All Licensees:

License renewal applications are emailed to the licensee using the email address on file ninety (90) to one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the month of expiration. The licensee shall complete and sign the renewal application and submit with appropriate fee and accounting of continuing education activity recognized by the Board prior to the expiration of existing license. The licensee shall allow up to fifteen (15) business days to process a renewal. Licenses cannot be renewed without a completed and signed renewal applicaiton.

Waiver of Continuing Education (applies to Regular Licensees only):

For regular licensees who have experienced extreme and unusual hardship that resulted in long-term absence from practice or other extreme situation involving illness or family, a waiver of all or part of the required face to face continuing education may be considered and renewal allowed. The subsequent renewal may be contingent on the waived continuing education credits being taken within the first six months of renewal; such hours will not count toward the required continuing education of the renewed cycle. The Board encourages individuals utilize online continuing education options and Category II hours, and make a request to use additional hours of online education if one is unable to complete the continuing education. Submit a detailed written explanation of the extreme and unusual circumstances prior to license expiration. To avoid loss of license, if not practicing for long-term, use the Inactive License Status privilege.

Responsibility of Licensee (applies to all licensees):

It is the responsibility of the licensee to contact the board for renewal information if they have not received their renewal application at least sixty (60) days prior to the date of expiration. In most cases this occurs because an address is no longer valid and the renewal application has been returned to the Board office. Whether or not you receive your renewal application, it is the responsibility of the licensee to obtain a license renewal form and renew the license within the legal time frame.

Notify the Board immediately of any address change at the time it occurs. Use the fax, email, regular mail, or phone message to report a change of address.

Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal:

Regular Licensees:  All regular licensed social workers (LSW, LGSW, LCSW, LICSW) must earn thirty (30) hours of WV Board of Social Work (WVBSW) approved continuing social work education hours in each two-year licensing period.

Licensees have a number of options in meeting the required thirty hours of continuing education, which may include online courses or face to face options (Category I) and independent study (Category II). While the social worker may use all thirty hours attending approved conferences or workshops, there are restrictions on the number of hours available for online or independent study. Category I hours should be reported with a provider issued certificate or continuing educaiton form.

Provisional Licensees:  For persons determined eligible for this licensure after July 1. 2013: they must complete twelve (12) hours of CSWE accredited social work courses as designed and approved by the Board in addition to other continuing education. All required courses will be available online and are geared to the nontraditional student who has graduated from another field and who is currently practicing. In addition to the requirement course work, the provisional licensee is responsible for earning an additional 20 hours of Board approved continuing education per two year licensing cycle.

If a provisional license is enrolled in a CSWE accredited Bachelor or Master of Social Work Program, the individual is not subject to the twelve hours of required coursework.

Service Worker Registrants must earn 20 hours of Category I social work continung education within the two year registry cycle.

Carry-Over Rule (applies to all licensees):

Any active licensee who has satisfied the total continuing education requirements and has renewed their existing license prior to expiration, may carry over excess hours earned from Board approved programs that they have attended within forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration date on the license. Only training that was not previously reported that is earned during this period may apply to the next renewed license. The “carry-over” date will vary and is determined by the individual’s license expiration date. Carry-over records should not be submitted until after you have renewed your existing license. When submitting programs earned during a “carry-over” period, the licensee should attach a note indicating that the training was earned during the carry-over period and was not used with the previous license renewal. For any license that expires on January 1st, ----, the carry-over date is, and always has been the November 15th prior to license expiration.

Renewal Processing Time (applies to all licensees):

Allow at least ten to fifteen business days following receipt of your renewal application, fee, and continuing education record. If you do not receive a response within three weeks after mailing your application, you should contact the Board by phone, fax, mail, or email. Continuing Education records should be submitted as soon as the fifty hours have been completed or may be sent after completion of each program using the older standard form provided by the Board. Please do not fax and mail records or duplicate reports.

Temporary Permit:

Temporary Permits are not renewable and are not subject to continuing education requirements.

Review the Professional Manual for additional information.