How to Get Your Kentucky Social Work License
Ready to get your Kentucky social work license? The field shows strong growth potential. Kentucky’s healthcare social workers will see a 37.5% increase in opportunities by 2024. The social work profession ranks among the state’s top 20 most-needed careers. This growth creates the perfect time to start your social work career in Kentucky.
The state provides three types of social work licenses, each with unique requirements and career paths. You should understand the license requirements before starting your application. The Kentucky Board of Social Work manages these licenses. They require specific qualifications like proper education, examination, supervised experience, and ongoing education. The process includes fees – $230 for examination and $75 for licensure.
This guide covers everything you need to get your Kentucky social work license. We’ve laid out each step from educational requirements to exam details. The guide explains supervised experience needs and application steps to help you through the process. You’ll also find various career paths with their average salaries: healthcare social work at $50,794, mental health and substance use social work at $34,841, and child and family social work at $39,349.
Education Requirements
Your Kentucky social work license starts with the right educational background. The Kentucky Board of Social Work, 50 years old, sets different education requirements based on your license type.
A degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program will give a solid start to your social work career in Kentucky. This accreditation shows your education meets national standards and prepares you well for professional practice.
You’ll need a master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program to get your Certified Social Worker (CSW) license. This advanced education equips you with professional skills and knowledge. Your master’s program has coursework in clinical assessment, intervention strategies, social policy, human behavior, and research methods.
The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) path requires your CSW license first. You must have that CSWE-accredited master’s degree as your educational base. The LCSW represents an advanced practice level that builds on your master’s education with supervised clinical experience.
A bachelor’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program qualifies you for the Licensed Social Worker (LSW) credential. This undergraduate education teaches you basic social work principles, ethics, and practices for entry-level positions.
You must finish your education before applying for your license. The board won’t accept applications from students still working on their degrees. Your educational institution needs to send transcripts directly to the Kentucky Board of Social Work.
Students with international social work degrees need an evaluation from the Foreign Equivalency Determination Service of the CSWE. This step confirms your education matches CSWE-accredited U.S. programs.
Think over focusing on areas that match Kentucky’s growing social work needs. Healthcare social work shows strong growth potential, making related courses valuable.
Kentucky’s social work licensure follows a clear progression. Each level builds on previous credentials. Moving from LSW to CSW means advancing from a bachelor’s to a master’s degree. The LCSW status needs extra specialized training beyond your master’s degree.
Meeting educational requirements alone won’t guarantee your license. Education forms just one part of qualifying. You’ll also need to pass exams, complete supervised experience, and get board approval.
Keep detailed records of your coursework, especially in clinical practice areas. These records help during your application process. The board might ask for specific course details or training experiences to verify your qualifications.
Exam Requirements
Your next significant step to get your Kentucky social work license is passing the right exam after completing your education. Different exams are required by the Kentucky Board of Social Work based on your license level.
The Licensed Social Worker (LSW) credential requires passing the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Bachelor’s level examination. This exam tests your grasp of basic social work concepts that entry-level practitioners with a BSW degree need.
The ASWB Master’s level examination is required for the Certified Social Worker (CSW) license. Your advanced knowledge and skills from graduate education will be tested.
The ASWB Clinical examination is needed to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). This comprehensive test checks your clinical knowledge and judgment that independent practice demands.
The Kentucky Board will send you an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter after approving your application. You can then schedule your exam with Pearson VUE, the official testing provider. The examination fee of $230 goes directly to ASWB when you book your test date.
ASWB exams have 170 multiple-choice questions. Only 150 questions count toward your score while 20 are pretest items for future exams. You get four hours to finish the test that covers topics relevant to your license level.
You need 75 correct answers out of 150 to pass ASWB exams. The Kentucky Board lets you retake the exam after 90 days if you don’t pass first. All the same, each new attempt needs fresh authorization and another examination fee.
To get ready:
- Read ASWB’s Candidate Handbook for exam content and format
- Buy ASWB’s online practice tests
- Learn the knowledge areas from ASWB’s content outlines
- Join study groups with others taking the same exam
Your exam scores stay valid for one year after passing. Submit your full licensure application to the Kentucky Board within this time to avoid retaking the exam.
You’ll see your scores right after finishing the test if it’s your first attempt. The Kentucky Board gets your results automatically, so there’s no need to send them with your application.
Getting ready for these standardized exams is a big part of your licensing experience. Most candidates do well when they mix study materials with hands-on practice of concepts.
Supervised Experience
Supervised clinical experience is the main requirement to advance your Kentucky social work license, especially if you want to practice independently. The Kentucky Board of Social Work has 20-year old structured guidelines that help you build professional competence under qualified oversight.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) candidates must spend at least two years in full-time post-master’s supervised clinical social work experience. You’ll need to complete at least 200 hours of direct clinical supervision across a minimum of 3,000 total practice hours. You can start accumulating these hours only after you get your CSW license.
Your clinical supervision must meet these specific requirements:
- Face-to-face sessions with your approved supervisor must total at least 100 hours
- Group supervision settings can cover the other 100 hours
- You can count no more than 25 supervision hours in any three-month period
- You need supervision sessions at least twice every month
The right supervisor will shape your professional development significantly. Your clinical supervisor must be a Board-approved LCSW who has:
- Managed to keep an active Kentucky LCSW license for at least three years
- Finished a Board-approved supervision training course
- Stayed in good standing with the Board
Detailed documentation becomes crucial throughout your supervised experience. Your Supervision Logs must include:
- When and how long each supervision session lasted
- What types of cases you discussed
- Which clinical skills and techniques you covered
- What ethical issues you reviewed
CSW applicants moving up to LCSW level must submit a Contract for Clinical Social Work Supervision to the Board before starting supervised hours. This contract spells out the supervision plan, goals, and what both parties need to do.
The Board might approve other supervision options if you don’t deal very well with finding a qualified Kentucky supervisor. These options include:
- Supervisors from other states with matching qualifications
- Video conferencing sessions (up to 50% of required hours)
- Supervision by qualified mental health professionals from other disciplines (up to 25% of total hours)
You’ll need to file a new supervision contract and notification form with the Board within 30 days if you switch supervisors. You might also get temporary licensure while completing your supervision requirements.
It’s worth mentioning that supervision requirements vary by license level. LSWs don’t need post-degree supervision, but CSWs who want independent clinical practice must meet all the detailed supervision requirements above to reach LCSW status.
Application Process
Your Kentucky social work license application is a crucial step in your career journey. The Kentucky Board of Social Work has a 30-year old process that needs proper documentation and attention to detail.
The first step is to create an account on the Kentucky Board of Social Work’s online portal. This digital system makes your application easier to submit and track. You’ll need to pick the right license type—LSW, CSW, or LCSW—based on what matches your qualifications and career goals.
Here’s what you need in your application package:
- Official transcripts sent directly from your educational institution to the Board
- Proof that you passed the right ASWB examination
- Documentation of supervised experience (for CSW and LCSW applicants)
- Three professional references who know your social work practice
- Criminal background check results from both state and federal authorities
- Proof of any licenses from other states, if you have them
- A signed statement showing you understand Kentucky’s social work ethics code
The application fee structure changes based on your license type. LSW costs $25, CSW costs $50, and LCSW costs $75. You’ll need to pay these fees through the Board’s portal when you submit your application.
The Board usually takes 30-45 days to process your application. You must send all materials, including background checks and official transcripts, within 60 days after you submit. Your application might expire if you miss this deadline, and you’ll need to reapply and pay new fees.
New applicants often face delays because they send incomplete documents. Check all your forms twice before you submit them. Start your background check early because the results can take weeks.
The Board will email you when they approve your application or need more information. Once approved, you’ll get your license through the Board’s portal right away.
Remember that applications with past disciplinary actions or criminal convictions need extra review. The Board might ask for more documents or schedule an interview before they decide.
The Kentucky Board of Social Work will keep you updated about your application status. Keep checking your email and portal account for updates or requests. The Board’s staff can answer your questions by phone or email anytime during the process.
Continuing Education
Your Kentucky social work license needs regular professional development through continuing education (CE). Licensed professionals must take part in educational activities to keep their knowledge and skills up to date with the field’s best practices.
Different CE requirements apply based on your license level with the Kentucky Board of Social Work. Licensed Social Workers (LSWs) and Certified Social Workers (CSWs) need 10 CE hours annually. Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) must complete 15 CE hours each year. All licensees must complete 3 hours of ethics training during each renewal period.
Acceptable CE activities include:
- Workshops, seminars, and conferences approved by the Board
- Academic coursework related to social work (1 semester credit equals 15 CE hours)
- Teaching social work courses (maximum of 10 hours per renewal)
- Publishing articles or books in the social work field (maximum of 10 hours per renewal)
- Home study programs approved by professional organizations
License renewal happens every two years on your birth month’s last day. You need to submit documentation of completed CE hours with your renewal application. You don’t need to submit certificates with your renewal application, but keep all CE documentation for at least three years. The Board performs random audits to verify compliance.
New licensees get a prorated CE requirement based on when they got their license. To cite an instance, you won’t need any CE hours if you get your license less than 90 days before your renewal date.
The Board might issue a conditional renewal if you don’t meet CE requirements. This gives you 30 days to complete missing hours, but a $20 fee per deficient hour applies on top of regular renewal fees. Your license could face suspension or other disciplinary action if you don’t complete required CE.
Special circumstances might prevent CE completion. You can ask for a temporary waiver that the Board will assess case by case.
Additional Information
Kentucky social work professionals have access to many resources and developments beyond standard requirements. The Kentucky Board of Social Work oversees and guides all license types as the state’s regulatory body. Social workers can reach them at 125 Holmes Street, Suite 310, Frankfort, KY 40601 or call (502) 564-2350.
Kentucky has joined the Social Work Licensure Compact, which lets social workers practice across state lines with a single license. Seven states have enacted this compact, and multistate licenses will be issued within 12-24 months after implementation. The system will help military spouses who move frequently and expand telehealth services.
Kentucky’s social work salaries differ based on specialization. Healthcare social workers make about $64,840 per year, while mental health and substance use social workers earn $45,450. The annual salary for child, family, and school social workers stands at $57,390.
Kentucky will launch a new online licensing system on October 6, 2025. This update will make application and renewal processes easier for social workers.
The National Association of Social Workers Kentucky chapter, Kentucky Society for Clinical Social Work, and Kentucky Association for School Social Work are great ways to get networking, continuing education, and advocacy opportunities that support your professional growth.