Nevada Social Work License Requirements

Learn About The Social Work License in Nevada. See Requirements for the LSW, LCSW and LISW Licenses

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LSW LCSW LISW

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The State of Nevada Board of Examiners for Social Workers (BESW) licenses three types of social workers:

Licensed Social Workers (LSW) – This license allows you to engage in social work at a basic generalist level to help individuals, groups, and communities enhance and restore their functioning. Social work includes activities like:

Group work
Case work
Administration
Community organization
Planning and consultation

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Steps Towards Social Work Licensure in Nevada

To be licensed at any level from Nevada’s Board of Examiners for Social Work (BESW) you’ll need to:

Earn a degree in Social Work from a school that’s accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); have your school send your official transcripts to the BESW
Pass an exam sponsored by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Include proof that you’re able to work in the US with your application
Before you receive your license you’ll need to pass a state and federal background check; a fingerprint request form is included with the application for licensure
Pay an initial application fee of $50, and a $125 initial license fee

Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Requirements:

Earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Social Work.
Submit an application for LSW licensure to the BESW. You can choose to indicate on your application that you’d like a provisional LSW license that’s valid for 60 days if you meet all requirements except having passed the ASWB exam. Once the BESW approves your application it will notify the ASWB that you’re cleared to test.
Register with the ASWB for its Bachelors exam. Once you pass this the BESW will issue your LSW license.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCWS)

Requirements:

Earn a master’s degree in Social Work and be an LSW.
Submit an exam approval request to the BESW to be cleared to test for the ASWB Masters exam. Upon receiving approval, register with the ASWB for its Masters exam, and pass this.
Complete a 3,000-hour post-graduate supervised internship in clinical social work. You can find a list of approved internship sites and approved supervisors here. At least 2,000 hours must be in the area of psycho-therapeutic methods, and the entire internship must be completed in not less than two years, and not more than three years. To initiate an internship submit an internship application to the BESW. Your supervisor will notify the BESW once you’ve completed your internship.
Once you’ve completed your internship you can submit an exam approval request to the BESW to get cleared to test for the ASWB Clinical exam.

Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW)

Requirements:

Earn a master’s degree in Social Work and be an LSW.
Submit an exam approval request to the BESW to be cleared to test for the ASWB Masters exam. Upon receiving approval, register with the ASWB for its Masters exam, and pass this.
Complete a 3,000-hour post-graduate supervised internship in independent social work. You can find a list of approved internship sites and approved supervisors here. The internship must be completed in not less than two years and not more than three years. To initiate an internship submit an internship application to the BESW. Your supervisor will notify the BESW once you’ve completed your internship.
Once you’ve completed your internship you can submit an exam approval request to the BESW to get cleared to test for the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam.
Register with the ASWB for its Advanced Generalist exam. Once the BESW is notified you’ve passed the exam it will issue your LISW license.

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Renewing Your Social Work License

Your license expires every year on the last day of your birth month. You can renew your license by completing the renewal form that the BESW mails out 45 days before your license expires. You’ll need to complete continuing education on a two-year cycle to be eligible to renew your license. The renewal info for each license is:

LSW – 30 hours of continuing education every two years; annual renewal fee is $125
LCSW and LISW – 36 hours of continuing education every two years; annual renewal fee is $187.50

How Long Does it Take to Become a Social Worker in Nevada?

Considering it takes four years to earn a BSW degree, and an additional two years to earn an MSW degree, you can expect to invest the following minimum amounts of time into earning each license:

LSW – Four years
LCSW – Eight years
LISW – Eight years

Social Work Degrees in Nevada

If you want to become licensed in Nevada then you need a degree from a program that’s accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). There are four such programs located in Nevada, including one that’s offered online. While the CSWE doesn’t accredit programs at the doctoral level, you can also opt to earn one of these and demonstrate that you’re committed to having the highest possible level of education in social work.

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (BSW)

Nevada is home to two CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Nevada. These programs are typically at least 120 semester credits and include a 400-hour field education segment. Once you earn a BSW you can qualify for an LSW license. A BSW is also a logical first step towards earning an MSW degree and qualifying for higher levels of social work licensure.

Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW)

Earning an MSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program fulfills the education requirement for all levels of social work licensure in Nevada. Right now there are two MSW programs in the state, including one that offers the option for online study. Being CSWE-accredited means that by default an MSW program includes a 900-hour field education experience.

Doctoral Degree in Social Work

Doctoral degrees in this field are offered in PhD programs and Doctor of Social Work (DSW) programs. PhD programs can be more research-intensive and take more time to complete than DSW programs, which may be more focused on clinical aspects of social work. Both programs offer options for specialized study of niche topics within the wider field.

Reciprocity

You can apply for licensure at any of these levels via endorsement if you’re currently licensed in another state at a similar level that has similar requirements as Nevada’s. Have your out-of-state social work licensing board verify your license by completing this form and sending it to the BESW. The BESW also needs the ASWB to send it your official exam score reports. You’ll need to pay an additional endorsement fee of $125, and complete the following application for the license you’re applying for:

Social Work Salaries in Nevada

The US Department of Labor reports the following average annual salaries for several social work careers in 2020, specifically for Nevada:

Social and Community Service Manager – $77,640
Healthcare Social Worker – $72,640
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker – $58,790
Child, Family, and School Social Worker – $53,980
Social Worker, All Other – $72,450

Social Work Resources in Nevada

Nevada Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers – Whether it’s breakthrough treatments, changes in government regulations, or opportunities for professional networking and continuing education, this local chapter of the largest social work association in the nation keeps its members up-to-date with the latest developments.

Nevada Counseling Association – The state’s largest division of multi-disciplinary mental health professionals, this agency’s main goal is to promote the development of professional mental health providers, and thereby enhance the quality of life for all. It holds an annual conference and offers opportunities for continuing education and networking.

State of Nevada Association of Addiction Professionals (SNAAP) – This organization provides education for professionals in this field, especially in ethics and diversity. It hosts monthly meetings as well as symposiums that offer networking opportunities while you also fulfill continuing education requirements.

Career Opportunities in Nevada

Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) – This is the state-level agency that’s at the forefront of addressing many topics that social workers are extremely familiar with. It hosts many branches that social workers encounter directly or through partner organizations on a daily basis, including the Division of Child and Family Services, the Division of Aging and Disability Services, the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services, and the Division of Public and Behavioral Health.

Division of Public and Behavioral Health – Under the umbrella of the DHHS, this state agency is responsible for helping those facing mental and behavioral health problems. The division operates multiple programs that provide resources for behavioral health wellness, chronic disease prevention, health promotion, and family health, including maternal, child, and adolescent health.

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