May 20, 2026

The Association of Social Work Boards, the Clinical Social Work Association, and the National Association of Social Workers have ex officio members on the Executive Committee of the Social Work Compact Commission and are the authors of this document. On April 12, 2024, the Social Work Interstate Compact officially launched after the Compact bill passed in seven state legislatures. State Commissioners were nominated in the Summer of 2024, with the inaugural meeting of the Commission in September 2024 and the Executive Committee began meeting in February of 2025.

1. When will states begin issuing multi-state licenses through the Compact? There is no definite date, but likely within 9 to 12 months.

2. How many states have joined the Compact to date? There are 32 states in the Compact as of May 18, 2026. More states are anticipated to be added by the end of the 2026 legislative session. An up-to-date list of states in the Compact can be found at https://swcompact.org/compact-map/. If states pass the Compact with material language changes - meaning the legislation wasn’t passed exactly as written in the Compact bill - then those states may have to change something in their legislation before they can become part of the Compact. So far, this has been the case in South Carolina and New Mexico.

3. What is the Compact Commission? The Commission is the governing body made up of participating member states. It adopts the rules that administer and govern the Compact. Each state's licensing board appoints a delegate to serve on the Commission once they have passed the Compact. The Compact Executive Committee, which includes seven delegates and four ex officio members, manages Commission operations between meetings supports compliance and administration, and handles interim business not reserved for the full Commission. There is currently a Rulemaking Committee and a Finance Committee, with other committees to be developed.

4. How is the Compact being funded? The Social Work Compact has received generous support through grant funding provided by the Department of Defense and from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). ASWB supports the Compact through grant administration and financial support where funding is not otherwise covered. Eventually the Compact will be self-funded.

5. How will state licensure boards interface with the Compact? Once the data system is operational in states and the commission has finalized all necessary rulemaking, applications will be made available for social workers to apply for a multistate license through their home state. Once eligibility is confirmed by the home state, all fees are paid, and a social worker is granted a multistate license, they will be able to practice in all other member states of the compact without any further steps necessary.

6. How will complaints against Compact members be handled? Complaints will be adjudicated in each Compact state and sent to the Home State Board of the social worker for any other adjudication. Remote states can restrict practice in their state. The Home State can restrict practice in all Compact states. Notifications of actionable complaints will be made to all Compact states via the Compact’s data system.

7. Can a social worker have more than one Home State or access the Compact through a state they do not live in? No. The social worker’s home state must be where their primary residence is located (domicile), regardless of where their office is located or any other social work licenses they hold.

8. What is the estimated range of cost for multi-state license? The license fee will be set by each state which will include an administrative fee paid by the state board to the Commission for operations including the data system. All fees are yet to be determined.

If you have other questions, contact your ex officio representative, listed below.

Karen Goodenough, PhD, MSW, LGSW

Social Work Interstate Compact Rep.

National Association of Social Workers

kgoodenough.naswmn@socialworkers.org

Laura Groshong, LICSW

Director of Policy and Practice

Clinical Social Work Association

lwgroshong@clinicalsocialworkassociation.org

Jennifer Henkel, LCSW

Senior Director of Member Engagement & Regulatory Services

Association of Social Work Boards

JHenkel@aswb.org