Now Live: Easier Online License Applications and Renewals!
LicensE is your online, self-guided occupational license application platform.
Please review the helpful links below:
- Find step-by-step instruction for license renewal here.
- Find a list of license renewals available via LicensE in the chart on the LicensE Customer Information page.
- Find all licenses available via LicensE, plus user guides and other resources, on the LicensE Customer Information page.
- Anyone applying for an initial license for any of the credentials listed can apply at license.wi.gov.
Our LicensE Application Status Lookup tool makes it easier for employees, and helps academic advisors support students during the license application process. To access the Application Status Lookup tool, you will need the applicant's 10-digit PAR number. An applicant may provide the number to anyone who could support their application. Find more information in our news release about this tool.
Temporary Act 10 Credential
A health care provider credentialed in good standing in another state may apply for a temporary credential to provide services in Wisconsin while a Wisconsin application for a permanent credential is pending. See information sheet 2021-A101, Form 2021-A102: Health Care Employer Notification, and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for further details.
License Information
Applicants must have received a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, sociology, criminal justice, or other human service program approved by the Social Worker Section. Master's degrees will not be considered.
Capstone and Ethics Courses
The Capstone and Ethics courses must have been taken during the degree program that is being used for the training certificate.
SWTC Approved Courses.pdf
To qualify as "another human service program approved by the Social Worker Section," the program shall award a Bachelor's degree and be one of the following:
An organized course of study recognized by the Section to contain all five (5) social worker equivalency courses and a course designated as a senior seminar or Capstone course.
An organized course of study entitled on the transcript as a human services major including all of the following courses:
An introductory course which contains a general overview of the field of human services, including origins, career opportunities and techniques, and methods of helping individuals and groups in need.
A course with significant content in professional ethics and values, including confidentiality, boundaries, and values in human services occupations.
A course with content in qualitative and quantitative social research methods and statistics.
A course designated as a senior seminar or Capstone course. The Capstone course may be an internship with the seminar in which the training certificate applicant is evaluated to have attained the competences specified.
Accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for programs awarding Bachelor's degrees with a major in "Human Services."
Transition to Social Worker
Required Social Worker Degree Equivalency
Social worker degree equivalency courses must consist of at least three (3) semester hours or four (4) quarter hours and be successfully completed with a minimum of a C grade. Courses shall be taught by an instructor who holds a Master's degree or a PhD in social work from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education unless otherwise approved by the Section. The courses shall use a textbook written by a social work educator for the social work courses as a primary text unless approved by the Section. At least three (3) of the courses shall be taken at the same institution. Social worker degree equivalency is demonstrated by completing five (5) courses in each of the following subject areas
completed during your Bachelor's degree program OR while holding the Social Work Training Certificate:
- Social welfare policy and services.
- Social work practice methods with individuals.
- Social work practice methods with groups and families.
- Social work practice methods with communities, organizations, and social institutions.
- Human behavior in the social environment, including human growth and development and social systems theory.
For more specific information pertaining to the required coursework, see Wis. Admin. Code § MPSW 3.13 (2).
Required Internship/Employment
Complete one of the following:
- A 400 hour Human Services Internship that was part of the program leading to the degree or completed while holding the training certificate. The internship shall involve direct practice with clients and be supervised by a Social Worker certified under Chapter 457, Wis. Stats, who has a Bachelor's or Master's degree in social work. A human services internship shall be under the auspices of an accredited college or university.
- One year of social work employment,
completed while holding the Social Work Training Certificate, which involves at least 400 hours of face-to-face client contact in not less than 12 months. The employment shall be supervised by a Social Worker certified under Chapter 457, Wis. Stats, who has a Bachelor's or Master's degree in social work.
Application for Licensure
| Form | Description |
|---|
|
2159
| Credentialing Information for Social Worker Training Certificate Applicants
|
| 4211 | Information for Social Work Application Completion |
|
3217 | Application for Fee Reduction (If applying for a fee reduction, this form
must accompany Form #2159.) |
|
2805 | Social Worker Training Certificate Required Coursework (All applicants must complete and submit this form.) |
|
2998 | Social Work Training Certificate Other Human Services Degree Evaluation Request Form (If you are applying for a SWTC, and your undergraduate degree major is not Sociology, Criminal Justice or Psychology, you must complete this form.) |
| 2802 | Supervisor's Affidavit for Employment/Internship |
|
2829
| Malpractice Suits or Claims Form (if applicable)
|
|
3085 | Application for Predetermination (Optional-Submit ONLY if you have been convicted of any felony, misdemeanor, or other violations of federal or state law in this state or any other and you desire a review of your conviction record before applying for a credential.)
|
|
2252
| Convictions and Pending Charges
|
|
|
Application for Substance Abuse Specialty
| Application for Substance Abuse Specialty Authorization |
| Affidavit Regarding Supervised Experience for Substance Abuse Specialty Authorization |
| Substance Abuse Specialty Authorization Education and Training Form
|