How to Get Your Texas Social Work License: Step-by-Step Guide

Social work licenses in Texas provide several paths to a career that pays well and offers excellent job security. Texas social workers make between $51,000 and $86,000 yearly as of May 2024. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects job opportunities to grow by over 6% across all social work fields between 2024 and 2034.

You need to know the licensing process whether you’re just starting out or continuing your education in social work. The Texas social work board offers three license types: Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Each level needs specific educational qualifications that start with a CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work. You’ll also need to complete field experience hours during your studies. The process includes passing required exams and paying fees – the Texas Social Work Jurisprudence exam costs $39.

This detailed guide walks you through each licensing step to help you start your rewarding social work career quickly.

Education Requirements

Your Texas social work career’s foundation starts with education. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) maintains strict educational standards for each license level. Accreditation requirements are non-negotiable.

Educational Pathways by License Level

A bachelor’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program is required to become a Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW). Texas licensing authorities strictly enforce this – all but one of these programs must have CSWE accreditation.

Getting a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) license needs a CSWE-accredited master’s degree in social work or a doctoral degree in social work. Your MSW program must verify supervised field placement during your enrollment.

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) builds on LMSW requirements. You’ll need a CSWE-accredited master’s or doctoral degree in social work. This advanced license needs extensive post-degree supervised experience, which we’ll explore later.

Understanding CSWE Accreditation

CSWE accreditation sets the quality standard for social work education in Texas. The Council reviews programs regularly and classifies them as:

• Fully Accredited: Programs meeting all standards
• Accredited (Conditional): Programs with documented noncompliance issues that need fixing within one year
• Accredited (Withdrawal in Progress): Programs with planned closure dates
• Candidacy: Programs completing at least one year of the Candidacy process toward full accreditation
• Pre-Candidacy: Programs with standards approved in draft form

Make sure your chosen school appears in the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. This rule applies to online, hybrid, and traditional campus-based programs.

Special Considerations for Students

Texas gives you a great chance if you’re enrolled in a qualifying baccalaureate social work program. You can register and take the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Bachelors exam during your studies. You must pass this exam AND graduate with your conferred degree before applying for your LBSW license.

Students planning their education should think over this path: getting a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) first can speed up graduate education by a lot. BSW graduates qualify for Advanced Standing Master of Social Work programs. These programs often cut the typical two-year MSW program to just one year of full-time study.

Your school should email official transcripts directly for license applications. BHEC may accept official transcripts in unopened, school-sealed envelopes sent by mail.

Field Experience Requirements

BSW and MSW programs include mandatory field experience hours in their curricula. These hands-on learning experiences are the foundations of pre-graduation practice. Online programs let you complete coursework flexibly, but all field work hours must happen in person at approved social work organizations.

Educational qualifications help you qualify for examination and licensure. They’re just one part of the detailed Texas social work licensing process.

Exam Requirements

Getting your Texas social work license depends on passing specific exams. The exam requirements change based on the license level you want.

The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) handles the main licensing exams for Texas social workers. Each license needs a different ASWB exam:

• Baccalaureate exam for LBSW applicants
• Master’s exam for LMSW candidates
• Clinical exam for those pursuing LCSW licensure

You must complete the Texas Social Workers Jurisprudence examination before any ASWB exam. This 126-question test covers Texas-specific license rules instead of clinical concepts. Most applicants find it easy because it works like an open-book test about Texas social work laws.

The process starts when you submit an application to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC). ASWB then checks if you can take the right exam. You have one year to use this approval.

ASWB exam fees vary by license level:

• Associate, Bachelors, or Masters Exams: $230
• Advanced Generalist or Clinical Exams: $260

You’ll also need to pay a non-refundable $60 exam preapproval fee.

Texas candidates get a great benefit – you can take these exams while finishing your education. Students in their final semester of a qualifying social work program can register for the ASWB exam before graduation. You’ll need to pass the exam and graduate with your degree before applying for your license.

Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide give these exams. After approval, you’ll get an Authorization to Test email to schedule your exam. They offer special help for candidates with disabilities, health conditions, or those who don’t speak English as their first language.

ASWB sends your results straight to the Texas licensing board. The staff will mail your license to you once you meet all requirements.

You have several ways to prepare for these exams. ASWB sells practice exams on their website. Many universities help current students and recent graduates with test prep materials. The National Association of Social Workers of Texas lists companies that offer paid test prep workshops.

Supervised Experience

Supervised experience is a key part of your path to becoming a licensed social worker in Texas. Your target credential determines the requirements, and clinical licensure needs the most supervision.

LCSW candidates must complete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical practice under a board-approved LCSW Supervisor and at least 100 hours of supervisory sessions. This supervision should span no less than 24 months. Your work hours determine the supervision schedule. Full-time work (30+ hours weekly) requires one hour of supervision each week, which adds up to about 104 supervision hours over two years. Part-time workers get supervision based on their schedule.

Texas sets strict limits on supervision hours. You can’t log more than 10 hours in a single month. Quality matters more than speed. The supervision focuses on building your clinical skills through:

• Assessment and diagnosis of clients
• Treatment planning and implementation
• Ethical practice and decision-making
• Professional documentation
• Cultural competence in diverse settings

Supervisors need a Texas license as an LCSW with supervisor designation (LCSW-S). LMFTs, LPCs, or Licensed Psychologists with proper credentials can sometimes provide supervision. These professionals should have at least two years of post-licensure experience and complete a 40-hour supervisor training program.

Documentation plays a significant role during supervision. You and your supervisor must create a Clinical Supervision Plan when you start and keep detailed session records. Your supervisor will verify your hours on the Clinical Supervision Verification Form for the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council after completion.

Social work students gain practical skills through field education. BSW students complete 420 contact hours. MSW foundation students need 360 hours, while advanced MSW students require 540 hours. These placements happen at approved agencies where students work with experienced social workers to develop advanced skills.

Social workers with out-of-state supervised experience need verification from that state’s licensing authority. If unavailable, Texas may accept documentation from your non-Texas supervisor, who must submit their credentials with your verification forms.

The supervision process bridges academic knowledge and professional practice. This ensures you develop the right competencies for independent practice while meeting the texas social work board’s standards.

Application Process

Your Texas social work credential’s final step requires a formal application to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC). The process starts differently now – you need to register for the ASWB examination directly. This change eliminates the previous requirement of BHEC approval. Your license application through BHEC’s online system becomes possible after passing the exam and graduating from an accredited program.

The BHEC online licensing system portal needs your account first. Smart registration matters – choose an email address you’ll always access, particularly if you’re still studying. Staff reviews applications within six weeks in sequence. The review process works best without unnecessary contact during this time unless you need to answer their questions. Extra communications slow down processing for everyone.

Your application must include:

• Completed online application with non-refundable application fee
• Jurisprudence Examination Completion Certificate (valid within six months)
• Official transcripts sent directly from your educational institution
• ASWB exam scores (electronically transmitted by ASWB)
• National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) self-query report
• Government-issued photo identification

A confirmation email arrives after you submit and pay. Changes become impossible after submission, so additional materials must go through mail or email. The staff sends deficiency notices within a few business days. Your spam folders need regular checks since government domain (.gov) emails might end up there.

Out-of-state applicants need this additional documentation to get licensed in Texas:

• Clinical supervision verification form (for LCSW candidates)
• Verification of licensure from other jurisdictions
• Proof of completed supervised clinical experience

Instructions for fingerprinting come after application submission. The background check costs about $50 extra. Veterans should submit their DD214 to possibly waive fees and speed up their application.

In stark comparison to this common belief, applications remain incomplete until all required documents arrive. Quick responses to deficiency notices help speed up the process. The Council’s Online Search/Verify a License portal shows up-to-the-minute license status updates from BHEC’s public database.

Continuing Education

Texas social workers need to complete continuing education (CE) to keep their licenses active. Licensed social workers must complete 30 hours of CE during each two-year renewal period. This rule applies to all license types – LBSW, LMSW, and LCSW.

The 30-hour requirement includes some mandatory topics. You’ll need 6 hours in ethics and 3 hours in cultural diversity or competency. Social workers with supervisory status must complete an extra 6 hours in supervision each renewal period. These specialized hours count toward your total 30-hour requirement.

A new rule came into effect on January 1, 2024: you must get at least half (15) of your required CE hours from approved providers. These include international, national, regional, state, or local associations of medical, mental, or behavioral health professionals. Here’s who can provide these hours:

• Professional associations like NASW
• Public school districts and charter schools
• Government entities
• Accredited institutions of higher education
• Religious or charitable organizations focused on mental health
• Hospitals or hospital systems
• Council-approved supervisors

CE Broker serves as the official continuing education management system for the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. You’ll need to use this platform to track and report your CE activities. Random audits happen monthly, with 5% of renewal-eligible licenses selected for CE verification.

You can complete your CE hours in several ways. The NASW Texas chapter provides licensure exam review courses, updates on Texas laws affecting social workers, and an annual state conference where you can meet your yearly CE requirements. Many approved providers, including the NASW Professional Education and Training Center, offer online options.

Your CE hours can come from activities beyond traditional courses. Taking the jurisprudence examination gives you 1 hour of ethics credit. You can also get credit for preparing presentations (up to 5 hours), writing books or peer-reviewed articles (up to 5 hours), teaching college-level courses (up to 5 hours), and self-study (up to 1 hour).

You must keep proof of your CE completion for three years after each renewal period. Meeting these requirements helps you practice legally and accelerate your professional growth in this dynamic field.

Additional Information

The Texas social work license system has many more important aspects you should know about. Texas social workers must renew their license biennially by their birth month’s last day. You’ll need to submit your training and practice information that Health and Safety Code §105.003 requires.

Texas provides specialty recognitions alongside standard licenses:

• Independent Practice Recognition (IPR) – Allows LBSW and LMSW holders to practice non-clinical social work independently
• Supervisor Status – Permits qualified LCSWs to supervise others seeking licensure (LCSW-S)
• LMSW-IPR-S and LBSW-IPR-S – Special designations for those supervising others pursuing independent practice recognition

Texas doesn’t have formal reciprocity agreements with other states. However, your out-of-state license might help you bypass certain requirements when you submit verification from your current licensing authority. You’ll still need to complete the Texas Jurisprudence Exam and submit a complete application package.

Licensed professionals who provide direct patient care must complete an HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course before renewal. The licensing board also randomly picks 5% of licensees each month and audits their CE, requiring a self-query report from the National Practitioner Data Bank.

Your criminal history won’t automatically disqualify you from getting licensed in Texas. You must disclose any past arrests, criminal charges, investigations, or convictions beyond Class C traffic misdemeanors. The Professional Licensing and Certification Unit offers Criminal History Evaluation to check your eligibility before you apply.

Licensed professionals who plan to retire can think over emeritus status. Starting January 1, 2024, emeritus status holders must renew their license every two years through the online system without paying renewal fees or meeting CE requirements. The emeritus status becomes permanent once it expires or changes.