How to Get Your Nebraska Social Work License
A career in social work in Nebraska requires significant field experience – up to 900 hours for an MSW degree and at least 400 hours for a BSW. The path leads through education, examination, and supervised experience.
The Nebraska social work license board manages four distinct levels of certification and licensure: Certified Social Worker (CSW), Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW), Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP), and Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LIMHP). The highest credential level takes about 7.5 years of dedicated work and study. This includes four years to earn a bachelor’s degree, two more years for a master’s degree, and roughly 1.5 years to complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience. The programs offer strong credentials – the BSSW program’s accreditation dates back to 1975 and the MSW program’s to 1940, both now accredited through 2029.
This page guides you through each step to get your social work license in Nebraska, from educational requirements to the application process and beyond.
Education Requirements
Getting your Nebraska social work license starts with understanding the right educational path. The state lets you choose from several credential levels, each needing specific academic qualifications.
Your Nebraska social work license requirements depend on the credential you want. A bachelor’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) approved program qualifies you for entry-level certification. This Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSW) leads to the Certified Social Worker (CSW) credential in Nebraska. CSWE-accredited BSW programs require at least 400 hours of field education.
Advanced credentials need a master’s degree. The Master of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program meets all educational requirements set by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). These programs include at least 900 hours of field education. An MSW helps you work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through balanced clinical, community, and policy practice content.
MSW students can start at two levels:
- The generalist level (63 credit hours) – if your undergraduate degree isn’t in social work
- The advanced generalist level (39 credit hours) – if you have a BSW degree
Social Work doctoral degrees can qualify you for Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW) and Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP) credentials.
Nebraska gives “advanced standing” options if you earned a BSW from a CSWE-accredited school in the past five years. Nebraska Wesleyan University offers an advanced 34-credit-hour program with 500 practicum hours.
Your educational qualifications need official college transcripts with your application. Send them in a sealed envelope from your school or ask the institution to send them directly.
You don’t need transcripts if you’ve practiced for five years under a license/certificate in another state.
Nebraska schools offer accredited social work programs that fit these requirements. The University of Nebraska Omaha’s BSW program has kept its accreditation since 1975, valid through 2029. Their MSW program, accredited since 1940, runs through 2029 too.
The advanced generalist MSW level teaches mental health therapy (individual and group), mental health disorder diagnosis, community practice, policy, research, program evaluation, and social service setting supervision.
Look at the Nebraska social work license board requirements before starting your license journey. Some programs need previous statistics courses and at least 9 credit hours in social sciences like sociology, psychology, or political science.
Exam Requirements
Your next step to get your Nebraska social work license after completing your education is passing the required examination. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services oversees social work practice and decides which exam you need based on your degree and desired credential.
Your degree area and the type of credential you want in Nebraska determine which examination you must take. You must pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical examination if you have a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree or equivalent and want the Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP) or Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LIMHP) credentials.
You can pass any of these exams – Advanced Generalist, Master, or Clinical Examination if you’re only going for the Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW) credential instead of LMHP/LIMHP.
The examination registration has two main steps:
- Submit your completed examination application to the Nebraska Licensure Unit. You’ll need to include an official transcript showing your master’s or doctorate degree with therapeutic mental health focus if you don’t have a Nebraska provisional license yet.
- After your application gets approved, you’ll receive an authorization letter by email within about 30 business days. This letter includes instructions to complete your registration through the testing service portal.
The Licensure Unit must approve candidates who can’t take the examination through their educational institution. These candidates need a master’s, doctorate, or equivalent degree from an approved program listed in Nebraska regulations.
Each credential needs specific examinations:
- The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards examination for marriage and family therapy degrees
- Either the National Board of Certified Counselor’s National Counselor Examination or the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination for mental health related counseling degrees
- The appropriate ASWB examination for social work degrees
You’ll see your test results right after finishing the exam. The Nebraska Licensure Unit automatically receives these scores if they approved you for testing.
The final step is to submit your passing ASWB score to the Nebraska social work license board after completing your examination. This wraps up the examination requirement and lets you move forward with getting your social work license in Nebraska.
Supervised Experience
Supervised experience plays a vital role in getting your nebraska social work license. You’ll develop your clinical skills with guidance from experienced professionals.
The Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW) credential requires 3,000 hours of social work experience under CMSW supervision. You must complete these hours after getting your approved master’s degree. Your supervisor will verify your experience and submit a Supervised Experience Verification Form to the nebraska social work license board.
Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP) credentials need 3,000 hours of mental health practitioner experience. At least 1,500 hours must be direct face-to-face client contact. Your supervisor should be a Nebraska-licensed mental health practitioner, independent mental health practitioner, psychologist, or qualified physician. Weekly face-to-face meetings with your supervisor must last at least one hour.
The Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LIMHP) credential has these requirements:
- 3,000 hours of mental health experience with at least 1,500 hours with clients diagnosed with major mental disorders
- Supervision by a Nebraska-licensed independent mental health practitioner, psychologist, or qualified physician
- Face-to-face supervision at a ratio of 2 hours per 15 hours of client contact with major mental disorder diagnoses
- You can’t accumulate beyond 45 hours without proper supervision
The nebraska social work license requirements state that hours used for one credential can’t count toward another. You have five years to complete these supervised hours after getting your provisional license. Your provisional status can be extended once if it expires.
There’s another path to the LIMHP credential. You can substitute 10 years of supervised experience plus a qualifying master’s degree instead of standard requirements.
The board recognizes several activities as appropriate MSW work during your supervised experience. These include information and resource development, psychosocial assessments, case management, program development, supportive contacts, social casework, and research.
Working toward multiple credentials? Find a supervisor with both CMSW and LMHP or LIMHP licenses. This strategic collaboration can save time on your path to full licensure.
Quality supervision does more than provide oversight. It covers ethics discussions, work evaluation, and structured guidance that ensures client safety and your professional growth.
Application Process
The last step to get your Nebraska social work license requires completing the application process. You need to submit a detailed application package to the Nebraska social work license board after completing your education, passing exams, and getting supervised experience.
Documentation Requirements Your application package must include:
- Official college/university transcripts sent directly from your educational institution, either in a sealed envelope or electronically
- Proof of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate, U.S. passport, or Certificate of Naturalization—driver’s license is not accepted)
- Verification of licenses/certificates from other states/jurisdictions (if applicable)
- Documentation of supervised experience through completed Affidavit forms
- Criminal background check results (if required)
Application Fees Each credential type has specific fees:
- Certified Social Worker (CSW): USD 50.00
- Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP): USD 155.00
- Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW): USD 50.00 (often combined with LMHP for USD 205.00 total)
- Provisional licenses: USD 125.00
You must pay fees by check or money order since debit and credit cards aren’t accepted. Military spouses might qualify for fee waivers under specific conditions.
Special Considerations Military spouses can get a temporary certificate. They need to submit their military dependent ID, spouse’s active-duty orders in Nebraska, current credentials from another state, and copies of regulations governing social work from their previous location.
Applicants with five years of licensed practice in another state can apply through reciprocity. This bypasses transcript requirements, but you still need to pass the Nebraska social work jurisprudence examination.
Application Timeline and Status The Department of Health and Human Services reviews your application and sends notification by email or letter within 10 days. This tells you if your certificate is issued or if you need to provide more information.
You can check your application status through Nebraska’s online portal: https://www.nebraska.gov/LISSearch/search.cgi.
Your application stays active for 90 days. The board will close incomplete applications after this period and destroy all documents. This means you’ll need to start fresh with a new application.
A successful application means you’ve met all Nebraska social work license requirements. Your license remains valid until September 1 of even-numbered years.
Continuing Education
You need to keep up with professional development through continuing education (CE) to keep your Nebraska social work license active. The learning journey continues even after you get your license.
Your Nebraska social work license needs renewal on September 1 of even-numbered years. You’ll need to complete 32 clock hours of continuing education in mental health practice every two years. The rules say all licensees and certificate holders must complete at least 4 hours of ethics education. This ethics requirement applies whatever your credential level.
Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioners (LIMHPs) have one more box to check. They need 6 hours of continuing education about diagnosis and treatment of major mental disorders each renewal period[162]. This extra training helps LIMHPs stay sharp when working with clients who face serious mental health challenges.
The Nebraska social work license board doesn’t review or pre-approve CE offerings. All the same, they accept courses from providers approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). Make sure your continuing education programs meet Nebraska social work license requirements from trusted providers.
Here’s what counts as continuing education:
- Academic credit (1 semester credit equals 15 CE hours)
- Teaching academic courses or supervising practicums
- Supervising provisional licensees (maximum 6 hours per renewal period)
- Home study or video programs, including electronic delivery
- Authoring peer-reviewed publications (equals 16 hours)
- Workshops, lectures, and interactive webinars (60 minutes equals 1 CE hour)
The good news is you can complete all 32 hours online[172]. This gives you the freedom to meet requirements in ways that work best for your schedule and professional goals.
Some topics won’t count toward your continuing education. Stay away from programs about:
- Leadership training provided through associations
- Business technology, business techniques, and management
- Association business meetings or delegate reports
Regular continuing education helps you maintain professional standards. It expands your knowledge so you can better serve your clients throughout your career as a Nebraska social work professional.
Additional Information
Social work professionals looking to get a Nebraska social work license have several options besides the standard licensing path. These details are crucial if you’re an out-of-state practitioner or have special circumstances.
The state has licensure by endorsement, which many call reciprocity, available to social workers with licenses from other states. You’ll need to show that you’ve practiced actively in your field in the last year or held your credentials for at least five years. While true reciprocity is hard to find in social work, most states let you get licensed through endorsement.
If you apply through endorsement, you’ll need these documents:
- A copy of your state’s licensing laws and regulations
- Your out-of-state credential verification sent straight from your state’s credentialing agency
- ASWB exam scores that ASWB sends to Nebraska DHHS
Nebraska accepts supervised experience from other states that meets its standards. You might still need to take Nebraska’s jurisprudence exam to show you know the state’s specific rules.
Right now, social work doesn’t have a licensure compact like PSYPACT for psychologists. All the same, experts are working on a Social Work Licensing Compact, and the first laws should come out in 2022. This project wants to make cross-state practice easier and boost mobility for licensed social workers.
Nebraska’s social work license board suggests you ask them directly about the latest requirements. This way, you’ll get up-to-date information as rules change.