FAQs

• A provisional license is valid for one year from the date of issue.

• No. You may only be issued one provisional license per level of licensure.

• Only in certain extenuating circumstances, such as serious, physician-verified illness or death in the immediate family, and military service.
• The extenuating circumstances must be presented in writing for the Board Administrator’s consideration on a case by case basis.
• The extended provisional license will not exceed four months under any circumstances.

• Complete a minimum of 3,600 hours of post graduate social work experience and 90 hours of supervision which has been accumulated over no more than a 60-month period and cannot be completed in less than two years.
• At least one hour of supervision must be documented for every 40 hours worked.

The supervisor must complete the supervisor verification form available on website and give to the licensee to upload on their online application. A separate form should be submitted for each supervisor if more than one supervisor.

• NO. All approvals are done once the board has received a completed application.

No. The online application must be submitted and the verification of supervision must be uploaded and approved before applicant is issued a provisional license or “exam only” approval.

An approval email will be sent to applicant with the contact information when the online application is approved by the board. Applicant can contact ASWB at www.aswb.org or 888-579-3926 

• YES! You will need to have obtained and be licensed at the LMSW level prior to starting your supervision.

All permanent licenses will expire on July 1. Please refer to your licenses for the expiration year, or use our license lookup.

• All changes to address, phone number, and email address and name must be done in writing. You can send an email to socialworkboard@rld.nm.gov or mail the request to P.O. Box 25101 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504. Please note, if you are making changes to your name, you must also submit documentation of the legal name change.

• NO. At the time you submit the name change request and supporting documentation you also need to submit the request for a duplicate license. The current duplicate license fee is $25.00

• All licenses can be verified for free online with our license lookup. 

• You will need to submit a written request and a $15.00 fee to the board office. Please be sure to include your license number, state that the verification needs to be sent to and the mailing address.

The board will need to determine if the application will be processed by Expedited Licensure or Reciprocity. Status letters will be emailed to applicant for required documentation.

Yes. Applicants who are planning to apply for the LCSW or LISW must have completed their supervision with a board-approved supervisor. If an applicant is from another state and has prior supervision hours, this would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The board strongly recommends that you continue to renew your LMSW license until you have taken and passed the Clinical Exam.

You need a total of 30 CEUs. You will need to obtain 6 CEUs in the area of cultural competency. Out of the 30 CEUs, 20 CEUs will need to be board approved. You are allowed a total of 10 non-board-approved CEUs as long as they are still in the profession of social work.

The Board accepts all CEUs approved by NASW, ASWB, NBCC, NM Counseling and Therapy Board, and the NM Psychology Board.

You can contact NASW, ASWB, NBCC, NM Counseling and Therapy Board, and the NM Psychology Board to apply as a CEU Provider.