To become a social worker in Louisiana, you need to meet the requirements for one of three license levels set by the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE): Registered Social Worker (RSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). The Louisiana social work license requirements combine an accredited degree, a criminal background screening, and, for the two higher tiers, a national exam. The LCSW adds 3,000 hours of supervised clinical practice. All three credentials are governed by the Louisiana Social Work Practice Act in Title 37, Chapter 35 of the Revised Statutes.1Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 37 Chapter 35 – Social Workers
Which License You Need
Louisiana’s three credentials each authorize a different scope of practice, and the requirements track the scope. Pick the license that matches the work you actually want to do.
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
The RSW is the entry-level credential. It covers generalist social work: assessment, case management, community outreach, supportive counseling, advocacy, and program administration. RSWs must work as employees within an agency and cannot practice independently or perform clinical social work.1Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 37 Chapter 35 – Social Workers
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
The LMSW covers advanced practice, including psychosocial assessment, treatment planning, addiction services, employee assistance programs, consultation, and supervision. An LMSW may perform clinical social work and psychotherapy, but only in an agency setting and under supervision by a licensed clinical social worker, in person or virtually. LMSWs generally must work as agency employees, with one exception: an LMSW may provide services on a contractual basis to a federal, state, or local government agency.1Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 37 Chapter 35 – Social Workers
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
The LCSW is Louisiana’s highest social work credential and the only one that authorizes fully independent practice, including private practice. LCSWs assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, and they provide psychotherapy without agency employment restrictions.1Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 37 Chapter 35 – Social Workers After at least three years of post-licensure experience, an LCSW may qualify for the Board-Approved Clinical Supervisor (BACS) designation, which is required to supervise candidates working toward their own LCSW.
Education
The RSW requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited social work program. The LMSW and the LCSW each require a master’s degree from an accredited graduate school of social work.1Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 37 Chapter 35 – Social Workers In practice, “accredited” means a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the recognized accrediting body for social work education in the United States.
Supervised Experience for the LCSW
Supervised experience is required only for the LCSW. Candidates must complete at least 3,000 hours of postgraduate social work practice under a board-approved clinical supervisor. The experience must span a minimum of two years and a maximum of four, though the Board may consider circumstances that require additional time.1Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 37 Chapter 35 – Social Workers
Your supervisor must hold the BACS designation. Confirm that before you start logging hours, because time spent under a supervisor who does not meet Board standards may not count.
The ASWB Examination
RSWs are not required to sit for an exam. LMSW and LCSW applicants must pass a board-approved examination, which in Louisiana is the appropriate level of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam. LMSW candidates take the ASWB Masters exam; LCSW candidates take the ASWB Clinical exam.1Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 37 Chapter 35 – Social Workers
Each exam has 170 questions: 150 scored items and 20 unscored pretest items mixed in. Passing scores are set through a statistical process that adjusts for differences between exam forms. In general, passing requires between 90 and 107 correct answers out of the 150 scored questions, depending on the specific form.2Association of Social Work Boards. Exam Scoring
If you don’t pass, the standard waiting period before a retake is 90 days, and each retake requires a new exam fee.3Association of Social Work Boards. If You Fail the Exam
Criminal Background Screening
Every applicant at every level must undergo a criminal history screening under RS 37:2710, and the screening must return no disqualifying information. All applicants must also demonstrate good moral character.
If you have a criminal record and aren’t sure how the Board will treat it, you have the right to petition for a preliminary determination before completing the full application. The Board is required to publish on its website whether criminal convictions may be used as a basis for license denial and what factors it considers when reviewing an applicant’s history.4Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code RS 37-35 – License Information for Applicants
Fees
The Board charges $100 for each license, certificate, or registration, and the same $100 applies at renewal.5Justia Law. Louisiana Code RS 37-2716 – Fees The statute also authorizes the Board to set reasonable fees for initial applications, examinations, and reissuance.
Exam fees are separate and paid to ASWB. The Masters exam costs $230 and the Clinical exam costs $260.6Association of Social Work Boards. Exam Plan for both the Board’s fees and the national exam fee when budgeting.
Keeping Your License: Renewal and Continuing Education
Every Louisiana social work credential renews annually by August 31.7Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners. Renewal Instructions The renewal fee is $100 at every level.5Justia Law. Louisiana Code RS 37-2716 – Fees
Every credential holder must complete 20 clock hours of approved continuing education before each renewal. At least three of those hours must focus on social work ethics, though the ethics requirement is met once every two years rather than annually.8Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Administrative Code Title 46 XXV-317 – Continuing Education Requirements Courses must be Board-approved. One reliable path is a provider approved through ASWB’s Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program, but not every approved provider goes through ACE, so verify with LABSWE if you’re unsure whether a specific course counts.
Practicing Across State Lines
Louisiana enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact in 2024.9Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 37 – Social Work Licensure Compact Adoption The compact became operational after seven states joined, and as of mid-2025 roughly 28 states had enacted it. Under the compact, a social worker licensed in a member state can practice in other member states without obtaining a separate license in each one. The compact does not replace Louisiana’s licensing standards; it offers an additional pathway for practitioners already licensed and in good standing in their home state.