(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 territory whose certification, registration or licensing standards are substantially equivalent to those required by this Chapter. The applicant shall have passed an examination in the country, state, or territory in which he or she is certified, registered, or licensed that is equivalent to the examination required for the level of certification or licensure sought in this State.

(b) The Board may issue a temporary license to a nonresident clinical social worker who is either certified, registered, or licensed in another jurisdiction whose standards, in the opinion of the Board, at the time of the person’s certification, registration, or licensure were substantially equivalent to or higher than the requirements of this Chapter. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed as prohibiting a nonresident clinical social worker certified, registered, or licensed in another state from rendering professional clinical social work services in this State for a period of not more than five days in any calendar year. All persons granted a temporary clinical social worker license shall comply with the supervision requirements established by the Board and shall fulfill all requirements for licensure prior to the expiration of the temporary license.

(c) The Board shall issue a temporary license to a military or military spouse applicant who meets the requirements of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 93B-15.1 Prior to the expiration of the temporary license, the applicant shall fulfill all requirements for licensure, in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 93B-15.1 or the requirements of this Chapter. (1983, c. 495, s. 1; 1999-313, s. 1; 2019-240, s. 10(a).)