Requirements for Out-of State Applicants Seeking Licensure in California

The California Board of Behavioral Sciences offers two pathways for licensure for those who are applying from outside the state of California: Path A and B. Applicants who will take Path A must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. I have held a license as a clinical social worker in another United States jurisdiction for at least two years.
  2. The license I hold is current, and has been active and unrestricted for at least two years immediately before the date I submit my application to the Board.
  3. The license I hold is at the highest level for independent clinical practice in that jurisdiction.
  4. The degree that qualified me for this license in a master’s degree obtained from a school or department of social work that is accredited by the CSWE.

Applicants who do not meet ALL of the requirements outlined in Path A will follow the BBS instructions for Path B.

To learn more about Path A and B requirements, please review the BBS LCSW Out-of-State Application for Licensure application.

Out-of-State LMFT and LPCC Applicants can review the following BBS documents for in-depth instructions and lists of required coursework: