Louisiana RSW Requirements & Hours Tracker

In Louisiana, the Registered Social Worker (RSW) credential is the entry‑level social work license regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE). The requirements are set out in the Louisiana Revised Statutes (Title 37, Chapter 38) and the Louisiana Administrative Code (Title 46, Part XXV).

Below is a step‑by‑step guide that tracks those statutes and rules and clarifies exactly what hours—if any—are required.

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1. What “Registered Social Worker (RSW)” Means in Louisiana

Louisiana law defines:

“Registered social worker (RSW) means a person duly registered to practice baccalaureate social work under this Chapter.” (law.justia.com)

Under another section, an individual registered as an RSW may engage in generalist social work practice using social work theory, ethics, and problem‑solving methods to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in areas such as assessment, prevention, intervention, case management, information and referral, supportive counseling, advocacy, research, supervision, community organization, education, and program/policy implementation. (law.justia.com)

Title protection is also explicit: a person with “a current, valid registration issued by the board” has the right to use the title registered social worker and the abbreviation RSW; no one else may do so. (law.justia.com)

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2. Core Eligibility Requirements for RSW

2.1 Good moral character and criminal background check

Both the statute and the Administrative Code require that an RSW applicant:

• Be of good moral character, and
• Undergo a state and federal criminal history check via fingerprints, with results used in the character review. (law.justia.com)

The board’s rule states that each applicant must submit “a full set of fingerprints” for state and federal criminal records checks, and that all information obtained through these checks may be considered in licensure decisions to the extent allowed by law. (regulations.justia.com)

2.2 Required social work degree (accredited by CSWE)

For RSW, Louisiana law requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work from an accredited program:

• Statute: an applicant must “[h]old either a bachelor's degree or master's degree from an accredited social work program.” (law.justia.com)
• Administrative Code: the board requires an official transcript showing either:
  • a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Bachelor of Arts, or Bachelor of Science degree from an undergraduate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), or
  • a Master of Social Work (MSW) from a graduate social work program accredited by CSWE. (regulations.justia.com)

In practice, this means:

• The degree must be in social work (not a “related field” like psychology or sociology), and
• The program must be CSWE‑accredited.

2.3 No exam requirement for RSW

The Administrative Code section on qualifications explicitly adds an exam requirement only for the LMSW and LCSW, not for RSW. (regulations.justia.com)

Secondary sources summarizing LABSWE policy are consistent: they note a “no examination requirement” for the RSW level, while identifying ASWB exams for higher licenses. (socialworkdegree.net)

2.4 No pre‑licensure practice‑hour requirement for RSW

The Louisiana statutes and Administrative Code do not specify any required number of social work practice hours (direct or supervised) to qualify for RSW.

By contrast, the same Administrative Code chapter spells out detailed hour requirements for the LCSW only:

• 5,760 hours of post‑graduate social work practice; and
• 3,840 hours of those must be supervised post‑graduate social work experience, under a board‑approved clinical supervisor. (regulations.justia.com)

Those hour thresholds apply only to applicants for LCSW and are not prerequisites for the RSW credential. For RSW, once you meet the education and character/background‑check criteria, there is no additional hour count (such as “1,500 hours of direct experience” or “1,500 hours of supervised experience”) in Louisiana law or board rules.

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3. Application Process With the Board

The detailed mechanics of applying (forms, timing, and fees) are in the Administrative Code and in LABSWE’s application guidance.

3.1 Obtain and complete the RSW application

The Administrative Code provides that:

• Application forms and instructions are available from the board (downloadable from the website or by request).
• A new application is required for any change in social work credentials. (regulations.justia.com)

In practice (as summarized in licensure guides that track LABSWE procedures), you:

1. Create an online account with LABSWE’s licensing portal.
2. Complete the RSW application in full (using “N/A” where a question does not apply). (mswguide.org)

3.2 Have your school send official transcripts

The board does not allow you to send your own copy. Instead, your university’s registrar must send an official transcript directly to the board verifying the qualifying social work degree described above. (regulations.justia.com)

3.3 Complete fingerprint‑based background checks

As part of the “good moral character” requirement, you must:

• Submit a full set of fingerprints for state and federal criminal records checks, through the agency designated by Louisiana to manage fingerprint data. (regulations.justia.com)

Guides based on the board’s instructions note that this is a mandatory step for RSW applicants and that a background‑check fee is charged by the state’s processing agency. (careersinpsychology.org)

3.4 Pay the non‑refundable application fee

The Administrative Code requires that:

• The application fee for registration be non‑refundable, and
• It must be paid by money order, certified check, or credit card. (regulations.justia.com)

Licensure summaries that follow LABSWE’s handbook indicate that the RSW application fee is in the ~$50–$53 range, but the exact amount can change and is set by the board, so you should confirm the current fee on the LABSWE website or in the latest application materials. (mswguide.org)

3.5 Board review and approval

By rule:

• Applications for registration are reviewed and approved by the board at regularly scheduled board meetings, and
• The application must be complete in every detail, including all required documents, in order to be considered. (regulations.justia.com)

Once the board determines that you meet the statutory qualifications (education plus moral character/clearance of disqualifying criminal history), it issues your RSW registration, giving you the legal right to use the RSW title and to practice baccalaureate‑level social work within the scope described in the statute. (law.justia.com)

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4. Hour‑Based Requirements That Apply to RSW After Licensure

Although there are no pre‑licensure practice‑hour requirements for becoming an RSW, Louisiana does impose continuing education (CE) hours to maintain the credential.

Under the Louisiana Administrative Code’s continuing education rule:

• 20 clock hours of approved continuing education are required each year for renewal of social work credentials, including RSW.
• No more than 10 of the 20 hours may be completed through distance learning (telecourses, internet courses, etc.) in a given renewal year. (law.cornell.edu)
• At least 3 hours must be in social work ethics once every two years for all license levels, including RSWs. (law.cornell.edu)

These are education hours, not supervised practice hours. They do not function like the 5,760/3,840 hour requirements that exist for the LCSW level.

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5. Summary of “Hours” Versus “No‑Hours” for Louisiana RSW

Putting it all together specifically in terms of hours:

• Practice hours required before RSW licensure:

  • None. Louisiana law and LABSWE rules do not require any minimum number of direct practice hours or supervised experience hours to obtain an RSW. (regulations.justia.com)

• Supervised practice hours (where Louisiana does specify numbers):

  • These appear only in the sections governing LCSW applicants:
    • 5,760 hours of post‑graduate social work practice, of which
    • 3,840 hours must be supervised post‑graduate social work experience under a board‑approved clinical supervisor, including a specified minimum of face‑to‑face supervision hours. (regulations.justia.com)
  • Those numbers are not part of RSW eligibility.

• Continuing education hours after you become an RSW:

  • 20 hours of CE every year, with
  • 3 hours in ethics every two years, and
  • No more than 10 hours per year via distance learning formats. (law.cornell.edu)

In other words, for RSW in Louisiana the gatekeeping criteria are degree + moral character/criminal‑history clearance + proper application, not accumulated practice hours. The detailed hour requirements you may see referenced online (5,760 total / 3,840 supervised, plus specified supervision contact) belong to the LCSW licensure track rather than to the RSW credential.