How to Get Your Social Work License in Oklahoma
Social workers across Oklahoma help transform over 800,000 lives each year. Your path to becoming a licensed social worker in Oklahoma proves both meaningful and rewarding. The field continues to expand quickly, as job growth projections indicate a 13% increase through 2030. Understanding the licensure process remains crucial for your professional success, whether you’re starting your career or advancing to the next level.
The Oklahoma social work board oversees five distinct social work licenses: Social Worker Associate (SWA), Licensed Social Worker – Administration (LSW-Adm), Licensed Social Worker (LSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Professionals with a Master of Social Work degree can pursue two main paths – the LMSW and LCSW. The LCSW requires at least 4,000 hours of supervised clinical experience spanning a minimum of two years. This piece outlines the exact steps to become a licensed social worker in Oklahoma and helps you build your career confidently.
Education Requirements
Your social work career in Oklahoma starts with proper education. A degree from an accredited institution is the first step you need to take toward licensure.
The license type you want determines your educational requirements. Each level needs specific qualifications that ensure you can serve clients well.
A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program gives you the knowledge to start your career. CSWE accreditation is significant because it shows your program meets quality standards through peer review. This accreditation proves the quality of your education and your competence after graduation.
A master’s degree is required to get most professional licenses in Oklahoma. These are the three main master’s level licenses:
- Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) – You need a Master of Social Work or Doctor of Social Work degree from a CSWE-accredited college or university.
- Licensed Social Worker (LSW) – A Master of Social Work degree from a CSWE-accredited institution is required.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – You need a Master of Social Work or Doctor of Social Work degree from a CSWE-accredited program and a current LSW license.
Your social work education in Oklahoma covers everything from ethical behavior to diversity. You’ll learn about human rights, research practices, policy work, and skills to help individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Oklahoma offers several CSWE-accredited options to think over. Each school has different deadlines and requirements. To cite an instance, Northeastern State University’s MSW program accepts applications from November 1st to March 1st yearly. Advanced Standing students apply for summer semester while Traditional Pathway students apply for fall semester.
On top of that, some schools have specialized paths. The University of Oklahoma lets you choose between OU Norman with 2-year full-time or 3-year part-time options and OU Tulsa with a 2-3 year degree completion program.
Schools offer various learning formats including campus-based, hybrid, and online options. Online MSW programs can be completed in 9-12 months for Advanced Standing tracks or 27 months for traditional tracks.
You should know that schools often ask for minimum GPA standards, personal statements, references, and might need interviews or background checks.
The Oklahoma social work board will review your credentials after you complete your education. Your transcript must come directly from your school to verify your CSWE-accredited degree.
Getting the right credentials are the foundations of your social work career in Oklahoma. This might take time and effort, but it’s worth it.
Exam Requirements
Getting your license after completing your education requires passing the appropriate Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination. This exam will verify your professional knowledge and competency in the field.
The Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers must approve your application before you can register for any ASWB exam. This process will give a clear path for qualified candidates to proceed with testing. Your ASWB examination registration becomes possible once your application gets approved.
Your license level determines which exam you’ll take:
- For Licensed Social Worker (LSW) or Licensed Social Work Associate (LSWA): Bachelor’s exam
- For Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW): Master’s exam
- For Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): Clinical exam
Each exam level has its own fee:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s exam: $230
- Advanced Generalist or Clinical exam: $260
Once you register with ASWB, you’ll get an Authorization to Test email with your authorization number. This email lets you schedule your exam date with Pearson VUE, the worldwide administrator of social work licensing exams. You can then pick a test center and date that fits your schedule.
LMSW and LCSW applications have slight differences. The LMSW requires a state application with a $150 fee, passport photo, and official school transcripts sent from your university. The LCSW application also needs a $150 application fee.
Each exam contains 170 questions with a four-hour time limit. This standard format helps you plan your strategy whatever exam you’re taking.
You have several resources to prepare well. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Oklahoma Chapter provides preparation courses with Dawn Apgar, a known expert in licensure exam preparation. These courses include virtual instruction, practice tests, and ways to handle test anxiety. You can also find complete preparation materials through online resources.
ASWB’s full-scale online practice tests are a great way to get familiar with the exam format before test day. These tests are available for Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Clinical examinations.
Note that you can get provisional licensure if you meet all requirements except passing the exam. This option lets you practice under supervision for up to one year while you prepare for the exam.
Supervised Experience
Getting supervised experience is crucial to advance your social work licensure in Oklahoma. You must have either a Licensed Social Work Associate (LSWA) or Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) credential before you can start supervision.
A Licensed Social Worker (LSW) credential requires 3,000 hours of supervised experience in social work practice. This practice must happen under a Licensed Clinical Social Worker’s (LCSW) or Licensed Social Worker’s supervision with administration specialty. The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) path requires 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience that includes 3,000 hours of direct client contact. Direct client contact covers activities directly related to providing treatment but doesn’t include administrative tasks, case management work, or travel time.
Here’s how to start accumulating these hours:
- Complete and submit Supervision Contract Form 201 to the Oklahoma social work board
- Wait for email notification with your approval letter and effective start date
- Start accruing supervised experience hours once approved
- Document all supervised experience through the Evaluation of Supervised Experience (EoSE)
The board needs evaluations every six months from the date your original supervision agreement was approved. Remember that evaluations submitted more than 60 days after the semi-annual due date won’t count toward your supervision requirements.
Your supervised experience must include at least 100 hours of face-to-face educational supervision with your supervisor. Record your hours in quarter-hour format (15 min=.25, 30 min=.50, 75 min=.75) since supervised experience hours are processed in 15-minute increments.
The evaluation schedule works like this: You’ll have your first evaluation after getting 50 hours of educational supervision and 1,500 clinical or practice hours. The second evaluation comes after another 50 hours and 1,500 hours. Submit these evaluations within 30 days after each period ends.
If your supervision ends for any reason – whether you change jobs, relocate, or complete required hours – submit Form 208 within 30 days with your evaluation forms and supervision log for that period.
Keep regular contact with the Oklahoma social work board and your supervisor during this experience phase. This stage isn’t just a requirement for licensure – it’s a valuable chance that builds the foundation of your future social work practice in Oklahoma.
Application Process
The next phase of your journey begins after completing your education, examination, and supervised experience requirements. You’ll need to submit a formal application to the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers.
Your license type determines the specific application steps. Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) candidates must submit the state application with a $150.00 application fee. The board will review your application and once approved, you can register for the ASWB Masters exam by paying a $230.00 registration fee.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) candidates need to complete their supervised experience first. The next step involves submitting the LCSW state application with the $150.00 fee. You’ll then need to register for the Clinical Exam through ASWB ($260.00 fee) and schedule your test date and location with Pearson VUE.
Your application package must include these essential documents:
- Official transcripts sent directly from your educational institution
- A recent passport-style photograph
- Completed and notarized Affidavit of Legal Status verifying U.S. citizenship or qualified alien status
- Background check results (service code for OK Social Work Board: 2B7NG9)
The electronic fingerprint background check costs $51.25. Manual prints or out-of-state electronic prints might require additional fees.
Candidates with licenses from other states must also provide:
- A completed verification of licensure form from all states where you currently hold or previously held a license
- An ASWB score transfer request
The Oklahoma State Board’s online portal lets you track your application status. The Board office processes applications as soon as they receive all required documentation. The Oklahoma State Board states that “You will still be listed on a Board meeting agenda as a formality, but you will not have to wait for the Board meeting to be issued your license”.
The timeline varies based on how quickly you complete each step and the current processing times. Most candidates complete the whole ordeal in several months, especially when you have to finish supervised experience and pass examinations.
The Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers website has the most current information about application requirements, forms, and fees. You can also reach out to their office directly with questions.
Continuing Education
Your Oklahoma social work license needs regular professional development through continuing education (CE). The state’s 10-year old requirements help social workers keep their practice knowledge and skills up to date.
Licensed social workers in Oklahoma must complete 16 hours of approved continuing education every year, whatever their credential type (LSW, LSW-ADM, LSWA, LCSW, and LMSW). The rules say 3 hours must focus on ethics education. This ethics rule applies to all license types and specialties.
The state breaks down continuing education into three main categories:
- Category I: Face-to-face workshops, seminars, or interactive learning events. This has live webinars where you can interact with the presenter.
- Category II: Professional meetings where presenters share new information in the social work field.
- Category III: Individual learning activities such as online courses, recorded webinars, and self-directed study.
You need to get at least 8 of your 16 yearly CE hours from Category I (face-to-face or live interactive webinars). Online self-study courses in Category III can make up the other 8 hours.
Social workers with multiple specialty licenses need 22 hours per renewal period instead of 16. The 3-hour ethics training requirement stays the same.
Oklahoma accepts CE credits from providers approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). On top of that, courses from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and its state chapters count too.
The board reviews CE events not pre-approved by OSBLSW, ASWB, or NASW-CE weekly. You can submit Form 505 (Continuing Education Application For Licensees) to get individual approval.
Every Oklahoma social work license needs renewal by December 1 each year. The board might audit your continuing education records. Ethics credits only count when your certificate clearly states it’s for ethics, shows “Ethics” in the course title, or proves the course focused on ethics.
These CE requirements ended up making sure you can serve your clients better with current, evidence-based practices throughout your Oklahoma social work career.
Additional Information
The Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers protects public welfare by setting high standards for licensed social workers. The board aims to raise public awareness about social work practices and upholds standards that reflect best professional practices.
Oklahoma offers several pathways and resources for social workers beyond basic licensure. Out-of-state practitioners can get licensed through reciprocity when Oklahoma has agreements with their state. The state also offers endorsement options for practitioners from states without formal agreements. Your application will likely be approved if your state’s requirements are higher than Oklahoma’s standards.
You need these documents to qualify for endorsement:
- A current and valid transferring license in good standing
- Qualifications that match Oklahoma’s original licensure requirements
- Proof you passed the required licensure examination
- Clean professional credentials without suspensions or revocations
The licensee portal lets you print replacement credentials directly if you lose your wallet card. Name changes need official documentation such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or name change order plus a copy of your updated driver’s license.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) membership helps advance your career. Student members enjoy valuable benefits – free Oklahoma graduation cords, cheaper event registrations, and reduced liability insurance. NASW supports recent graduates with lower membership dues. BSW graduates pay $110 yearly for two years instead of $150. MSW graduates pay $110 for two years and $170 in the third year instead of $225.
Candidates waiting for exam results can apply for temporary licenses. You can request inactive status when not practicing. Reinstating an expired license costs $150 plus any unpaid renewal fees.
These additional resources and pathways help your social work career in Oklahoma grow based on your professional needs and circumstances.