Social worker certificates and licenses
Wis. Stat. § 457.08
in effect(1) Social worker certificate. The social worker section shall grant a social worker certificate to an individual who qualifies under s. 457.09 (5) (d) or to any individual who does all of the following:
(a) Satisfies the requirements in s. 457.06.
(b) Submits evidence satisfactory to the social worker section that he or she has received a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work from a program accredited by, or a preaccreditation program of, the council on social work education or a doctorate degree in social work.
(c) Passes one or more examinations approved by the social worker section to determine minimum competence to practice as a social worker as specified in the rules promulgated under s. 457.03 (2).
(2) Advanced practice social worker certificate. The social worker section shall grant an advanced practice social worker certificate to any individual who is certified under sub. (1) and does all of the following:
(a) Satisfies the requirements in s. 457.06.
(b) Submits evidence satisfactory to the social worker section that he or she has received a master’s degree in social work from a program accredited by, or a preaccreditation program of, the council on social work education or a doctorate degree in social work.
(c) Passes one or more examinations approved by the social worker section to determine minimum competence to practice as an advanced practice social worker as specified in the rules promulgated under s. 457.03 (2).
(3) Independent social worker certificate. The social worker section shall grant an independent social worker certificate to any individual who is certified under sub. (1) and does all of the following:
(a) Satisfies the requirements in s. 457.06.
(b) Submits evidence satisfactory to the social worker section that he or she has received a master’s degree in social work from a program accredited by, or a preaccreditation program of, the council on social work education or a doctorate degree in social work.
(c) Submits evidence satisfactory to the social worker section that after receiving a master’s or doctorate degree in social work he or she has engaged in the equivalent of at least 2 years of full-time supervised social work practice approved by the social worker section.
(d) Passes one or more examinations approved by the social worker section to determine minimum competence to practice as an independent social worker as specified in the rules promulgated under s. 457.03 (2), or passes the Academy of Certified Social Workers examination administered by the National Association of Social Workers, except that the examining board may require an individual who passes the Academy of Certified Social Workers examination to also pass an examination approved by the examining board that tests the individual’s knowledge of state law relating to independent social work.
(4) Clinical social worker license. The social worker section shall grant a clinical social worker license to any individual who is certified under sub. (1) and does all of the following:
(a) Satisfies the requirements in s. 457.06.
(b) Submits evidence satisfactory to the social worker section that he or she satisfies each of the following:
1. The individual has received a master’s degree in social work from a program accredited by, or a preaccreditation program of, the council on social work education or a doctorate degree in social work.
2. As part of the master’s or doctorate degree program specified in subd. 1. or postgraduate studies, the individual has completed a clinical social work concentration and supervised clinical field training, both of which are approved by the social worker section, except that, upon the advice of the social worker section, the examining board may promulgate rules that allow an individual to substitute a specified number of hours of supervised clinical work experience for the supervised clinical field training.
(c) Submits evidence satisfactory to the social worker section that after receiving a master’s or doctorate degree in social work he or she has engaged in the equivalent of at least 3,000 hours of clinical social work practice, including at least 1,000 hours of face-to-face client contact that includes the diagnosis and treatment of individuals based on the applicable edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or its equivalent, as determined by the examining board, supervised by one of the following:
1. An individual licensed as a clinical social worker who has received a doctorate degree in social work.
2. An individual licensed as a clinical social worker who has engaged in the equivalent of 5 years of full-time clinical social work.
3. A psychiatrist or a psychologist licensed under ch. 455.
4. An individual, other than an individual specified in subd. 1., 2., or 3., who is approved by the social worker section or satisfies requirements for supervision that are specified in rules promulgated by the examining board upon the advice of the social worker section.
(d) Passes one or more examinations approved by the social worker section to determine minimum competence to practice as a clinical social worker.
(4m) Multistate social work licenses.
(a) The social worker section shall grant a clinical-category multistate license to any of the following:
1. An individual who holds or is eligible for a clinical social worker license under sub. (4), satisfies the requirements under s. 457.70 (4) (a) and (b), and pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).
2. An individual who holds a clinical-category multistate license in another state that is a party to the social work licensure compact, has changed his or her state of primary domicile to this state, satisfies the requirements under s. 457.70 (7) (b), and pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).
(b) The social worker section shall grant a master’s-category multistate license to any of the following:
1. An individual who holds or is eligible for an advanced practice social worker certificate under sub. (2), satisfies the requirements under s. 457.70 (4) (a) and (c), and pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).
2. An individual who holds a master’s-category multistate license in another state that is a party to the social work licensure compact, has changed his or her state of primary domicile to this state, satisfies the requirements under s. 457.70 (7) (b), and pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).
(c) The social worker section shall grant a bachelor’s-category multistate license to any of the following:
1. An individual who holds or is eligible for a social worker certificate under sub. (1), satisfies the requirements under s. 457.70 (4) (a) and (d), and pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).
2. An individual who holds a bachelor’s-category multistate license in another state that is a party to the social work licensure compact, has changed his or her state of primary domicile to this state, satisfies the requirements under s. 457.70 (7) (b), and pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1).
(5) Use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In its discretion, the examining board may establish a number of hours required for the diagnosis and treatment of individuals based on the applicable edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or its equivalent for purposes of sub. (4) (c). The number of hours required under this subsection may not exceed 600.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/457.08Fetched: 10/7/2026