154C.3  Requirements to obtain license or reciprocal license — license renewal — continuing education.
  1.  License requirements.  An applicant for a license as a bachelor social worker, master social worker, or independent social worker shall meet the following requirements in addition to paying all fees required by the board:
  a.  Bachelor social worker.  An applicant for a license as a bachelor social worker shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
  (1)  Possesses a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited college or university approved by the board.
  (2)  Has passed an examination given by the board.
  (3)  Will conduct all professional activities as a bachelor social worker in accordance with standards for professional conduct established by the board.
  b.  Master social worker.  An applicant for a license as a master social worker shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
  (1)  Possesses a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited college or university approved by the board.
  (2)  Has passed an examination given by the board.
  (3)  Will conduct all professional activities as a master social worker in accordance with standards for professional conduct established by the board.
  c.  Independent social worker.  An applicant for a license as an independent social worker shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
  (1)  Possesses a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited college or university approved by the board.
  (2)  Has passed an examination given by the board.
  (3)  Will conduct all professional activities as a social worker in accordance with standards for professional conduct established by the board.
  (4)  Has engaged in the practice of social work, under supervision, for at least two years as a full-time employee or for four thousand hours prior to taking the examination given by the board.
  (a)  Supervision shall be provided in any of the following manners:
  (i)  By a social worker licensed at least at the level of the social worker being supervised and qualified under this section to practice without supervision.
  (ii)  By a person licensed under section 154D.2 to practice marital and family therapy without supervision or mental health counseling without supervision.
  (iii)  By another qualified professional, if the board determines that supervision by a social worker as defined in subparagraph subdivision (i) is unobtainable or in other situations considered appropriate by the board.
  (b)  Additional standards for supervision shall be determined by the board.
  2.  Reciprocal license.  The board shall issue an appropriate license to an applicant licensed to practice social work in another state which imposes licensure requirements similar or equal to those imposed under subsection 1.
  3.  License renewal and continuing education.  Licenses shall be renewed biennially, and licensees shall pay a fee for renewal as determined by the board and shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the licensee has satisfied continuing education requirements as determined by the board. The board shall not limit the number of continuing education credits that may be obtained online in satisfying continuing education requirements, provided that any program providing continuing education credits online shall comply with standards set by the board.
  4.  Supervision.  The board shall not, by rule or other means, require that supervision be completed in person or that supervised clinical experience include live or recorded direct observation of client interaction as a condition for an applicant to receive a license, a reciprocal license, or a renewed license under this chapter.
84 Acts, ch 1075, §3; 96 Acts, ch 1035, §7; 2000 Acts, ch 1140, §40; 2007 Acts, ch 10, §148; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §263; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §60; 2019 Acts, ch 83, §1; 2021 Acts, ch 182, §56, 57, 62; 2022 Acts, ch 1021, §45, 46; 2024 Acts, ch 1080, §1, 4
Referred to in §154C.6, 249A.15A, 489.1101, 496C.2, 514C.32
Subsection 4 amended