Mississippi Licensed Social Worker (LSW)
AKA: Mississippi LSW License
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If you want to become a social worker in Mississippi at the bachelor’s level, the Licensed Social Worker (LSW) is the license to know. It is Mississippi’s baccalaureate-level social work license and is commonly pursued by BSW graduates who want to work in agencies, schools, community organizations, case management roles, and other non-clinical settings.
The Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists regulates this license. In general, the path is straightforward: earn a qualifying BSW, meet the Board’s general application requirements, pass the ASWB Bachelor’s exam, and complete the Mississippi application process.
The Mississippi LSW is a baccalaureate-level social work license. It is designed for non-clinical social work practice. That matters because it helps define which jobs and duties fit this license and which ones do not.
Important scope note: Under Mississippi’s rules, LSWs should not provide clinical social work services, psychotherapy, or autonomous practice. In practical terms, this license usually fits roles such as case management, client advocacy, service coordination, program support, discharge planning support, and community-based social services rather than independent clinical treatment.
The LSW is Mississippi’s bachelor’s-level social work credential, so the first major requirement is making sure your degree matches what the Board expects.
Mississippi requires a baccalaureate degree in social work. The Board’s rules specifically require verification of a baccalaureate degree in social work from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
For most applicants, the standard path is a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program. Before applying, make sure your school and program meet the Board’s requirements as written in the rules.
The Board’s current application materials indicate that applicants should submit either a Verification of Education Form or an official sealed transcript. Electronic transcripts may also be accepted if sent according to Board instructions.
You can review the Board’s current forms and instructions here: Social Work Forms and Licensing Information.
Mississippi’s rules include more than just education and testing. Applicants for social work licensure must also meet the Board’s general licensing requirements.
Those requirements are part of the Board’s licensing rules, so it is smart to think about them early rather than treating them as last-minute paperwork.
Mississippi requires applicants for LSW licensure to pass the ASWB Bachelor’s exam. This is the exam tied to the bachelor’s-level social work license.
If you are applying for the Mississippi LSW, you should plan for the ASWB Bachelor’s exam, not the master’s, advanced generalist, or clinical exam.
The Board’s current checklist explains that once your initial materials are in your file, you may be sent an exam approval letter with instructions. The same checklist also notes that test scores are forwarded to the Board after you pass.
For exam information, see ASWB’s exam page. For Mississippi-specific forms and instructions, use the Board’s social work licensure information page.
Mississippi does not require a separate post-degree supervised experience period to qualify for the LSW. That is an important distinction. The LSW is based on meeting the education requirement, satisfying the Board’s general licensure conditions, and passing the required exam.
That said, many employers still structure LSW jobs with oversight, onboarding review, or internal supervision. That is an employment issue, not a separate Mississippi LSW licensure step.
In other words: you do not need to log a set number of post-BSW supervised hours just to receive the Mississippi LSW license.
Mississippi handles applications through its online system, but a smooth application usually depends on having your supporting documents ready before you start.
Use the Board’s online application portal to begin the process.
Do not describe the LSW as a clinical or independent license when discussing job duties with employers. Mississippi’s rules make the scope limits clear, and keeping your intended role aligned with those limits can help avoid confusion during hiring and credential review.
Start with the Board’s main site for official instructions, forms, and contact details: Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists.
Renewal is where many licensees get tripped up, not because the rules are impossible, but because they wait too long to organize continuing education and verify their renewal timing.
Mississippi uses a biennial renewal system. Under the rules:
Always check your actual license record and Board notices so you are working from your own renewal date, not a general estimate.
Mississippi requires 40 hours of approved continuing education during each renewal period. The rules also specify that:
The rules require a listing of earned CE hours plus an attestation statement that the list is true and correct. Even when the Board does not require you to upload every certificate at renewal, keep them organized in case of an audit or follow-up.
You can access Mississippi’s licensee portal for renewal-related steps.
Mississippi licensure is statewide, but the way LSW jobs are structured can vary depending on employer type, geography, and whether a position crosses state lines.
If your employer operates across Mississippi and neighboring states, do not assume one state license covers all regulated work. Ask which state license is required for the role, where the employer considers the practice site to be located, and whether any duties cross into a different state’s regulated scope.
Remote work does not erase licensure boundaries. If your role involves Mississippi-regulated social work services, employers may still expect a Mississippi license on file. Just as importantly, remote work should stay within LSW scope. That means non-clinical services fit more naturally than psychotherapy or other clinical functions reserved to higher-level licensure.
Some Mississippi employers, especially smaller agencies and rural organizations, may have fewer internal social work layers. That can create confusion about who handles case management, who handles therapy, and who supervises what. During interviews, ask for a plain-language description of daily duties so you can confirm the job actually matches LSW scope.
Getting the license is one milestone. Using it well means understanding how employers, HR teams, and credentialing staff interpret the Mississippi LSW.
Do not rely on the title alone. A role labeled “counselor” or “therapist” may still be non-clinical in practice, or it may actually expect duties outside LSW scope. Read the job description carefully and ask follow-up questions if the duties sound clinical.
Hospitals, behavioral health employers, school systems, and larger nonprofits may have internal credentialing rules in addition to state licensure rules. Even if the Mississippi LSW is legally valid for a role, the employer may still prefer or require a higher license for certain service lines.
Application procedures, portal steps, and form handling can change. Before you submit anything, review the Board’s current instructions at Social Work Forms and Licensing Information.
You need a bachelor’s degree in social work. Mississippi’s rules specifically require a baccalaureate degree in social work that meets the Board’s accreditation language.
Yes. The LSW is Mississippi’s bachelor’s-level social work license, so this is not a pathway for unrelated majors or general human services degrees.
You should take the ASWB Bachelor’s exam.
No separate post-degree supervision requirement is listed for LSW licensure. The main licensure path is built around education, general eligibility requirements, and the exam.
No. Mississippi’s rules state that LSWs should not provide clinical social work services, psychotherapy, or autonomous practice.
Mississippi’s general licensure rules require applicants to be at least 21 years old.
Yes. Mississippi requires a fingerprint criminal history information record check and a Mississippi Sex Offender Registry check acceptable to the Board.
Start through the Board’s online application portal, then follow the Board’s current checklist and document instructions.
LSW licenses renew biennially, and the rules state that LSWs renew in September. Whether you renew in an odd- or even-numbered year depends on your license number.
Mississippi requires 40 approved CE hours each renewal period, but LSWs do not submit CE at the first renewal.
Mississippi has a reciprocity pathway described through the Board’s forms and licensing information page. Out-of-state applicants should review the Board’s reciprocity instructions carefully and make sure they are applying for the correct Mississippi license level.
