Chapter 90B

This Chapter shall be known as the "Social Worker Certification and Licensure Act." (1983, c. 495, s. 1; 1999-313, s. 1.)

(a) Applicants who were engaged in the practice of social work before January 1, 1984, shall be exempt from the academic qualifications required by this act for certified social workers and certified social work managers and shall be certified upon passing the Board examination a…

(a) The Board may, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes, deny, suspend, or revoke an application, certificate, or license on any of the following grounds: (1) Conviction of or the entering of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any misdemea…

Any person violating any provision of this Chapter is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. (1983, c. 495, s. 1; 1993, c. 539, s. 654; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)

As an additional remedy, the Board may proceed in a superior court to enjoin and restrain any person from violating the prohibitions of this Chapter. The Board shall not be required to post bond in connection with such proceeding. (1983, c. 495, s. 1.)

Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to authorize or require direct third-party reimbursement to persons certified under this Chapter. (1991, c. 732, s. 6.)

A person licensed or certified under this Chapter shall conspicuously display the license or certificate issued by the Board at the licensee's or certificate holder's primary place of practice. (2007-379, s. 5.)

(a) Except as provided in G.S. 90B-10, an individual who (i) is not certified, licensed, or associate licensed by this Chapter as a social worker, (ii) does not hold a bachelor's or master's degree in social work from a college or university having a social work program accredite…

Since the profession of social work significantly affects the lives of the people of this State, it is the purpose of this Chapter to protect the public by setting standards for qualification, training, and experience for those who seek to represent themselves to the public as ce…

The purpose of this Compact is to facilitate interstate practice of regulated social workers by improving public access to social work services. The Compact preserves the regulatory authority of states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state licens…

As used in this Compact, and except as otherwise provided, the following definitions shall apply: (1) Active military member. - Any individual in full-time duty status in the active Armed Forces of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve. (2) Advers…

(a) To be eligible to participate in the Compact, a potential member state must currently meet all of the following criteria: (1) License and regulate the practice of social work at either the clinical, master's, or bachelor's category. (2) Require applicants for licensure to gra…

(a) To be eligible for a multistate license under the terms and provisions of the Compact, an applicant, regardless of category, must do all of the following: (1) Hold or be eligible for an active, unencumbered license in the home state. (2) Pay any applicable fees, including any…

(a) Upon receipt of an application for multistate license, the home state licensing authority shall determine the applicant's eligibility for a multistate license in accordance with this Compact. (b) If such applicant is eligible pursuant to G.S. 90B-23 of this Compact, the home …

(a) Nothing in this Compact, nor any rule of the Commission, shall be construed to limit, restrict, or in any way reduce the ability of a member state to enact and enforce laws, regulations, or other rules related to the practice of social work in that state, where those laws, re…

(a) A licensee may hold a multistate license, issued by their home state, in only one member state at any given time. (b) If a licensee changes their home state by moving between two member states: (1) The licensee shall immediately apply for the reissuance of their multistate li…

An active military member or their spouses [spouse] shall designate a home state where the individual has a multistate license. The individual may retain their home state designation during the period the service member is on active duty. (2025-7, s. 2.)

(a) In addition to the other powers conferred by state law, a remote state shall have the authority, in accordance with existing state due process law, to do the following: (1) Take adverse action against a regulated social worker's multistate authorization to practice only withi…

(a) Establishment. - The Compact member states hereby create and establish a joint government agency whose membership consists of all member states that have enacted the Compact known as the Social Work Licensure Compact Commission. The Commission is an instrumentality of the Com…

The following definitions apply in this Chapter: (1) Applicant. - An individual who has made application to the Board for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of any credential which the Board is authorized by law to issue. (1a) Board. - The North Carolina Social Work Certific…

(a) The Commission shall provide for the development, maintenance, operation, and utilization of a coordinated database and reporting system containing licensure, adverse action, and the presence of current significant investigative information on all licensed individuals in memb…

(a) The Commission shall promulgate reasonable rules in order to achieve the purposes of the Compact effectively and efficiently. A rule shall be invalid and have no force or effect only if a court of competent jurisdiction holds that the rule is invalid because the Commission ex…

(a) The executive and judicial branches of state government in each member state shall enforce this Compact and take all actions necessary and appropriate to implement the Compact. (b) Except as otherwise provided in this Compact, venue is proper and judicial proceedings by or ag…

(a) The Compact shall come into effect on the date on which the Compact statute is enacted into law in the seventh member state. On or after the effective date of the Compact, the Commission shall convene and review the enactment of each of the first seven member states (charter …

This Compact and the Commission's rulemaking authority shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes, and the implementation and administration of the Compact. Provisions of the Compact expressly authorizing or requiring the promulgation of rules shall not be cons…

A licensee providing services in a remote state under a multistate authorization to practice shall adhere to the laws and regulations, including laws, regulations, and applicable standards, of the remote state where the client is located at the time care is rendered. Nothing here…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, it is unlawful for any person who is not certified as a social worker, master social worker, or social work manager under this Chapter to represent himself or herself to be certified under this Chapter or hold himself or herself o…

(a) For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Chapter, there is hereby created the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board which shall consist of seven members appointed by the Governor as follows: (1) At least one member of the Board shall be a …

(a) The Board shall administer and enforce the provisions of this Chapter. (b) The Board shall elect from its membership, a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and secretary-treasurer, and adopt rules to govern its proceedings. A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum …

The Board shall be subject to the administrative provisions of Chapter 93B of the General Statutes. (1983, c. 495, s. 1.)

(a) The Board shall establish fees not exceeding the following amounts: (1) All initial applications $200.00 (2) Examination Cost plus an amount not to exceed $40.00 (3) Repeated examination or any additional examination Cost plus an amount not to exceed $40.00 (4) Renewal applic…

(a) Each person desiring to obtain a certificate or license from the Board shall make application to the Board upon such forms and in such manner as the Board shall prescribe, together with the required application fee established by the Board. (b) The Board shall issue a certifi…

(a) The Board may grant a reciprocal certificate or license without examination or by special examination to any person who, at the time of application, is certified, registered or licensed in good standing as a social worker by a similar board of another country, state, or terri…

(a) All certificates and licenses, excluding temporary licenses, shall be effective upon date of issuance by the Board, and shall be renewed on or before the expiration date of the certificate or license. (b) All certificates and licenses issued hereunder shall be renewed at the …

(a) Any person certified or licensed and desiring to retire temporarily from the practice of social work shall send written notice thereof to the Board. Upon receipt of the notice, his or her certificate or license shall be placed on nonpracticing status. During a period of nonpr…