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Board of Social Work Examiners

​Now Accepting Applications for the Provisional License

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  • Initial applicants for Bachelor Social Work (BSW) or Master Social Work (MSW) licensure who have not previously been licensed under this title

  • The Provisional License will expire exactly 24 months after the date of issuance

  • It is mandatory that the Provisional License holder has a Board -Approved Supervisor

  • The Provisional License is non-renewable.  It expires exactly 24 months after the date of issuance.

  • When the Provisional License application is approved by the Board, the license hold is also approved to register for the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam

    • You may take the exam at ANY time during the 24 months

    • Once you pass the exam, you will become fully licensed as an LBSW or LMSW  

    • If the exam is NOT passed and the Provisional License expires, you are not licensed to practice social work in Maryland.

  • Supervised hours while holding a Provisional License will count toward independent practice approval (§19-302 (f)) and Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) requirements (§ 19-302(e)).

  • A Provisional License holder does NOT qualify the holder for a multistate license under the Social Work Licensure Compact (§ 19-3A-01). Practice is strictly limited to Maryland.​ 

  • For more information on how to apply for Provisional License​





​​​Social Work Compact

There is no definite date for issuing licenses but likely within 9 to 12 months. ​Please refer to this Social Work Compact page for answers to frequently asked questions. 

​Social Work C​ompact FAQs

The Board will continue to update licensed social workers via email, the newsletter and on our website. 

MD Responds

The Maryland Board of Social Work encourages you to become a member of MD Responds. Administered by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), Office of Preparedness and Response (OPR), MD Responds is the primary resource for emergency public health and medical volunteers for the State of Maryland.

For more information, please visit the: MD Responds

To volunteer for the Maryland Responds Medical Reserve Corps, please register using this link Register

Veterans Auto & Education Improvement Act of 2022 (PL 117-333)​

If an applicant does not have a Social Security Number

​Other Agencies

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​Co​ntact US​

Board of Social Work Examiners
4201 Patterson Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215
Phone: 410-764-4788
Fax: 410-358-2469
Toll Free: 1-877-526-2541
TDD: 1-800-542-4964
[email protected]

For Technical Assistance: ​[email protected]​​

Technical Support FAQs​