Social Work Test Prep Academy

Getting licensed as a social worker in New York

New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, read .

Your first license

Licensed Master Social Worker (accrues LCSW hours under supervision)

LMSW

Exam required before the license

The ASWB Masters exam is required before the license.

Known fees

Fees the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions publishes for the LMSW
Licensure and first registration$294
Limited permit$70
ASWB Masters examination$230
Known total$594

What else it takes

Supervised hours
2,000 face-to-face hours, 100 supervision
ASWB exam level
Masters
Licensure compact
Not a member
Last checked
1

Next step

Meet NYSED education requirements. Submit Form 1 and fee.

The ladder

New York has 2 rungs. 2 of them need an ASWB exam.

  1. masters

    LMSW

    ASWB Masters

    Licensed Master Social Worker (accrues LCSW hours under supervision). Practice is supervised at this rung.

  2. clinical

    LCSW

    ASWB Clinical

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Requirements change

A701/S988 would repeal the ASWB examination requirement for the LMSW, effective immediately if enacted. It is an active bill, not law, so plan on the exam until it passes. Read the source. The change that does touch you is national: ASWB launched the 2026 exams on August 3, 2026 with three content areas and 122 items, and held fees at $230 Masters and $260 Clinical. ASWB's announcement.

Law calendar read . If New York moves, this page moves with it.

Sources

We read the board's own pages. Nothing here is a guess.

SWTPA is not affiliated with any state board or with ASWB. Requirements change; the board's page is the source of record. This record is also available as JSON.

See your path inside the app

Pick your state once. We keep the fees, the hours and the next step in front of you while you study.

See your path inside the appStart the free diagnostic