Authority, credentials, and scope
Regulator, governing authority, credential names, regulated titles, scope boundaries, exemptions, and prohibited activities.
Social work credential ladder
Published research · ConfirmedThe member board licenses LBSW, LMSW, and LCSW credentials, which do not carry interchangeable practice authority.
- Applies to
- Use for LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, Independent Practice Recognition, Board-approved Supervisor research in TX.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Application and practice status
Application, education, examination, background check, fees, temporary authority, endorsement, and supervised versus independent practice.
Clinical independent practice
Published research · ConfirmedLCSW is the clinical social work credential; the LCSW application route requires the qualifying supervised clinical experience and Board process.
- Applies to
- Use for LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, Independent Practice Recognition, Board-approved Supervisor research in TX.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Supervision and workforce evidence
Supervisor qualifications, written agreements, settings, hours, reporting, license verification, and hiring or credentialing evidence.
Independent Practice Recognition
Published research · ConfirmedAn LBSW or LMSW seeking independent nonclinical practice may need the Board independent-practice recognition rather than relying on the base license alone.
- Applies to
- Use for LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, Independent Practice Recognition, Board-approved Supervisor research in TX.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Cross-border and practice structure
Telehealth location rules, registration, compact privileges, ownership, entity naming, fee sharing, and multidisciplinary practice.
Supervisor authority is separate
Published research · ConfirmedProviding licensure supervision requires the Board-approved supervisor status and compliance with the social work supervision rules.
- Applies to
- Use for LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, Independent Practice Recognition, Board-approved Supervisor research in TX.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Client-facing operations and records
Disclosure, consent, telehealth, emergencies, advertising, confidentiality, access, retention, minors, subpoenas, closure, fees, billing, and termination.
Social Work Compact not enacted
Open implementation issue · ConfirmedThe BHEC resolution supported possible Texas adoption of the Social Work Licensure Compact, but a Board resolution is not an enacted compact or multistate license.
- Applies to
- Use for LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, Independent Practice Recognition, Board-approved Supervisor research in TX.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11
Maintenance, complaints, and monitoring
Renewal, continuing education, audits, inactive status, reinstatement, complaints, discipline, effective dates, exclusions, and unresolved interpretations.
Social work credential ladder
Published research · ConfirmedThe member board licenses LBSW, LMSW, and LCSW credentials, which do not carry interchangeable practice authority.
- Applies to
- Use for LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, Independent Practice Recognition, Board-approved Supervisor research in TX.
- Known exclusions
- A payer, facility, employer, local government, or another professional board may impose additional requirements.
- Effective date
- No separate future date recorded
- Fact checked
- 2026-08-11