ORS 675.523: License or certification required to practice clinical social work; exceptions.

Edition: 2025 EditionEffective: 2026-01-01Last verified: 2026-09-07

A person may not practice clinical social work unless the person is a clinical social worker licensed under ORS 675.530 or a clinical social work associate certified under ORS 675.537, except if the person is: (1) Licensed or certified by the State of Oregon to provide mental health services, provided that the person is acting within the lawful scope of practice for the person’s license or certification and does not represent that the person is a regulated social worker; (2) Certified to provide alcohol and drug abuse prevention services, intervention services and treatment in compliance with rules adopted under ORS 430.256 and 430.357, provided that the person is acting within the lawful scope of practice for the person’s certification and does not represent that the person is a regulated social worker; (3) Employed by or contracting with an entity that is certified or licensed by the State of Oregon under ORS 430.610 to 430.695 to provide mental health treatment or addiction services, provided that the person is practicing within the lawful scope of the person’s employment or contract; (4) A recognized member of the clergy, provided that the person is acting in the person’s ministerial capacity and does not represent that the person is a regulated social worker; or (5) A student in a social work graduate degree program that meets the requirements established by the State Board of Licensed Social Workers by rule. [2009 c.442 §4a; 2011 c.673 §42] (Licensing)

Administrative rules citing this section

OAR 877-001-0006: Definitions — implements
OAR 877-001-0006: Definitions — authority
OAR 877-001-0009: Name, Postal Address, Email Address and Employer of Record — implements
OAR 877-001-0009: Name, Postal Address, Email Address and Employer of Record — authority
OAR 877-001-0015: Required Documentation — authority
OAR 877-001-0020: Fees for Certification and Licensing — implements
OAR 877-001-0020: Fees for Certification and Licensing — authority
OAR 877-001-0025: Renewals of Authorization to Practice Regulated Social Work — authority
OAR 877-001-0028: Lapsed and Expired Licenses and Certificates — implements
OAR 877-001-0028: Lapsed and Expired Licenses and Certificates — authority
OAR 877-005-0101: Authorization for Graduate Students to Practice Clinical Social Work — implements
OAR 877-005-0101: Authorization for Graduate Students to Practice Clinical Social Work — authority
OAR 877-010-0000: Board Meetings — authority
OAR 877-010-0005: Quorum Required — implements
OAR 877-010-0005: Quorum Required — authority
OAR 877-010-0010: Internal Organization — implements
OAR 877-010-0010: Internal Organization — authority
OAR 877-010-0020: Board Communications — authority
OAR 877-010-0025: Board Files — implements
OAR 877-010-0025: Board Files — authority
OAR 877-010-0030: Minutes and Agendas — authority
OAR 877-010-0040: Publications — implements
OAR 877-010-0040: Publications — authority
OAR 877-010-0045: Charges for Materials and Services — implements
OAR 877-010-0045: Charges for Materials and Services — authority
OAR 877-015-0105: Purpose — authority
OAR 877-015-0108: Eligibility Requirements — implements
OAR 877-015-0108: Eligibility Requirements — authority
OAR 877-015-0131: Surrender of Certificate of Registration — implements
OAR 877-015-0131: Surrender of Certificate of Registration — authority
OAR 877-015-0136: Reissuance of Certificate of Registration and License — implements
OAR 877-015-0136: Reissuance of Certificate of Registration and License — authority
OAR 877-015-0146: Inactive Status — implements
OAR 877-015-0146: Inactive Status — authority
OAR 877-015-0155: Return to Active Status — implements
OAR 877-015-0155: Return to Active Status — authority
OAR 877-020-0005: Rules Applicable to Certification and Licensing — authority
OAR 877-020-0008: Licensing Requirements — implements
OAR 877-020-0008: Licensing Requirements — authority
OAR 877-020-0009: Requirements for Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate — authority
OAR 877-020-0010: Plan of Practice and Supervision — authority
OAR 877-020-0012: Requirements of Supervision — implements
OAR 877-020-0012: Requirements of Supervision — authority
OAR 877-020-0016: Licensing of People Qualified in Another Jurisdiction — authority
OAR 877-020-0021: Requirements for Temporary Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate — authority
OAR 877-020-0031: Surrender of License or Certificate — implements
OAR 877-020-0031: Surrender of License or Certificate — authority
OAR 877-020-0036: Reapplication for Certificate or License — implements
OAR 877-020-0036: Reapplication for Certificate or License — authority
OAR 877-020-0046: Inactive Status — implements
OAR 877-020-0046: Inactive Status — authority
OAR 877-020-0055: Return to Active Status for Licensees — implements
OAR 877-020-0055: Return to Active Status for Licensees — authority
OAR 877-020-0060: Reduced Requirements — implements
OAR 877-020-0060: Reduced Requirements — authority
OAR 877-020-0071: Temporary Clinical Social Work License During a Declared Emergency for People Qualified in Another Jurisdiction — authority
OAR 877-020-0081: Temporary Clinical Social Work License During a Declared Emergency for Expired Oregon LCSW — authority
OAR 877-022-0005: Requirements Pertaining to Criminal Records Check — implements
OAR 877-025-0001: General — implements
OAR 877-025-0006: Types of Continuing Education — implements
OAR 877-025-0006: Types of Continuing Education — authority
OAR 877-025-0011: Required Hours of Continued Education — implements
OAR 877-025-0011: Required Hours of Continued Education — authority
OAR 877-025-0021: Reporting Requirements — implements
OAR 877-025-0021: Reporting Requirements — authority
OAR 877-030-0025: Applicability — authority
OAR 877-030-0030: Ethical Responsibility — authority
OAR 877-030-0040: Conduct and Reporting Requirements of Regulated Social Workers — authority
OAR 877-030-0070: Ethical Responsibility to Clients — implements
OAR 877-030-0070: Ethical Responsibility to Clients — authority
OAR 877-030-0080: Administrators, Supervisors, and Teachers of Clinical Practice — implements
OAR 877-030-0080: Administrators, Supervisors, and Teachers of Clinical Practice — authority
OAR 877-030-0090: General Provisions Governing Conduct — authority
OAR 877-030-0100: Retention of Client Records; Disposition of Client Records in Case of Death or Incapacity of Licensee — authority
OAR 877-030-0110: Social Workers Conducting Child Custody Evaluations and/or Parenting Time Evaluations — implements
OAR 877-030-0110: Social Workers Conducting Child Custody Evaluations and/or Parenting Time Evaluations — authority
OAR 877-040-0000: Management of Complaints — authority
OAR 877-040-0003: Definitions — authority
OAR 877-040-0010: Form of Complaints — authority
OAR 877-040-0015: Notification to Respondent — authority
OAR 877-040-0016: Reporting Possible Prohibited Conduct to Law Enforcement Agency — implements
OAR 877-040-0016: Reporting Possible Prohibited Conduct to Law Enforcement Agency — authority
OAR 877-040-0019: Procedure for Investigation of Alleged Impairment — authority
OAR 877-040-0045: Stipulated Agreement — authority
OAR 877-040-0050: Contested Case Hearing — authority

This rule cites

ORS 675.530 — resolved
ORS 675.537 — resolved
ORS 430.256 — resolved
430.357 — resolved
ORS 430.610 — resolved
430.695 — resolved

Cited by

Official source: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors675.html