{ "_schema": { "about": "Social work licensing requirements per US jurisdiction, for the FIRST credential an MSW graduate holds in that jurisdiction.", "nullRule": "null means we have not read that figure off the board's own page. It never means zero. Do not substitute a default, an average or another state's number.", "attribution": "Social Work Test Prep Academy is not affiliated with any state licensing board or with ASWB. We read each board's published pages and record what they say; the board's page is the source of record. Requirements change.", "fields": { "abbr": "Two-letter USPS code, uppercase.", "name": "Jurisdiction name.", "url": "Absolute URL of the human-readable page.", "json": "Absolute URL of the full record for this jurisdiction.", "checked": "true when we have read this board's own pages and published the record. false means no data yet, not \"no requirements\".", "firstCredential": "The first credential an MSW graduate holds here (abbreviation, title, and the ASWB exam category needed to hold it, null when none is).", "examRequiredFirst": "true when the ASWB exam gates that first credential. false when the jurisdiction licenses or registers you first and the exam comes later (Michigan, California, Florida, Illinois).", "knownFeesUsd": "Sum of ONLY the fees the board publishes for that first credential, in US dollars. null when it publishes none.", "hours": "Plain-language supervised-hour requirement on the path, or the not-checked sentence.", "lastChecked": "ISO date WE last read the board pages behind this record. It is not a board review, approval or sign-off.", "ladder": "Every rung of the licensure ladder in order. `exam` is the ASWB category required to HOLD that rung (null = none); `supervised` means practice only under supervision.", "fees": "The board's own fee lines for the first credential, each with the page it was read from. amount_usd is null when the board does not publish the amount.", "supervision": "The supervised-experience package on the path, each figure with its own source page. A figure the board does not publish is null.", "applicationSequence": "The board's published order of operations, in the board's own terms.", "sources": "The board and statute pages this record was read from.", "records": "The raw rulebook records for this jurisdiction, unmodified." } }, "abbr": "FL", "name": "Florida", "url": "https://www.socialworktestprepacademy.com/licensing/fl", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "checked": true, "lastChecked": "2026-09-06", "board": { "name": "Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" }, "firstCredential": { "abbr": "RCSWI", "title": "Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern (the credential a Florida MSW graduate holds while LCSW hours accrue)", "rung": "supervisee", "exam": null }, "examRequiredFirst": false, "summary": "No exam to register. The Clinical exam comes after your hours.", "aswbExam": null, "knownFeesUsd": 150, "unknownFeeCount": 0, "fees": [ { "name": "RCSWI registration fee", "amount_usd": 150, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" } ], "supervision": { "experience_hours": { "value": 1500, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "client_contact_hours": { "value": 1500, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "supervision_hours": { "value": 100, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "minimum_months": { "value": 23, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "maximum_months": null, "notes": [ "Exam eligibility gate is distinct from the licensure-experience gate: \"applicants shall be deemed eligible to take the examination after the completion of all graduate-level coursework and 18 months of documented experience in clinical settings\" (effective 1/1/2023), but full licensure still requires the full 2-year/1,500-hour/100-hour supervision package.", "Supervision pace is capped/paced at 1 hour of supervision every 2 weeks, consistent with the 100 hours over >=100 weeks structure.", "The RCSWI registration a learner must hold while accruing these hours is valid for five (5) years and cannot be renewed.", "Non-path fee (not in known fees): Licensure by endorsement (out-of-state license), total $180" ] }, "hours": "1,500 face-to-face hours, 100 supervision", "compactMember": false, "applicationSequence": [ "Hold a master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school, with 24 semester hours or 32 quarter hours of clinically-focused coursework including at least one psychopathology course.", "Register as a Clinical Social Worker Intern (RCSWI) with the Board BEFORE beginning any post-master's supervised experience not completed during the graduate practicum.", "Name a qualified supervisor on the registration and pay the $150 non-refundable registration fee.", "Accrue the LCSW supervised experience under that registration: 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy and at least 100 hours of supervision over a minimum of 100 weeks.", "Apply for the ASWB Clinical examination once all graduate coursework plus 18 months of documented clinical experience are complete." ], "ladder": [ { "rung": "supervisee", "abbr": "RCSWI", "title": "Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern (the credential a Florida MSW graduate holds while LCSW hours accrue)", "exam": null, "supervised": true, "source": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" }, { "rung": "advanced", "abbr": "CMSW", "title": "Certified Master Social Worker (administrative, non-clinical; a parallel branch, not a step toward LCSW)", "exam": "Advanced Generalist", "supervised": false, "source": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/certified-master-social-worker/" }, { "rung": "clinical", "abbr": "LCSW", "title": "Licensed Clinical Social Worker", "exam": "Clinical", "supervised": false, "source": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/" } ], "sources": [ { "label": "Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling · RCSWI applicant resources", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" }, { "label": "Florida Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Board page", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/" }, { "label": "Florida Qualified Supervisors for CSW Interns - Board page", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensing/clinical-social-work/" }, { "label": "Florida Licensure by Endorsement application (PDF)", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/applications/491-Licensure-by-Endorsement.pdf" }, { "label": "Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B4-3.0085 Intern Registration", "url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-64B4-3-0085" }, { "label": "Florida Statutes 491.0045 Intern Registration", "url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/florida/title-xxxii/chapter-491/section-491-0045/" }, { "label": "FAC Chapter 64B4-4 Fee rules index", "url": "https://flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=64B4-4" }, { "label": "Social Work Licensure Compact · member jurisdictions", "url": "https://swcompact.org/compact-jurisdictions/" } ], "records": [ { "state": { "name": "Florida", "postal_code": "FL" }, "license_target": { "track": "masters", "title": "Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern", "abbreviation": "RCSWI" }, "board": { "name": "Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" }, "fees": [ { "name": "RCSWI registration fee", "amount_usd": 150, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" } ], "application_sequence": [ "Hold a master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school, with 24 semester hours or 32 quarter hours of clinically-focused coursework including at least one psychopathology course.", "Register as a Clinical Social Worker Intern (RCSWI) with the Board BEFORE beginning any post-master's supervised experience not completed during the graduate practicum.", "Name a qualified supervisor on the registration and pay the $150 non-refundable registration fee.", "Accrue the LCSW supervised experience under that registration: 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy and at least 100 hours of supervision over a minimum of 100 weeks.", "Apply for the ASWB Clinical examination once all graduate coursework plus 18 months of documented clinical experience are complete." ], "aswb_exam": { "level": null, "fee_usd": null, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "supervision_requirement": { "experience_hours": null, "client_contact_hours": null, "supervision_hours": null, "minimum_months": null, "maximum_months": null, "notes": [ "The RCSWI is a registration, not a license: no ASWB exam is required to obtain it. It exists to hold the learner while the LCSW hours accrue, and those hour totals live on the Florida LCSW record.", "A Registered Intern registration is valid for five (5) years and cannot be renewed. A learner who does not reach LCSW inside that window has no second registration to fall back on.", "The RCSWI is what a fresh Florida MSW graduate actually holds. The CMSW (Certified Master Social Worker) is a separate, rarely-pursued administrative certification requiring 3 years of experience and the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam, and it carries no clinical scope: \"This license is an administrative license for social work. You cannot provide clinical services with this designation.\" CMSW sits on the ladder as the `advanced` rung.", "CMSW fees, published on the Board's CMSW page and verified 2026-09-06: $50 application, $150 initial licensure, $5 unlicensed activity. They are not summed into this record because they are a different credential." ] }, "supervisor_eligibility": [ "Four (4) years of clinical social work experience, two (2) of which can be earned during a post-master's clinical internship with the remaining two (2) years of experience earned post-licensure.", "Supervisor must complete supervision training: a graduate-level academic course in supervision meeting Rule 64B4-6.0025, F.A.C., OR a continuing education course in supervisory training meeting the same rule, OR a post-graduate training course for field instructors in clinical social work, OR hold an AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation.", "Non-LCSW supervisors (e.g., licensed marriage & family therapists or mental health counselors approved to supervise CSW interns) must additionally show a master's-level transcript with nine (9) semester or twelve (12) quarter hours of coursework in social work theories and techniques from a CSWE-accredited graduate program, covering at least three of six specified content areas." ], "forms": [ { "name": "Registered Intern Registration (Form DH-MQA 1175)", "source_url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-64B4-3-0085" }, { "name": "Extension Request for Supervised Experience (Form DH5065-MQA)", "source_url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-64B4-3-0085" }, { "name": "Qualified Supervisor Letter", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" } ], "processing_benchmark": { "value": "Florida law provides that an initial application must be reviewed within 30 days; subsequent submitted documents are processed within 14 business days.", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensing/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "endorsement_rules": [ "Florida does not offer an independent master's-level clinical practice license. Clinical practice at the master's level requires RCSWI registration toward LCSW licensure." ], "compact_status": { "member": false, "multistate_licenses_available": false, "source_url": "https://swcompact.org/compact-jurisdictions/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "last_verified": "2026-09-06", "sources": [ { "label": "Florida Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Board page", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/" }, { "label": "Florida Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern - Board page", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" }, { "label": "Florida Qualified Supervisors for CSW Interns - Board page", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensing/clinical-social-work/" }, { "label": "Florida Licensure by Endorsement application (PDF)", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/applications/491-Licensure-by-Endorsement.pdf" }, { "label": "Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B4-3.0085 Intern Registration", "url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-64B4-3-0085" }, { "label": "Florida Statutes 491.0045 Intern Registration", "url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/florida/title-xxxii/chapter-491/section-491-0045/" }, { "label": "FAC Chapter 64B4-4 Fee rules index", "url": "https://flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=64B4-4" } ] }, { "state": { "name": "Florida", "postal_code": "FL" }, "license_target": { "track": "clinical", "title": "Licensed Clinical Social Worker", "abbreviation": "LCSW" }, "board": { "name": "Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/" }, "fees": [ { "name": "LCSW application fee", "amount_usd": 100, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, { "name": "LCSW initial licensure fee", "amount_usd": 75, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, { "name": "LCSW unlicensed activity fee", "amount_usd": 5, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, { "name": "ASWB Clinical examination", "amount_usd": 260, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, { "name": "Registered Intern (RCSWI) registration fee, paid en route to LCSW", "amount_usd": 150, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" } ], "application_sequence": [ "Hold a master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited school, with 24 semester hours or 32 quarter hours of clinically-focused coursework including at least one psychopathology course.", "Register as a Clinical Social Worker Intern (RCSWI) before beginning post-master's supervised experience not completed during the graduate practicum.", "Complete 2 years of post-master's supervised experience: 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy and at least 100 hours of supervision over a minimum of 100 weeks, at 1 supervision hour every 2 weeks.", "Become eligible for the ASWB Clinical examination after completing all graduate-level coursework plus 18 months of documented experience in clinical settings (effective January 1, 2023).", "Pass the ASWB Clinical examination.", "Complete the 8-hour Florida laws and rules course; complete the 3-hour HIV/AIDS course and 2-hour domestic violence course within 6 months of licensure.", "Submit the licensure application, fees, and Livescan fingerprinting/background screening to the Board." ], "aswb_exam": { "level": "Clinical", "fee_usd": 260, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "supervision_requirement": { "experience_hours": { "value": 1500, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "client_contact_hours": { "value": 1500, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "supervision_hours": { "value": 100, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "minimum_months": { "value": 23, "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "maximum_months": null, "notes": [ "Exam eligibility gate is distinct from the licensure-experience gate: \"applicants shall be deemed eligible to take the examination after the completion of all graduate-level coursework and 18 months of documented experience in clinical settings\" (effective 1/1/2023), but full licensure still requires the full 2-year/1,500-hour/100-hour supervision package.", "Supervision pace is capped/paced at 1 hour of supervision every 2 weeks, consistent with the 100 hours over >=100 weeks structure.", "The RCSWI registration a learner must hold while accruing these hours is valid for five (5) years and cannot be renewed.", "Non-path fee (not in known fees): Licensure by endorsement (out-of-state license), total $180" ] }, "supervisor_eligibility": [ "Four (4) years of clinical social work experience, two (2) of which can be earned during a post-master's clinical internship with the remaining two (2) years of experience earned post-licensure.", "Supervisor must complete supervision training: a graduate-level academic course in supervision meeting Rule 64B4-6.0025, F.A.C., OR a continuing education course in supervisory training meeting the same rule, OR a post-graduate training course for field instructors in clinical social work, OR hold an AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation.", "Non-LCSW supervisors (e.g., licensed marriage & family therapists or mental health counselors approved to supervise CSW interns) must additionally show a master's-level transcript with nine (9) semester or twelve (12) quarter hours of coursework in social work theories and techniques from a CSWE-accredited graduate program, covering at least three of six specified content areas." ], "forms": [ { "name": "Application for Licensure as a Clinical Social Worker (by examination)", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/applications/application-licensure.pdf" }, { "name": "Application for Licensure as a Clinical Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist or Mental Health Counselor by Endorsement", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/applications/491-Licensure-by-Endorsement.pdf" }, { "name": "Registered Intern Registration (Form DH-MQA 1175)", "source_url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-64B4-3-0085" }, { "name": "Extension Request for Supervised Experience (Form DH5065-MQA)", "source_url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-64B4-3-0085" }, { "name": "Qualified Supervisor Letter", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" }, { "name": "Verification of Clinical Experience Form", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" } ], "processing_benchmark": { "value": "Florida law provides that an initial application must be reviewed within 30 days; subsequent submitted documents are processed within 14 business days.", "source_url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensing/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "endorsement_rules": [ "Applicants must hold a valid, current license in the specific profession (clinical social work) in another state and have actively practiced in that profession for at least three of the past five years; otherwise they are ineligible to apply by endorsement and must apply by examination instead.", "Endorsement total fee is $180 (same $100 application / $75 initial licensure / $5 unlicensed-activity fee structure as licensure by examination).", "An applicant who is denied licensure or withdraws is entitled to an $80.00 refund (the Initial Licensure Fee and Unlicensed Activity Fee only, not the $100 application fee); refund requests must be in writing and are payable for up to three years from the date of receipt." ], "compact_status": { "member": false, "multistate_licenses_available": false, "source_url": "https://swcompact.org/compact-jurisdictions/", "verified_date": "2026-09-06" }, "last_verified": "2026-09-06", "sources": [ { "label": "Florida Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Board page", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensed-clinical-social-worker/" }, { "label": "Florida Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern - Board page", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/registered-clinical-social-worker-intern/" }, { "label": "Florida Qualified Supervisors for CSW Interns - Board page", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/licensing/clinical-social-work/" }, { "label": "Florida Licensure by Endorsement application (PDF)", "url": "https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/applications/491-Licensure-by-Endorsement.pdf" }, { "label": "Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B4-3.0085 Intern Registration", "url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-64B4-3-0085" }, { "label": "Florida Statutes 491.0045 Intern Registration", "url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/florida/title-xxxii/chapter-491/section-491-0045/" }, { "label": "FAC Chapter 64B4-4 Fee rules index", "url": "https://flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=64B4-4" } ] } ] }