North Dakota Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
AKA: North Dakota LMSW License
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The Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) is North Dakota’s graduate-level social work license for people who have completed an MSW or doctoral social work degree and want to move into advanced professional practice without entering the clinical licensure track right away. It is often the right fit for applicants pursuing higher-responsibility roles in agencies, hospitals, schools, community programs, policy settings, administration, and other master’s-level social work positions that do not require private practice authority.
The North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (NDBSWE) regulates LMSW licensure. In most cases, the path involves earning a qualifying graduate social work degree, passing the Board-approved exam for the license sought, completing the Board’s application process, and clearing required background checks. Unlike the clinical pathway, the LMSW does not require a separate post-degree supervision process for initial licensure.
North Dakota requires LMSW applicants to hold a master’s or doctorate in social work from a social work program approved by the Board. For most applicants, the clearest way to meet that standard is to graduate from a CSWE-accredited MSW or DSW program.
The LMSW is tied specifically to graduate social work education. A counseling, psychology, or related behavioral health degree is not the same as a graduate degree in social work for this pathway.
North Dakota law uses the phrase social work program approved by the board. In practice, applicants usually rely on CSWE accreditation to show that the degree meets standard social work education expectations.
North Dakota requires applicants to pass the Board-approved examination for the license sought. The Board certifies applicant eligibility, sets passing standards, and receives proof of successful completion from the exam administrator.
North Dakota’s rules do not simply tell applicants to self-select any exam they want. Instead, the Board uses the examination approved for the license level being sought, and applicants should follow current Board instructions before registering.
For current exam instructions, start with the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners website and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB).
North Dakota’s LMSW application process is document-driven. The smoothest applications are the ones where the transcript, exam verification, references, and background-check materials all arrive in a coordinated way.
Start with the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners website for current forms and application instructions.
North Dakota is fairly specific about references. Applicants who have never worked as a social worker must submit one reference from a social work faculty member, one from a field placement supervisor, and one from a licensed social worker. Applicants who have worked as social workers generally need three references: two from social workers at the proposed level of licensure or higher, and one from a work supervisor. The Board may waive or modify the reference requirement in appropriate circumstances.
Applicants must complete both a nationwide criminal history record check and a child abuse and neglect background inquiry. The applicant is responsible for the related costs.
The Board has an application-status page here: Application Status.
The North Dakota LMSW is the graduate social work license for applicants who want to use an MSW-level credential in professional practice but are not yet applying for the clinical license. In practical terms, it fills the space between the entry-level baccalaureate license and the fully clinical private-practice pathway.
The LMSW is not the license for private practice. North Dakota reserves private practice of social work to the licensed clinical social worker level.
North Dakota renews social work licenses on a two-year cycle tied to odd-numbered years.
North Dakota requires 30 approved continuing education contact hours during each two-year licensing period. No more than 10 hours may come from independent learning without live interaction, and at least 2 hours must concern social work ethics.
For current renewal and CE information, use the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners website.
In North Dakota, many LMSWs work in settings shaped by rural practice, long travel distances, and broad community needs. That often means a mix of direct service, coordination, advocacy, and systems work rather than one narrow specialty.
Because many communities are spread out, LMSWs may work across hospitals, schools, county agencies, tribal communities, and regional service systems. That can make the LMSW especially practical for applicants who want graduate-level social work roles outside private clinical practice.
North Dakota law also treats social work delivered into the state through electronic means as social work practice in North Dakota. If your job involves remote services or clients across state lines, make sure you understand where licensure is required.
The LMSW is the master’s-level social work license, but it is not the private-practice clinical license. If your long-term goal is independent clinical practice, psychotherapy, or private practice, you will eventually need to evaluate North Dakota’s LCSW pathway.
North Dakota’s one-year timing rule on passing exam scores is easy to miss. Keep your application moving once your exam is complete so the score does not go stale for licensing purposes.
It helps to keep one organized folder with your transcript request, exam confirmation, reference information, background-check records, and final license documents. That makes renewal, employer verification, and future licensure upgrades easier.
You need a master’s or doctorate in social work from a social work program approved by the Board.
No. North Dakota does not require post-degree supervised practice hours for initial LMSW licensure.
Yes. Students in good standing in the final semester or quarter of an approved social work program may take the appropriate exam before graduation, but the Board will not grant the license until proof of graduation is received.
You need three written references. The exact mix depends on whether you have previously worked as a social worker.
Yes. Applicants must complete a nationwide criminal history record check and a child abuse and neglect background inquiry.
No. North Dakota reserves private practice of social work to the licensed clinical social worker level.
All licenses expire on December 31 of odd-numbered years, and renewal materials should be submitted on time during that cycle.
Most North Dakota LMSWs need 30 approved CE hours every two years, including at least 2 hours in ethics, with no more than 10 hours from independent learning.
