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How the compacts compareThey sound alike but work differently. The big one: the Social Work Compact gives you one multistate license, while the Counseling Compact gives you a separate privilege for each state — and only one of them is live today.
The Social Work Licensure Compact uses a multistate license: your home state issues one license that's valid across every member state. The Counseling Compact uses privileges: you keep your home license and obtain a separate privilege to practice for each state you want to work in.
The other difference is timing. The Counseling Compact is already operational (issuing privileges since September 2025). The Social Work Compact is enacted in 35 states but not operational yet — applications are estimated to open after Spring 2027.
| Social Work Compact | Counseling Compact | PSYPACT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Social workers — bachelor's (LBSW), master's (LMSW) & clinical (LCSW/LICSW) | Licensed professional counselors (LPC / LMHC / LPCC) | Psychologists (doctoral-level only) |
| How it works | One multistate license, issued by your home state, valid in all member states | A separate privilege to practice obtained for each member state | Authority to practice — E.Passport + telehealth authorization; temporary in-person certificate |
| Member states | 35 enacted (3 pending) | 39 jurisdictions (38 states + DC) | 40+ jurisdictions |
| Usable today? | No — not operational; est. after Spring 2027 | Yes — live since Sept 2025 (6 states issuing so far) | Yes — operational since 2020 |
Social Work Compact figures verified 2026-07-15 from swcompact.org. Counseling Compact figures from counselingcompact.gov and PSYPACT figures from ASPPB/PSYPACT materials, verified July 2026. PSYPACT's count is the least certain here — confirm current numbers on each compact's official site, as they change frequently.
When it launches, the Social Work Compact will actually be simpler than the Counseling Compact for cross-state work: one license instead of a stack of per-state privileges. The catch is that it isn't usable yet — so if you need to practice across state lines today, the compact can't help, and you're still governed by each state's individual licensing and telehealth rules.
If you also hold a counseling credential (LPC/LMHC), the Counseling Compact is live now and worth looking at separately — but it won't cover your social work practice. And PSYPACT is for doctoral psychologists only; it doesn't apply to social work or counseling licenses.
One email the day your state opens multistate license applications — and nothing else between now and then except rule changes that affect you.
FAQ
The Social Work Compact grants one multistate license valid in every member state. The Counseling Compact grants a separate privilege to practice for each state. The Social Work Compact also isn't operational yet, while the Counseling Compact went live in 2025.
No — it's for licensed professional counselors. Social workers have their own agreement, the Social Work Licensure Compact.
Not yet. The Counseling Compact has issued privileges since September 2025. The Social Work Compact is enacted in 35 states but not operational; applications are estimated after its data system finishes (est. Spring 2027).