Individuals with criminal records are often excluded from many forms of social and political life. In the context of social work, each state and territory in the U.S. has different policies related to licensure for people with criminal records. Despite the social work profession’s relatively new investment in individuals with lived experience, individuals with lived experience of criminalization are often unable to become licensed social workers due to this form of exclusion.

This toolkit was created as an attempt to compile information that is needed when applying for licensure with a criminal record. Based on the laws on the books in all 56 U.S. States and territories in 2025, this guide provides a quick overview of some of the specific criminal convictions that can cause license denial in each jurisdiction, as well as information about the licensure appeals process across jurisdiction.s