Oklahoma LMSW Requirements & Hours Tracker

In Oklahoma, the Licensed Master’s Social Worker (LMSW) is an entry‑level master’s license with no post‑degree supervised‑hours requirement for the license itself. Supervised hours only begin if you later pursue LSW, LSW‑ADM, or LCSW.

Below is a structured guide based on the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers’ statutes and administrative rules.

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1. What the LMSW license is (and is not)

Legal title and scope

The Oklahoma Administrative Code defines the Licensed Master’s Social Worker (LMSW) and places it within specific practice settings (public, voluntary, or proprietary agencies dealing with health, family, justice, education, etc.). Within those settings, LMSWs may engage in program planning, administration, community organization, assessment for services, coordination and evaluation of service delivery, advocacy, policy, and training. (law.cornell.edu)

Crucially, the rule states that “The LMSW shall not engage in the private practice of clinical social work or practice independently.” (law.cornell.edu)

So the LMSW license:

• Authorizes professional social work practice in agency settings.
• Does not authorize independent or private clinical practice; that is reserved for LCSW/LSW/LSW‑ADM under separate rules. (regulations.justia.com)

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2. Core legal requirements to be licensed as an LMSW

The primary LMSW requirements are laid out in:

• Oklahoma Statutes, 59 O.S. §1261.1(C)(2) (licensure types), and
• OAC 675:10‑1‑1.3 – Requirements for Licensed Master’s Social Worker. (law.justia.com)

Putting these together, to qualify as an LMSW you must:

1. Submit the Board’s written application.
   Statute requires applicants to “submit a written application in a form prescribed by the State Board of Licensed Social Workers.” (law.justia.com)

2. Be at least the age of majority.
   Applicants must “have attained the age of majority.” (law.justia.com)

3. Hold the correct degree (education requirement).
   For LMSW, you must have:

   • A master’s degree in social work from an accredited or Board‑approved program. (law.justia.com)

   Most programs follow CSWE standards, which typically include ~900 hours of field practicum, but those are educational hours within the MSW program, not a separate state‑tracked licensure hour requirement. (onlinegrad.syracuse.edu)

4. Pass the required examination.

   • You must pass the ASWB Master’s‑level exam. (law.justia.com)

5. Undergo a national criminal background check and fingerprinting.
   Oklahoma law requires a national criminal history record check and submission of two sets of fingerprints, paid for by the applicant, as part of licensure. (law.justia.com)

6. Be of good moral character.
   The LMSW rule requires the applicant to be “of good moral character.” (regulations.justia.com)

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3. Hours and supervision: what is actually required for the LMSW

Post‑degree practice hours for LMSW itself

For the LMSW license, Oklahoma does not impose any post‑master’s supervised‑practice hours:

• The supervision rule in OAC 675:12‑1‑2 states explicitly:
  “Licensed master social worker. No supervision is required for the LMSW.” (regulations.justia.com)
• The LMSW licensure rule (OAC 675:10‑1‑1.3) lists only:
  • Master’s degree from a Board‑approved program,
  • Passage of the exam, and
  • Good moral character—with no hour requirement. (regulations.justia.com)

So there is no breakdown such as “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience” for the LMSW in Oklahoma.
Post‑graduate hour minimums apply only when you move on to LSW, LSW‑ADM, or LCSW.

Educational (in‑program) hours

The only “hours” tied to LMSW preparation are the field practicum hours that are part of your accredited MSW program (commonly 900+ hours, per CSWE standards). These hours are required to graduate from a CSWE‑accredited MSW but are not separately itemized by the Board as a licensure requirement beyond the requirement to hold the degree. (onlinegrad.syracuse.edu)

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4. How supervised hours work after you have an LMSW

Once you hold an LMSW, you can begin the post‑graduate supervised experience required for:

• LSW (Licensed Social Worker),
• LSW‑ADM (Licensed Social Worker – Administration), or
• LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).

The statute makes this explicit: applicants who want postgraduate supervision toward LSW/LSW‑ADM/LCSW “must hold licensure status of licensed social work associate (LSWA) or licensed masters social worker (LMSW)” before Board‑approved supervision can start. (law.justia.com)

At a high level, Oklahoma law and Board rules currently state:

• Statute (59 O.S. §1261.1(C)(3)–(5)):
  Each higher license (LSW, LSW‑ADM, LCSW) requires 3,000 hours of postgraduate experience in the relevant practice area under professional supervision. (law.justia.com)

• Board supervision rules (OAC 675:12‑1‑6(c)(3)) and clinical requirements (OAC 675:10‑1‑1.2):
  These describe supervised experience as:

  • Two years of full‑time or equivalent part‑time practice,
  • A total of 4,000 hours of post‑graduate practice,
  • For clinical licensure, at least 3,000 of those hours must be direct client contact, and
  • At least 100 hours of face‑to‑face educational supervision during that experience. (regulations.justia.com)

In practice, your supervised hours toward LSW/LSW‑ADM/LCSW are managed through:

• A Supervision Contract filed with the Board and pre‑approved,
• Regular Evaluation of Supervised Experience forms from your supervisor, and
• Maintenance of a supervision log documenting clinical/practice hours and educational supervision hours. (publichealthonline.org)

These hour structures are not LMSW requirements; they are the path you can choose to follow after you already have the LMSW.

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5. Step‑by‑step application process for the Oklahoma LMSW

Drawing directly from Oklahoma law and the Board’s guidance, a candidate’s pathway looks like this:

Step 1 – Complete a qualifying MSW

• Earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE‑accredited or otherwise Board‑approved program.
• Ensure that the program will send official transcripts directly to the Board when you apply. (publichealthonline.org)

Step 2 – Prepare your documentation

Typical items for the Board’s Licensee Application include:

• Completed online license application through the Board’s application portal, indicating LMSW as the license type. (oklahoma.gov)
• Proof of age of majority (usually via ID). (law.justia.com)
• Affidavit of lawful presence in the U.S., as noted in Board‑aligned licensure guides. (publichealthonline.org)
• Two sets of fingerprints and payment for the national criminal background check, to be submitted per Board instructions. (law.justia.com)

Step 3 – Submit the application and fees

• Pay the non‑refundable application fee (commonly cited by current guides as $150, though you should confirm the latest fee schedule on the Board’s site). (publichealthonline.org)
• Send or arrange for:
  • Official MSW transcript sent directly from your university,
  • Any additional documentation requested by the Board.

The Board reviews applications “once all documentation has been received.” (oklahoma.gov)

Step 4 – Board authorization and ASWB exam

• After your application is approved, the Board notifies ASWB that you are eligible to test for the Master’s‑level exam. (publichealthonline.org)
• You then:
  • Register with ASWB,
  • Pay the Master’s exam fee (recently listed as $230), (msweducation.org)
  • Schedule and take the exam.

Oklahoma allows provisional licensure if you meet all requirements except passing the exam; this allows supervised practice for up to one year while you prepare. (msweducation.org)

Step 5 – Issuance of the LMSW license

Once you pass the ASWB Master’s exam and the Board confirms that:

• Education,
• Background check, and
• Good‑moral‑character requirements

are satisfied, the Board authorizes issuance of your LMSW license. (regulations.justia.com)

Licenses must then be renewed annually (all licenses expire December 31), with 16 hours of continuing education each year, including 3 hours in ethics for LMSWs. (oklahoma.gov)

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6. Putting it into practice: what your LMSW lets you do

With your LMSW in Oklahoma:

• You can work as a master’s‑level social worker in agency settings, doing assessment, case management, macro practice, program development, and many forms of counseling under agency auspices. (law.cornell.edu)
• You cannot:
  • Practice independently or in private clinical practice, or
  • Market yourself as providing independent psychotherapy services—those roles require LCSW, LSW, or LSW‑ADM plus the full supervised‑hours sequence. (regulations.justia.com)

If you decide later to pursue independent or clinical practice, your LMSW becomes the necessary platform from which you complete the supervised hours (3,000+ hours under Board rules) and apply for LSW/LSW‑ADM/LCSW.

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Summary of “hours” in Oklahoma for the LMSW path

• Hours required to obtain LMSW:

  • Post‑MSW supervised hours: 0 (none required by the Board). (regulations.justia.com)
  • Educational/practicum hours: Built into your MSW (commonly ~900 hours), as required by CSWE and your program, not separately counted by the Board.

• Hours that come later (if you advance beyond LMSW):

  • Statute: 3,000 hours of supervised postgraduate experience for LSW, LSW‑ADM, and LCSW. (law.justia.com)
  • Board supervision rules: currently describe 4,000 hours of post‑graduate practice, including 3,000 direct client‑contact hours and 100 hours of face‑to‑face educational supervision for clinical licensure. (regulations.justia.com)

For your specific question, there is no Oklahoma requirement like “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience” to become an LMSW. The LMSW itself is awarded once you have the accredited MSW, pass the ASWB Master’s exam, clear the background and character checks, and complete the Board’s application process.