Hawaii Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (LBSW) Guide - 2024

Hawaii Licensed Bachelor’s Social Worker Licensing Process

This is the entry-level position for Social Work in Hawaii. You can get started on the path of getting licensed by gearing up to meet the following requirements:

Education Requirements

A bachelor’s degree is a core educational requirement for this license. Therefore, you must earn a bachelor’s degree in a social work program from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited college or university or undergo a pre-approved corresponding program.

Find all schools offering social work degree programs in Hawaii, here.

Make sure to have the registrar of your school forward your official transcript showing your qualification, major, and the date your degree was awarded to the agency.

Examination Requirements

The Hawaii Social Work Licensing Board requires a prospective Licensed Bachelor Social Worker to pass an Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) qualifying examination. The examination comes in electronic testing conducted by Pearson Vue, a testing organization. The testing process runs throughout the year.

To apply for the ASWB basic exam, you must submit your application with the non-refundable fee of $60 in check payment to Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

You will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) in your mail if your application is successful. Your ATT contains every detail you need to finish up your examination registration and schedule your examination on the ASWB website. You will also access every resource you require to prepare for your examination.

To register for the examination, follow any of the following steps:

1. Online: Visit www.aswb.org and click on “Register for the ASWB Exam” to fill out the Registration Form. You can use only credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) to make payments on this platform.
2. Mail:  Fill out the Registration Form provided in the Candidate Handbook and post it along with the examination fee to the ASWB Registration Center, P.O. Box 1508, Culpeper, VA 22701. The registration fee is $230.
3. Fax: Complete the Registration Form provided in the Candidate Handbook and fax it to ASWB at 1-540-829-0142. Pay the registration fee of $230 using your credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover).
4. Telephone: Fill out the Registration Form and call the “Registration Center” on 1-888-579-3926 to register for the examination.

Once you receive notification that you passed the examination, apply to ASWB to send a notice to the board.

If you passed your examination and want to transfer to Hawaii, you should fill out a Score Transfer Request Form.

You can reach out to ASWB via the following platforms:

Mail: By filling the Score Transfer Request Form  in the Candidate Handbook and return the completed form and expected payments to:

OR by faxing 1-540-829-0142.

Online: You can also fill out the Score Transfer Form on the ASWB website.

Telephone: 1-888-579-3926 to request an “Official Score Transfer” report.

Score transfer applications cost $40.

Experience Requirements

There are no experience requirements for the BSW license.

Reference Requirements

The board doesn’t require any reference to issue this license.

Applying for Licensure as Bachelor Social Worker

• Fill out and submit the LBSW application form on the board’s website. Fill out every part using N/A for a question that is not applicable. Submit every requirement, including your social security number.
• Pay the $60 application fee.
• Request for your official transcript from the registrar of your school. Your director should send it directly to the board.
• Proceed to the ASWB website to apply for the examination.
• Pay the ASWB examination fee of $230.
• Complete your application for examination on the Pearson VUE website.
• Visit the ASWB website to complete the score transfer form, which will send your examination result to the board.
• You should receive your license afterward.