New-york LMSW Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Becoming a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in New York State

New York treats the LMSW as the entry-level professional social work license. It does not require any post‑MSW experience hours for licensure, but it does require a substantial, structured field practicum during your MSW program and successful completion of the ASWB Masters exam. (op.nysed.gov)

Below is a step‑by‑step guide, with emphasis on the hour‑based requirements and the exact terminology used by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of the Professions / State Board for Social Work.

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1. Understand what the LMSW is (and isn’t)

NYSED describes LMSW as the entry level degree for individuals entering the social work profession, with: (op.nysed.gov)

• LMSW – no post‑MSW experience required. (op.nysed.gov)

Post‑degree supervised experience hours (e.g., 2,000+ client contact hours over 36 months) are not required for LMSW. Those hours apply to the LCSW license, not the LMSW. (op.nysed.gov)

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2. Meet the general statutory requirements

To be licensed as an LMSW in New York, you must: (op.nysed.gov)

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be of good moral character (as determined by the Department)
• Meet education requirements (see below)
• Meet examination requirements
• Complete coursework or training in the identification and reporting of child abuse from a NYS‑approved provider

There are no pre‑ or post‑degree “experience hours” listed as a standalone requirement for the LMSW license beyond the field practicum hours that are built into your MSW program.

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3. Complete an approved MSW with a 900‑hour field practicum

3.1. Type of degree required

To meet the professional education requirement, you must have an: (op.nysed.gov)

• Master’s degree in social work (M.S.W.), or its equivalent, from a program that is either:
  • Registered by NYSED as licensure‑qualifying for social work, or
  • Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), or
  • Determined by the Department to be substantially equivalent to a registered program, under Sections 74.1 and 52.30 of the Commissioner’s Regulations.

3.2. Required “hours” – the field practicum

The only hour‑specific requirement for LMSW licensure is embedded in the MSW program. NYSED requires that the graduate program: (op.nysed.gov)

• Include “a field practicum of at least 900 clock hours in social work integrated with the prescribed curricular content.”

These 900 clock hours are:

• Part of your graduate education, not post‑licensure employment
• Supervised practice in social work settings that is integrated with coursework in:
  • Social work values and ethics
  • Diversity, social justice, and at‑risk populations
  • Human behavior in the social environment
  • Social welfare policy and service delivery systems
  • Foundation and advanced social work practice
  • Social work practice evaluation and research (op.nysed.gov)

New York does not break this 900‑hour practicum into sub‑requirements such as “X hours of direct practice and Y hours of supervision” for LMSW licensure. Instead, it specifies the single aggregate requirement of “at least 900 clock hours” within an acceptable MSW program.

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4. Child abuse identification and reporting training

Every LMSW applicant must complete: (op.nysed.gov)

• Coursework or training in the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment
• The course must be taken from a New York State–approved provider

There is no separate hour total listed for this training on the LMSW requirements page; you simply need documentation of successful completion from an approved course.

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5. Apply for licensure (Form 1 and associated documents)

5.1. Application and fees

You must file an Application for Licensure (Form 1) and pay the fee to the Office of the Professions. (op.nysed.gov)

Key details:

• Fee for licensure and first registration: $294
• Pay online by credit card if using the online Form 1, or by check/money order if submitting paper forms
• Your application remains pending until all required documents arrive directly from the issuing institutions (schools, licensing authorities, etc.)

5.2. Education verification (Form 2 or Form 20)

Your school must verify your MSW directly to NYSED: (op.nysed.gov)

• Form 2 – Certification of Professional Education, or
• Form 20 – Certification of Graduation from an MSW Program Registered as Licensure‑qualifying (for NYS licensure‑qualifying programs; submitted directly by the school)

The Department will not accept these forms if they come from you instead of the school.

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6. Take and pass the ASWB Masters examination

New York requires the: (op.nysed.gov)

• ASWB “Masters” examination (formerly called the Intermediate exam)

Key points:

• You must have received the MSW degree before NYSED will approve you to sit for the exam.
• Steps:
  1. Submit Form 1 and the $294 fee to NYSED.
  2. Have your school send Form 2 or Form 20 directly to NYSED.
  3. Wait for NYSED to approve your eligibility; NYSED then notifies ASWB.
  4. Register with ASWB to sit for the Masters exam.
• New York will accept only official scores sent directly by ASWB; scores sent by candidates or other jurisdictions are not accepted.

There is no additional experiential hour requirement tied to examination eligibility beyond completion of the qualifying MSW (with its 900‑hour practicum).

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7. Optional: Practice under a Limited Permit while awaiting licensure

If you have met all LMSW licensure requirements except the exam, you may be able to practice under a Limited Permit: (op.nysed.gov)

• Purpose: allows you to practice as an LMSW under general supervision while you finish the exam requirement.
• Requirements include:
  • Submission of Form 1 and $294 licensure fee
  • School verification of degree (Form 2/20)
  • Proof of completed child abuse course
  • Age 21+ and good moral character
  • Application for Limited Permit (Form 5) and $70 fee

The permit is:

• Issued for a specific employment setting (which must be legally authorized to provide licensed master social work services)
• Valid for one year and not renewable
• Supervision must be by an LMSW or LCSW (for non‑clinical LMSW functions; note that clinical work has additional rules).

This limited permit stage still does not impose a specific number of hours (e.g., 1,500 direct / 1,500 supervised) for LMSW licensure; it only controls where and under whose supervision you may work before passing the exam.

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8. Clarifying hours: LMSW versus LCSW in New York

Because many states specify detailed pre‑ or post‑licensure hour requirements, it is easy to assume the same structure for New York. NYSED’s own materials make a clear distinction: (op.nysed.gov)

• For LMSW:
  • Hour‑based requirement:
    • An MSW program that includes a “field practicum of at least 900 clock hours in social work integrated with the prescribed curricular content.”
  • No post‑MSW experience hours required to obtain the LMSW license itself.
• For LCSW (for context only):
  • “Three years of full‑time supervised clinical social work experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment‑based treatment plans,”
  • Defined as not less than 2,000 client contact hours over at least 36 months (and not more than 6 years). (op.nysed.gov)

Those LCSW experience hours do not apply to LMSW licensure. For the LMSW, New York relies on:

1. Completion of a qualifying MSW with the 900‑hour field practicum;
2. Passing the ASWB Masters exam; and
3. Meeting age, character, and child abuse‑training requirements.

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9. Practical checklist (focused on hour‑related elements)

1. Enroll in and complete an MSW program that is either:
   • NYSED‑registered as licensure‑qualifying, or
   • CSWE‑accredited, or
   • Determined substantially equivalent by NYSED.
2. Complete the required “field practicum of at least 900 clock hours in social work integrated with the prescribed curricular content” as part of that MSW. (op.nysed.gov)
3. Complete the NY‑approved child abuse identification and reporting course.
4. Apply for LMSW licensure (Form 1 + $294) and have your school send Form 2 or 20.
5. Get approved by NYSED and then register for and pass the ASWB Masters exam.
6. Optional: Apply for an LMSW Limited Permit if you need to work under supervision before passing the exam.

No separate 1,500‑hour or 3,000‑hour supervised experience requirement exists for LMSW licensure in New York; the only defined hour requirement is the 900‑clock‑hour field practicum embedded in your MSW program.