Maine Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Guide - 2024

Maine Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensure Process

This is the next step after obtaining your Licensed Master of Social Worker, Conditional Clinical(MC) license. This license is given to social workers who have gone through all the training and met the requirements to practice independently in a clinical social work setting. These requirements include

Educational Requirement

To apply for this license, you’ll need a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program or a doctorate in social work.

Here you can find all schools offering social work degree programs in Maine.

Examination Requirement

Aspiring LCSWs must pass the Association of Social Work Boards(ASWB)  qualifying exam. In getting your MC license, you must have taken and passed the ASWB masters exam. However, to get an LCSW license, you’ll need to take the ASWB clinical exams.

First, you’ll need to apply for licensure to Maine’s board. The board reviews your application and gives you a go-ahead to apply for the ASWB clinical exam.

To apply, go to the ASWB website and click on “Register For the Exam” on the opening page.

A fee of $260 is required for this exam.

Complete and submit the form, then you’ll be sent an Authorization To Test (ATT). ATT contains information to help you schedule your exam.

After the exam, the ASWB sends your score to the board.

Experience Requirement

With your MC license, you’re required to have completed at least 3200 hours of supervised clinical experience within a period of two to four years. However, if your master’s program did not have a clinical concentration, then 6400 hours of supervised clinical experience is required within a maximum period of four years.

Reference Requirement

You’ll need to provide three professional recommendation letters to get the LCSW license.

• One letter must come from your consultant
• The second recommendation must come from an LCSW, licensed master social worker (LMSW), or certified social worker-independent practice (CSW-IP) from any state or country.
• Then the last recommendation letter can come from either of the professionals listed above or from a board-certified psychiatrist, licensed clinical professional counselor, licensed clinical psychologist, or certified psychiatrist clinical nurse specialist from any state or country.

Applying for Licensure as a Clinical Social Worker

• Get the LCSW application form and fill it out.
• Pay the required application fee of  $70 with an additional $21 for criminal history check. Checks must be payable to Maine State Treasurer.
• Request that your official transcript is sent to the board from your program.
• Submit all necessary documents to the board including verification of consultation forms.
• When your application is complete and approved, the board will review your application and notify you if you are eligible for the ASWB exam.
• If you are eligible, you can proceed to register for the ASWB clinical examination by going to the ASWB website.

The board will be notified of your scores within two weeks of your taking the exam. If you pass, your license will be emailed to you.