the Board from licensing anyone convicted of, found guilty of, or given a withheld judgment for a crime deemed relevant under the state’s occupational licensing standards.²
A list of any social work licenses held in other states, including disciplinary actions or pending investigations.

Submit everything together. Incomplete packages are the most common reason applications stall.

Passing the ASWB Exam

Once the Board approves your application, you register for the matching ASWB exam directly through ASWB, not through DOPL. The exam fee is $230 for the Bachelors or Masters level and $260 for the Clinical level.⁵

Fail the exam and you wait 90 days for your next attempt, paying the full fee again.⁶ ASWB will consider a waiver if your jurisdiction allows a shorter wait, but plan for the default. If you need testing accommodations for a disability or health condition, request them from ASWB before you register; approval requires documentation and takes time to process.⁷ After you pass, the testing center sends your score to the Board, and DOPL issues the license.

Supervised Hours for the LCSW

The clinical license is the one with real post-graduate requirements. You need 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work experience, completed over no fewer than two years and no more than five.³ Those hours break down as:

1,750 hours of direct client contact (hands-on treatment work, not paperwork).
1,250 hours of other clinical work, including assessment, diagnosis, and indirect clinical hours.
100 hours of face-to-face supervisor contact. At least 50 must be individual sessions; no more than 50 can be group supervision.³

Your supervisor must be an LCSW registered with the Board to provide supervision. Live video supervision counts toward the face-to-face hours. Everything is tracked on official Supervision Report forms, and the Board rejects hours that aren’t properly documented, so keep contemporaneous logs rather than reconstructing from memory.

Renewal and Continuing Education

As of October 14, 2025, the Board is transitioning from annual to biennial (every-two-year) renewal.¹ Some licensees are still on an annual cycle during the transition, so check your renewal date through the DOPL portal rather than assuming.

Renewal fees under the biennial structure:

LSW or LMSW: $160 biennial, or $80 if still on the annual cycle.
LCSW: $180 biennial, or $90 annual.
Reinstatement penalty for any level: $35 if your license lapses.⁸

Continuing education matches the biennial cycle: 30 contact hours of approved CE every 24 months, including at least 2 hours of ethics. Seminars, workshops, and accredited online courses that align with social work practice all count. Keep your certificates and course documentation for at least four years; the Board runs random audits and will ask for proof of every hour.⁹

If You Already Hold a License in Another State

Idaho allows licensure by endorsement for social workers already licensed elsewhere. The endorsement fee is $230 for a biennial license ($160 annual), broken out the same way as a new application.¹ Your current state board must send a verification of licensure directly to DOPL, and your qualifications must meet Idaho’s education and examination standards. The specific requirements are in IDAPA 24.14.01 Rule 100.04.³ A license in good standing with equivalent qualifications moves quickly; disciplinary history in any jurisdiction must be disclosed and can delay or prevent endorsement.

Military Members and Spouses

Active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses get expedited application processing and credit for relevant military training under Idaho Code §§ 67-9401 through 67-9407.¹⁰ Active service members may also qualify for a waiver of renewal fees and other renewal requirements under Idaho Code § 67-2606. Contact DOPL early in a relocation to Idaho so you can begin practicing shortly after arrival.

Inactive Status and Lapses

If you need to pause your practice, request inactive status rather than letting the license lapse. You can’t practice while inactive, but the license stays on file.¹¹ Inactive renewal fees run about half the active rate: $80 biennial for LSW or LMSW, $90 biennial for LCSW.⁸

Reactivating requires paying the difference between the inactive and active fees, showing completion of required continuing education, and meeting all current licensing requirements.¹¹ Going inactive is cleaner than letting the license lapse, which triggers the $35 reinstatement penalty and more Board scrutiny.

1
Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Board of Social Work Examiners
2
Idaho State Legislature. Idaho Code 54-3206 – Licensing Qualifications
3
Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. IDAPA 24.14.01 – Rules of the State Board of Social Work Examiners
4
Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Idaho State Board of Social Work Examiners Application for Licensure
5
Association of Social Work Boards. Exam
6
Association of Social Work Boards. Request a 90-Day Waiting Period Waiver
7
Association of Social Work Boards. Requesting Arrangements for a Disability or Health Condition
8
Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Social Work Examiners
9
Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Board of Social Work Examiners – Continuing Education and Audit Information
10
Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Military Service Members, Veterans and Spouses
11
Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners – Request to Inactivate License