License Renewal is OPEN!

from NASW Georgia Chapter:

LMSW/LCSW Alert: Licensure Rule Change
Effective THIS licensure cycle the Composite Board has changed the Rules related to Continuing Education deadlines.

Georgia LMSWs and LCSWs must complete their continuing education (CE) hours before renewing their license to practice unless the license was granted after October 1, 2009. CE Hours are to be obtained during the two year licensure period prior to the expiration date of the license. The deadline for completing your CE hours this year is September 30, 2010. All licenses expire on September 30 of each even numbered year. The rule change removes the prior early deadline to submit CE hours (completed by June 30 of each even numbered year). The earlier deadline had been in place to encourage all licensees to submit their CE hours early. Now that the deadline has been changed to September 30, those waiting to renew until September of this year, may be in jeopardy of practicing without a license.

How could this happen? If you wait until September to renew your license and are randomly chosen for an audit, your license will be placed in a “pending” status on October 1, until verification of your CE hours is completed by the Board. Social workers who renew earlier may find their license in a “pending’’ status, should questions about any documentation of CE arise. Your license will remain in “pending” status until all issues have been resolved. A license which is in “pending” status is not an active license to practice in GA.

You are encouraged by your NASW-GA Board of Directors and staff to renew as early as you can do so. The Secretary of State has opened the renewal function on the website!