{
  "_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: \"none\" when it is issued without one, null when an exam applies but no board rule names its level, or when the sources disagree on whether one applies).",
      "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). null when there is no yes-or-no ASWB answer; examOrderReason says why.",
      "examOrderReason": "Why examRequiredFirst is null (null when it is true or false). \"applicant\": the rule turns on the applicant (Connecticut's degree-date cutoff, Minnesota's provisional route, Colorado's jurisprudence exam). \"provider_unconfirmed\": an exam comes first but the rule names only one approved by the board, not ASWB (Louisiana). \"unchecked\": we have not read the board, or the first rung (Nebraska PCMSW). \"sources_conflict\": the primary sources disagree on whether the exam applies, so neither reading is stated (no jurisdiction today). The per-state JSON `summary` states the rule.",
      "knownFeesUsd": "Sum of ONLY the fixed fees the board publishes for that first credential, in US dollars. null when it publishes none. A level-dependent ASWB exam fee (a fee line with amount_by_level) is never in it; it is charged in addition.",
      "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.",
      "compactMember": "true when the jurisdiction has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact. null when not checked.",
      "compactStatus": "Social Work Licensure Compact status: \"enacted\", \"pending_legislation\" or \"no_active_legislation\", with the page it was read from and the ISO date checked. null when not checked.",
      "compactLicenses": "Whether multistate compact licenses are being issued anywhere yet, with the compact's own statement quoted and the ISO date checked.",
      "ladder": "Every rung of the licensure ladder in order. `exam` is the ASWB category required to HOLD that rung (\"none\" = no ASWB exam; null = an exam applies but no board rule names its level); `supervised` means practice only under supervision. Optional: `examChoice` (\"board\" | \"applicant\") says who picks from a multi-level `exam`; `checked: false` marks a rung we have not read a record for (not checked yet, never another license's steps); `examProvider: \"unconfirmed\"` marks a rule that names only an exam approved by the board, so ASWB is not asserted.",
      "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 (counted in unknownFeeCount), or when conflict is true: the sources state different amounts, so neither is used (counted in conflictFeeCount, never in knownFeesUsd). A line with amount_by_level is an ASWB exam fee that depends on the level, kept out of knownFeesUsd.",
      "aswbExam": "The exam for the first credential: level (null when no rule names it) and fee. provider \"unconfirmed\" when the rule names only an exam approved by the board, not ASWB. null when the credential is issued without an exam or its rung is not checked yet.",
      "supervision": "The supervised-experience package on the path, each figure with its own source page. A figure the board does not publish is null, and so is one with conflict: true, where the sources state different figures and neither is used (the hours line says it is not confirmed).",
      "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.",
      "dataProblems": "Every field we could not state plainly, one entry per field: `credential` is the record it belongs to, `path` the field inside that record, `kind` why (unchecked, unpublished, not_applicable, conflict, stale_source, no_single_total), `note` the specifics, `sources` what each source says, verbatim, `askTheBoard` the question to put to the board (or null), `checked` the ISO date we read them. Empty when there are none."
    }
  },
  "abbr": "KY",
  "name": "Kentucky",
  "url": "https://www.socialworktestprepacademy.com/licensing/ky",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "checked": true,
  "lastChecked": "2026-09-29",
  "board": {
    "name": "Kentucky Board of Social Work",
    "url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Pages/Licensure.aspx"
  },
  "firstCredential": {
    "abbr": "CSW",
    "title": "Certified Social Worker",
    "rung": "masters",
    "exam": "Masters"
  },
  "examRequiredFirst": true,
  "examOrderReason": null,
  "summary": "The ASWB Masters exam is required before the license.",
  "aswbExam": {
    "level": "Masters",
    "feeUsd": 230
  },
  "knownFeesUsd": 380,
  "unknownFeeCount": 0,
  "conflictFeeCount": 0,
  "fees": [
    {
      "name": "Application fee (all license types)",
      "amount_usd": 25,
      "source_url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Licensure%20Forms/Application%20Checklist.pdf",
      "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
    },
    {
      "name": "CSW initial license fee",
      "amount_usd": 125,
      "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/",
      "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
    },
    {
      "name": "ASWB Masters examination",
      "amount_usd": 230,
      "source_url": "https://www.aswb.org/exam/",
      "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
    }
  ],
  "supervision": {
    "experience_hours": {
      "value": null,
      "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/",
      "verified_date": "2026-09-29",
      "notes": "201 KAR 23:070 sets a duration, not an hour total: 'the two (2) year minimum time period of supervised practice experience under supervision described in KRS 335.100(3)'."
    },
    "client_contact_hours": null,
    "supervision_hours": {
      "value": 150,
      "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/",
      "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
    },
    "minimum_months": {
      "value": 24,
      "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/",
      "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
    },
    "maximum_months": null,
    "notes": [
      "experience_hours left null: 201 KAR 23:070 and KRS 335.100(1)(b) set a two (2) year minimum of supervised experience, not an hour total. Neither text splits it into weekly hours or a longer schedule for fewer hours.",
      "maximum_months left null: no outer time limit to complete supervised experience was found in 201 KAR 23:070.",
      "At least 100 of the 150 supervision hours must be individual, up to 50 may be group (max 6 supervisees); individual supervision of at least 2 hours every 2 weeks.",
      "At least 60% of experience must be in direct client-professional relationship per the regulation's experience-quality clause."
    ]
  },
  "hours": "Experience: no single total, 150 supervision, for the LCSW",
  "compactMember": true,
  "compactNote": null,
  "compactStatus": {
    "status": "enacted",
    "sourceUrl": "https://swcompact.org/compact-jurisdictions/",
    "checkedOn": "2026-09-19"
  },
  "compactLicenses": {
    "issued": false,
    "statement": "The Social Work Licensure Compact has been enacted in at least seven states and has reached activation status, however multistate licenses are not yet being issued. The implementation process for the compact will take 12 to 24 months before multistate licenses are able to issued.",
    "sourceUrl": "https://swcompact.org/",
    "checkedOn": "2026-10-18"
  },
  "applicationSequence": [
    "Hold a Master of Social Work or Doctorate of Social Work from a CSWE/board-approved program.",
    "Submit the CSW application and pay the $25 application fee to the Board.",
    "Board reviews and approves education/application.",
    "Pass the ASWB Masters examination.",
    "Pay the initial CSW license fee."
  ],
  "ladder": [
    {
      "rung": "bachelors",
      "abbr": "LSW",
      "title": "Licensed Social Worker (bachelor's-level, non-clinical)",
      "exam": "Bachelors",
      "supervised": false,
      "source": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/"
    },
    {
      "rung": "masters",
      "abbr": "CSW",
      "title": "Certified Social Worker",
      "exam": "Masters",
      "supervised": false,
      "source": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/"
    },
    {
      "rung": "clinical",
      "abbr": "LCSW",
      "title": "Licensed Clinical Social Worker",
      "exam": "Clinical",
      "supervised": false,
      "source": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "Kentucky Board of Social Work · CSW applicant resources",
      "url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Pages/Licensure.aspx"
    },
    {
      "label": "201 KAR 23:020 Fees",
      "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/"
    },
    {
      "label": "201 KAR 23:025 Application requirements",
      "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/025/16168/"
    },
    {
      "label": "CSW fees · Application fee (all license types)",
      "url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Licensure%20Forms/Application%20Checklist.pdf"
    },
    {
      "label": "CSW fees · ASWB Masters examination",
      "url": "https://www.aswb.org/exam/"
    },
    {
      "label": "Social Work Licensure Compact · member jurisdictions",
      "url": "https://swcompact.org/compact-jurisdictions/"
    },
    {
      "label": "201 KAR 23:070 Qualifying education/supervision for clinical licensure",
      "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/"
    },
    {
      "label": "KRS 335.100 - License, licensed clinical social worker",
      "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57517"
    }
  ],
  "records": [
    {
      "state": {
        "name": "Kentucky",
        "postal_code": "KY"
      },
      "license_target": {
        "track": "masters",
        "title": "Certified Social Worker",
        "abbreviation": "CSW"
      },
      "board": {
        "name": "Kentucky Board of Social Work",
        "source_url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Pages/Licensure.aspx"
      },
      "fees": [
        {
          "name": "Application fee (all license types)",
          "amount_usd": 25,
          "source_url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Licensure%20Forms/Application%20Checklist.pdf",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        },
        {
          "name": "CSW initial license fee",
          "amount_usd": 125,
          "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        },
        {
          "name": "CSW renewal fee",
          "amount_usd": 125,
          "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        },
        {
          "name": "ASWB Masters examination",
          "amount_usd": 230,
          "source_url": "https://www.aswb.org/exam/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        }
      ],
      "application_sequence": [
        "Hold a Master of Social Work or Doctorate of Social Work from a CSWE/board-approved program.",
        "Submit the CSW application and pay the $25 application fee to the Board.",
        "Board reviews and approves education/application.",
        "Pass the ASWB Masters examination.",
        "Pay the initial CSW license fee."
      ],
      "aswb_exam": {
        "level": "Masters",
        "fee_usd": 230,
        "source_url": "https://www.aswb.org/exam/",
        "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
      },
      "supervision_requirement": null,
      "supervisor_eligibility": null,
      "forms": [
        {
          "name": "Application Checklist",
          "source_url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Licensure%20Forms/Application%20Checklist.pdf"
        }
      ],
      "processing_benchmark": null,
      "endorsement_rules": null,
      "compact_status": {
        "member": true,
        "multistate_licenses_available": null,
        "source_url": "https://swcompact.org/compact-jurisdictions/",
        "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
      },
      "last_verified": "2026-09-19",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "201 KAR 23:020 Fees",
          "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/"
        },
        {
          "label": "201 KAR 23:025 Application requirements",
          "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/025/16168/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "state": {
        "name": "Kentucky",
        "postal_code": "KY"
      },
      "license_target": {
        "track": "clinical",
        "title": "Licensed Clinical Social Worker",
        "abbreviation": "LCSW"
      },
      "board": {
        "name": "Kentucky Board of Social Work",
        "source_url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Pages/Licensure.aspx"
      },
      "fees": [
        {
          "name": "Application fee (all license types)",
          "amount_usd": 25,
          "source_url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Licensure%20Forms/Application%20Checklist.pdf",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        },
        {
          "name": "LCSW initial license fee",
          "amount_usd": 200,
          "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        },
        {
          "name": "LCSW renewal fee",
          "amount_usd": 200,
          "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        },
        {
          "name": "ASWB Clinical examination",
          "amount_usd": 260,
          "source_url": "https://www.aswb.org/exam/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        }
      ],
      "application_sequence": [
        "Hold an MSW/DSW and CSW (or otherwise qualifying master's-level status).",
        "Enter board-approved clinical supervision under a qualifying LCSW.",
        "Complete the two (2) year minimum of post-master's supervised clinical experience (KRS 335.100(1)(b); 201 KAR 23:070), including 150 hours of supervision.",
        "Apply to the Board for LCSW licensure and pay the $25 application fee.",
        "Pass the ASWB Clinical examination.",
        "Pay the initial LCSW license fee."
      ],
      "aswb_exam": {
        "level": "Clinical",
        "fee_usd": 260,
        "source_url": "https://www.aswb.org/exam/",
        "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
      },
      "supervision_requirement": {
        "experience_hours": {
          "value": null,
          "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-29",
          "notes": "201 KAR 23:070 sets a duration, not an hour total: 'the two (2) year minimum time period of supervised practice experience under supervision described in KRS 335.100(3)'."
        },
        "client_contact_hours": null,
        "supervision_hours": {
          "value": 150,
          "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        },
        "minimum_months": {
          "value": 24,
          "source_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/",
          "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
        },
        "maximum_months": null,
        "notes": [
          "experience_hours left null: 201 KAR 23:070 and KRS 335.100(1)(b) set a two (2) year minimum of supervised experience, not an hour total. Neither text splits it into weekly hours or a longer schedule for fewer hours.",
          "maximum_months left null: no outer time limit to complete supervised experience was found in 201 KAR 23:070.",
          "At least 100 of the 150 supervision hours must be individual, up to 50 may be group (max 6 supervisees); individual supervision of at least 2 hours every 2 weeks.",
          "At least 60% of experience must be in direct client-professional relationship per the regulation's experience-quality clause."
        ]
      },
      "supervisor_eligibility": [
        "Active LCSW license.",
        "Two years of active clinical practice following own licensure.",
        "Completion of a board-approved 6-hour initial training course on supervisory practices, plus a 3-hour refresher each renewal period.",
        "No unresolved board citations, no suspended license, no personal relationship with the supervisee."
      ],
      "forms": [
        {
          "name": "Supervision/Supervised Experience Documentation Form",
          "source_url": "https://bsw.ky.gov/Supervision%20Forms/Supervision_Supervised%20Experience%20Documentation%20Form.doc"
        }
      ],
      "processing_benchmark": null,
      "endorsement_rules": null,
      "compact_status": {
        "member": true,
        "multistate_licenses_available": null,
        "source_url": "https://swcompact.org/compact-jurisdictions/",
        "verified_date": "2026-09-19"
      },
      "last_verified": "2026-09-29",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "201 KAR 23:070 Qualifying education/supervision for clinical licensure",
          "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/"
        },
        {
          "label": "201 KAR 23:020 Fees",
          "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/020/"
        },
        {
          "label": "KRS 335.100 - License, licensed clinical social worker",
          "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57517"
        }
      ],
      "gaps": {
        "supervision_requirement.experience_hours": {
          "kind": "no_single_total",
          "note": "The rule sets a two (2) year minimum of supervised experience, not an hour total.",
          "sources": [
            {
              "label": "201 KAR 23:070",
              "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/",
              "says": "the two (2) year minimum time period of supervised practice experience under supervision described in KRS 335.100(3)"
            },
            {
              "label": "KRS 335.100(1)(b)",
              "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57517",
              "says": "Has had a minimum of two (2) years of post-master's degree experience acceptable to the board"
            }
          ],
          "checked": "2026-09-29",
          "ask_the_board": null
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "dataProblems": [
    {
      "credential": "LCSW",
      "path": "supervision_requirement.experience_hours",
      "kind": "no_single_total",
      "note": "The rule sets a two (2) year minimum of supervised experience, not an hour total.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "label": "201 KAR 23:070",
          "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/201/023/070/",
          "says": "the two (2) year minimum time period of supervised practice experience under supervision described in KRS 335.100(3)"
        },
        {
          "label": "KRS 335.100(1)(b)",
          "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57517",
          "says": "Has had a minimum of two (2) years of post-master's degree experience acceptable to the board"
        }
      ],
      "askTheBoard": null,
      "checked": "2026-09-29"
    }
  ]
}