The Board encourages individual professional identity and professional development through certification. North Carolina law requires that anyone engaged in clinical social work practice must be Level C licensed by the Board. Level C is licensure. Professional social workers in both public and private setting should seek certification. Certification enhances the recognition of the social work profession as a strong voice in political, economic and service delivery issues.
All states have laws regulating the practice of social work.
Most use the same standardized examination as the N.C. Board, and therefore may allow your certification or licensure by comity in other states. Provisional North Carolina provides a status for MSW's prior to their accrual of two years paid post-MSW supervised clinical experience. Each level requires a formal application process, which demonstrates professional social work education in a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, an examination and professional references. Several levels require demonstration of supervised professional social work experience. A copy of the application for certification can be viewed in another section for example.