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Social Work Licensure Compact

Published on Feb 7, 2025

The Social Work Licensure Compact is an interstate occupational licensure compact. Interstate compacts are constitutionally authorized, legislatively enacted, legally binding agreements among states. This compact will enable regulated social workers with bachelor’s, master’s and clinical licenses to serve clients in every state that joins the compact, rather than going through the licensure process in every state where they want to practice. Like the compact for a driver’s license, each Social Work Licensure Compact member state agrees to mutually recognize the licenses issued by every other member state.

During the 2024 Legislative Session, HB326/SB239 passed into law, making Virginia one of seven states that enacted the interstate Social Work Compact on April 12, 2024.

The Social Work Compact is not yet operational. The Compact Commission is currently in the process of developing the infrastructure for Compact states to begin offering privileges to practice in other Compact states, upon application to the Compact Commission for such privileges to practice. Once fully launched, the Social Work Compact will offer eligible licensed social workers a new method for providing services in other member states. If you are interested in learning more about the Social Work Compact, including information about meetings, rulemaking, FAQs and any rules open for public comment, please use the following link: https://swcompact.org/.

Continue to follow our website for updates on when applications for Social Work Compact privilege to practice will become available.

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