How to become a social worker in Idaho
Requirements for Idaho Social Work License
What are the requirements to become a social worker in Idaho?
The Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners (IBSWE), which operates under the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, regulates social work licensing in Idaho. Individuals who wish to practice social work in Idaho must obtain the appropriate license from the Board, unless an applicable exemption applies.
Idaho has three primary levels of social work licensure. With additional education and supervised clinical experience, social workers can qualify for higher levels of licensure.
The three primary levels are:
- Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (LBSW)
- Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
All applicants for Idaho social work licensure must:
- Meet the educational requirements for the license they are seeking.
- Submit a completed application to the Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners, along with the required documentation and fees.
- Pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) licensing examination applicable to their license type.
- Meet the Board’s criminal history and other applicable eligibility requirements.
Educational and experience requirements
Each license requires a different level of education and, for clinical licensure, supervised experience:
- LBSW: A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or otherwise approved by the Board.
- LMSW: A master’s degree or doctoral degree in social work from an approved program.
- LCSW: A master’s degree or doctoral degree in social work, plus 3,000 hours of supervised postgraduate clinical social work experience completed over at least two years and no more than five years.
The LCSW experience requirement includes 1,750 hours of direct client contact and 1,250 hours of assessment, diagnosis, and other clinical social work activities. Applicants must also complete at least 100 hours of supervision.
How do I get a license to practice social work in Idaho?
To obtain a social work license in Idaho, you must submit an application to the Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners (IBSWE) through the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL).
Submit an Application for Social Work License, along with the required supporting documents and application fees, to the IBSWE.
Once your application has been reviewed and approved, the Board will send you instructions for registering for the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination.
You can submit your application by mail to:
Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0063
How much does the Idaho social worker license cost?
Application and licensing fees:
- Initial application – examination: $210 (biennial)
- Application – endorsement: $230 (biennial)
LSW fees: $160
LCSW fees: $180
LMSW fees: $160
Are there any continuing education requirements for an Idaho social worker?
All levels of social workers must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, including at least 2 hours of Professional Ethics. The remaining hours must be relevant to the practice of social work.
The IBSWE conducts random audits, so you only have to submit continuing education documentation if you are being audited. However, you must maintain documentation of your continuing education for four years.
What else do I need to know about starting my Idaho social work practice?
A licensed social worker may want to form an Idaho business entity. Idaho law requires licensed social workers to get IBSWE approval to practice independently. Just fill out the Independent Level Social Work Application and submit it to the IBSWE. After that, forming your Idaho business is easy. Idaho does not require social workers to set up any particular type of entity. Each entity offers different benefits and protections for social workers. In addition to standard corporations and limited liability companies, Idaho allows social workers to form professional corporations (PC) or professional limited liability companies (PLLC). These entities allow certain licensed professionals to form a corporation or LLC for the purpose of practicing their profession. But forming one of these entities is not mandatory either.
Idaho does not require businesses to indicate the type of business they perform in the business name.