Mississippi Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Mississippi Licensed Social Worker (LSW) Licensure Process

Licensed social workers represent the majority of professionals in the field as the education and experience requirements are not too advanced. If you intend to start your social worker career at the LSW level, let’s help you get familiar with the requirements and application process.

Education Requirements

Being the entry-level position for most social workers, a bachelor’s degree is all you need to fulfill the education requirement for an LSW license. This degree must have been obtained on the completion of a CSWE or Southern Association of College and Schools (SACS) accredited social work program from an approved college or institution. The program should equip you with the requisite skills for practicing social work at the entry-level, hence it must include periodic fieldwork for exposure to real-life practice. Here you can find all schools offering social work degree programs in Mississippi.

During the application for your license, the board will require proof of having completed such a program, usually in form of an official transcript sent directly from your institution to the board. The transcript must include the degree awarded and the date of graduation.

Examination Requirements

The qualifying examination for an LSW is the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) basic test which is a multiple-choice based test consisting of 170 questions (including 20 pretest questions that do not affect your score) to be attempted over 4 hours on a Pearson Vue computer. Applicants for an LSW license are only expected to register for the ASWB basic level test after they have sent in an application for their LSW license to the state board and they have been certified eligible for the test by the board.

You can register for the test online here. You will be required to specify the state where you are applying for a license. If you want to register by mail or fax, you should download the registration form which you will send to the agency on completion by fax (1-540-829-0142) or by mail to the following address;

Following your registration, you must wait to receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) which will include details about scheduling your test.

The testing fee is $230 and this can be paid to ASWB using MasterCard, Visa, or Discover credit cards. All payments are nonrefundable. Finally, all test results are reported as pass or fail. A failed attempt means you will be required to wait for 90 days before you attempt the test again. You can take advantage of the practice materials on the ASWB website here.

Apply for Licensure as a Licensed Social Worker

Download the application forms for initial licensure from the board website. If you just completed a CSWE-accredited social work program, you are to download the Initial Application Packet. However, if you are within 15 coursework hours from finishing your program, you can apply with the Student Application Packet.

Fill the downloaded forms appropriately, indicating not applicable where you do not have an appropriate reply. The filled forms are to be mailed to the board along with other supporting documents. The mailing address is:

• The application should include a cashier’s check or money order of $75 (license fee) and $27 (application fee) made payable to the board. This application fee is non-refundable.
• The MS board of examiners requires proof of your having completed an accredited, bachelor-level social work program which must be sent directly from your institution in form of your transcript. The program must have been accredited by CSWE or SACS.
• You are required to partake in a fingerprint-based criminal background check within 180 days of completing your application. This must be conducted by an appropriate governmental authority as specified by the board.
• A Sex Offender Registry check will be run on you by the board in which you must show acceptable results.
• On the acceptance of your application, you are to register for, take and pass the ASWB basic test for aspiring LSWs.
• Once all requirements are completed, you can expect to receive your license as soon as possible.