Tennessee
Your Step-by-Step Path to Licensure and Beyond
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
How to become a social worker
Step 1: Attain MSW from a CSWE-accredited Social Work program
Step 2: Obtain Your Tennessee LMSW License using TDC’s Study System
- Register with ASWB, $230 registration fee
- Make an exam appointment with Pearson VUE
- Sign up for TDC’s LMSW Exam Prep: ASWB Masters Level to pass with confidence!
- Once exam is passed, complete the Tennessee LMSW state application:
- $160 application fee
- A passport photo
- Criminal Background Check authorization
- Official school transcript sent directly to the Tennessee Social Work Board
- Declaration of citizenship
- Complete practitioner profile form (in application)
Step 3: Earn Qualifying Hours Towards Your Tennessee Social Work License
- Earn 3,000 hours of social work experience.
- 100 of those hours must be directly supervised, and 60 of those 100 must be face-to-face supervision
- Earned between 2 and 6 years from receiving the LMSW license
- For LCSW, experience must be clinical
Step 4: Apply for your Tennessee LCSW License and Study with Confidence!
- Once more, contact the ASWB and Pearson VUE to get your exam registration and appointment, registration fee $260
- Use TDC’s LCSW Exam Prep: ASWB Clinical Level to pass exam
- Once passed, fill out the Tennessee LCSW state application and submit it to the Board. You will need to include:
- $235 application fee
- A passport photo
- Criminal Background Check authorization
- Official school transcript sent directly to the Tennessee Social Work Board
- Declaration of citizenship
- Complete practitioner profile form (in application)
- Copy of your LMSW renewal card
- One professional reference from a current or former social work employer
- Supervision log and verification of supervision (in application)
- Verification that supervisor had completed a six (6) hour CEU on clinical supervision
Continuing Education Requirements
Pre-licensure - Social workers in TN have the same CE requirements as Licensed Social workers.
License Renewal
- Renewal Cycle: Every 2 years by last day of licensee’s birth month
- Total Hours Required:
- LCSW - 30 hours (15 hours per year)
- LMSW - 24 hours (12 hours per year)
- Must include:
- 6 hours Ethics (3 hours per year)
- 2 hours Rules and Regulations of the Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure (1 hour per year)
- Every 4 years: 2 hours Suicide Prevention Training
- Therapist Development Center is an approved provider through ASWB ACE
Therapist Development Center is an approved provider through ASWB ACE
Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)
How to become a Marriage & Family Therapist
Step 1: Earn Your Degree
- Master’s in MFT or related field from COAMFTE- or Board-approved school
- (Must include a supervised clinical practicum or internship, with a minimum of 700 hours, including 280 direct client contact hours)
Step 2: Accrue Supervised Clinical Experience
- Completion of 2 years of post-degree clinical experience as an MFT
- A minimum of 1,000 hours of clinical practice
- 200 hours must be directly supervised by a Board-approved supervisor
Step 3: Pass Required Exam
- Apply to take the AMFTRB National MFT Exam
- Exam fee $365
- Sign up for TDC’s NMFT exam prep course and study with confidence!
- After passing the written exam, Tennessee requires an oral examination administered by a committee approved by the board.
Step 4: Apply for LMFT Licensure
- Submit supervised hours
- Submit AMFTRB exam results
- Submit official transcripts
- Submit criminal background check
- Pay licensure application fee $200
Continuing Education Requirements
CE Requirements for Tennessee MFTS
License Renewal
- Renewal Cycle: Every 2 years
- Total Hours Required: 20 hours
- Must include:
- 3 hours ethics
Therapist Development Center is an approved provider through ASWB ACE
