Michigan Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW)

Michigan Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW) Licensure Process

The LMSW license is the ultimate social works license in Michigan. As an LMSW, you will perform more delicate case management, advocacy, mediation, helping to run human services organizations, research, activism, and policy formulation.

There are two branches of LMSW practice in Michigan. They are:

• Macro LMSW, which is an administratively-inclined branch and;
• Clinical LMSW involves clinical roles like psychotherapy.

You can obtain licenses for both branches one before the other. Supervised experience roles are the only difference in requirements for both branches.

Below are the categories of requirements for the LMSW license in Michigan.

Educational Requirements

You will need to complete a Master’s degree in social work from a CSWE-approved institution. Here you can find all schools offering social work degree programs in Michigan.

If you obtained your educational qualifications from outside the United States or Canada, complete and attach the credential evaluation form from the CSWE and mail it to bpldata@michigan.gov or the Bureau of Public Licensing, PO Box 30670, Lansing, Michigan.

Experience Requirements

You will need to acquire 4,000 hours of bachelor-level social work practice under the supervision of an LMSW holder. This experience requirement must come after you have obtained your bachelor’s degree and must be relevant to your branch of choice.

Examination Requirements

The board requires that you take the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Advanced Generalist or Clinical qualifying examination. The examination comes in electronic testing conducted by Pearson Vue, a testing organization.

Afterward completion, the ASWB will send an Authorization to Test (ATT) to your mail if your application is successful. Your ATT contains every detail you need to finish up your examination registration and schedule your examination on the ASWB website. You will also access every resource you require to prepare for your examination.

To register for the examination, follow any of the following steps:

1. Online: Visit www.aswb.org and click on “Register for the ASWB Exam” to fill out the Registration Form. You can use only credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) to make payments on this platform.
2. Mail:  Fill out the Registration Form provided in the Candidate Handbook and post it along with the examination fee to the ASWB Registration Center, P.O. Box 1508, Culpeper, VA 22701. The registration fee is $260.
3. Fax: Complete the Registration Form provided in the Candidate Handbook and fax it to ASWB at 1-540-829-0142. Pay the registration fee of $230 using your credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover).
4. Telephone: Fill out the Registration Form and call the “Registration Center” on 1-888-579-3926 to register for the examination.

Once you receive notification that you passed the examination, apply to ASWB to send a notice to the board.

Reference Requirements

You will need to acquire one supervisory reference from an LMSW license holder or their equivalent in another state.

Applying for Licensure as a Licensed Masters Social Worker

1. Register, Login, and Apply online for LMSW registration on the Michigan MiPlus platform.
2. Complete a criminal background check. After approving your application, the board will send you an application confirmation letter to guide you on how to complete your criminal background check.
3. Complete two hours or more of Implicit Bias training in the five years preceding the licensure application. This is a new regulation that took effect on June 1, 2022.
4. Complete a course in identifying victims of human trafficking.
5. Submit a completed Verification of Social Work Experience form, which will bear your supervisor’s attestation that you completed your work experience.
6. Pay the application fee of $97.20 via a credit or debit card (Mastercard, Visa, or Discover). You will need the following documents to complete your application;
7. Register and sit for the ASWB Advanced Generalist or Clinical Examination and pay the $260. Afterward, have the ASWB send your result to the board which will then send your license.