⚠️ Important: This comparison is based on published state licensing requirements and may not reflect recent changes. Reciprocity and transfer rules change frequently and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by state licensing boards. This tool is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Always contact Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure directly to confirm current transfer requirements before submitting any applications or fees.

Transfer Your Social Worker License: Alabama → Tennessee

Everything you need to know about transferring your social worker license from Alabama to Tennessee

Reciprocity Available

Tennessee is a member of the Social Work Interstate Compact, which facilitates license mobility between member states. License by endorsement is also available for practitioners from non-compact states.

Requirements Comparison

Requirement	Alabama (AL)	Tennessee (TN)
Education Requirements	Not available	Not available
Exam Requirements	Not available	Not available
Experience Requirements	Not available	Not available
Fees	application fee: $75 ($78.50 online); aswb exam fee: $230 for Bachelor's/Master's; $260 for Clinical (plus $25 board exam application fee); license fee: $75; supervision registration fee: Included in application; renewal fee: $85 per biennial renewal; total initial fees: Approximately $405-$440 (application + exam + license fee); confidence: high; sources: https://socialworksupervisor.com/social-work-license/al-lcsw-pip-lgsw-lbsw/; https://therapistdevelopmentcenter.com/social-work-licensure/alabama-social-work-license	application fee: $225; aswb exam fee: $230/$260; license fee: $75; supervision registration fee: $25; renewal fee: $100 (biennial); total initial fees: $380; confidence: high; sources: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/health-professional-boards/sw-board/sw-board/licensure.html; https://agentsofchangeprep.com/blog/tennessee-social-work-licensure-renewal-dates-and-ce-requirements/; https://www.netce.com/ce-requirements/social-work/tn/; https://therapistdevelopmentcenter.com/social-work-licensure/tennessee-social-work-license
Renewal / CE Requirements●	Period: 2 years; CE hours: LBSW & LMSW: 30 hours per renewal period (min 10 classroom); LICSW: 40 hours per renewal period (min 20 classroom); all levels require 3 hrs ethics; LICSW additional: 3 hrs clinical SW education + 3 hrs supervision education if supervising; LCSW-PIP requires 50 hours total; Fee: $85	Period: 2 years (biennial); CE hours: LBSW: 18 hours; LAPSW/LCSW: 30 hours; 2 hours suicide prevention every 4 years; supervisors: 12 hours specific to supervision (3 covering TN licensing rules); uses CE Broker tracking system; Fee: $100 (biennial)

Data verified as of 2026-03-24. Requirements may have changed since verification.

Key Differences

Tennessee accepts out-of-state social worker licenses via reciprocity/endorsement.
Renewal differs: Alabama — Period: 2 years; CE hours: LBSW & LMSW: 30 hours per renewal period (min 10 classroom); LICSW: 40 hours per renewal period (min 20 classroom); all levels require 3 hrs ethics; LICSW additional: 3 hrs clinical SW education + 3 hrs supervision education if supervising; LCSW-PIP requires 50 hours total; Fee: $85; Tennessee — Period: 2 years (biennial); CE hours: LBSW: 18 hours; LAPSW/LCSW: 30 hours; 2 hours suicide prevention every 4 years; supervisors: 12 hours specific to supervision (3 covering TN licensing rules); uses CE Broker tracking system; Fee: $100 (biennial).

Next Steps

1
Contact the destination state board to confirm current transfer/reciprocity requirements. Visit Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure →
2
Request credential verification from Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit Alabama board →
3
Gather required documentation (education transcripts, experience logs, exam scores).
4
Submit your application to Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure.

These steps are general guidance based on common transfer processes. Your state may have a different process. Always follow the instructions provided by your state licensing board.

Tennessee Licensing Board

Board: Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure
Website: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/health-professional-boards/sw-board/sw-board/licensure.html
Phone: (615) 741-5735

Contact Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure to confirm current transfer requirements →

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GetLicenseMap is a research tool and does not provide legal, financial, or professional licensing advice. Licensing requirements vary by state and change frequently. Verify all information directly with your state licensing board before making licensing decisions.

Requirements Comparison

Requirement	Alabama (AL)	Tennessee (TN)
Education Requirements	Not available	Not available
Exam Requirements	Not available	Not available
Experience Requirements	Not available	Not available
Fees	application fee: $75 ($78.50 online); aswb exam fee: $230 for Bachelor's/Master's; $260 for Clinical (plus $25 board exam application fee); license fee: $75; supervision registration fee: Included in application; renewal fee: $85 per biennial renewal; total initial fees: Approximately $405-$440 (application + exam + license fee); confidence: high; sources: https://socialworksupervisor.com/social-work-license/al-lcsw-pip-lgsw-lbsw/; https://therapistdevelopmentcenter.com/social-work-licensure/alabama-social-work-license	application fee: $225; aswb exam fee: $230/$260; license fee: $75; supervision registration fee: $25; renewal fee: $100 (biennial); total initial fees: $380; confidence: high; sources: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/health-professional-boards/sw-board/sw-board/licensure.html; https://agentsofchangeprep.com/blog/tennessee-social-work-licensure-renewal-dates-and-ce-requirements/; https://www.netce.com/ce-requirements/social-work/tn/; https://therapistdevelopmentcenter.com/social-work-licensure/tennessee-social-work-license
Renewal / CE Requirements●	Period: 2 years; CE hours: LBSW & LMSW: 30 hours per renewal period (min 10 classroom); LICSW: 40 hours per renewal period (min 20 classroom); all levels require 3 hrs ethics; LICSW additional: 3 hrs clinical SW education + 3 hrs supervision education if supervising; LCSW-PIP requires 50 hours total; Fee: $85	Period: 2 years (biennial); CE hours: LBSW: 18 hours; LAPSW/LCSW: 30 hours; 2 hours suicide prevention every 4 years; supervisors: 12 hours specific to supervision (3 covering TN licensing rules); uses CE Broker tracking system; Fee: $100 (biennial)

Data verified as of 2026-03-24. Requirements may have changed since verification.

Key Differences

Tennessee accepts out-of-state social worker licenses via reciprocity/endorsement.

Renewal differs: Alabama — Period: 2 years; CE hours: LBSW & LMSW: 30 hours per renewal period (min 10 classroom); LICSW: 40 hours per renewal period (min 20 classroom); all levels require 3 hrs ethics; LICSW additional: 3 hrs clinical SW education + 3 hrs supervision education if supervising; LCSW-PIP requires 50 hours total; Fee: $85; Tennessee — Period: 2 years (biennial); CE hours: LBSW: 18 hours; LAPSW/LCSW: 30 hours; 2 hours suicide prevention every 4 years; supervisors: 12 hours specific to supervision (3 covering TN licensing rules); uses CE Broker tracking system; Fee: $100 (biennial).

Next Steps

Contact the destination state board to confirm current transfer/reciprocity requirements. Visit Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure →

Request credential verification from Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners — this often takes 4–8 weeks. Visit Alabama board →

Gather required documentation (education transcripts, experience logs, exam scores).

Submit your application to Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure.

These steps are general guidance based on common transfer processes. Your state may have a different process. Always follow the instructions provided by your state licensing board.

Transfer Your Social Worker License: Alabama → Tennessee

Reciprocity Available

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

Tennessee Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages

Transfer Your Social Worker License: Alabama → Tennessee

Reciprocity Available

Requirements Comparison

Key Differences

Next Steps

Tennessee Licensing Board

Prepare for Your Licensing Exam

Related Pages