PERMANENT PROFESSIONAL LICENSE AS A SOCIAL WORKER BASED ON POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

• Be resident of Puerto Rico. IF YOU ARE NOT A LEGAL RESIDENT OF PUERTO RICO, YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONAL LICENSE OF PUERTO RICO.

• Have completed a master's or doctorate degree in Social Work from a University recognized by the Office of Registration and Licensing of Educational Institutions.

• Complete the official application online, answering all the questions. In addition, you must submit all required documents in PDF format.

• Upload to the portal in PDF format Diploma or an Official Transcript of the Baccalaureate that is from a recognized university.

• Diploma or an Official Transcript of the Baccalaureate and an Official transcript of postgraduate studies from a recognized university, sent directly or by email from the University to the office of Professional Credential Services (PCS).

By Regular mail: Attn: Social Worker Coordinator
Professional Credential  Services
One Lake View, 25 Century Boulevard, Suite 505
Nashville, TN 37214

Email: [email protected]

• Upload to the portal in PDF format a digital copy of the Negative Criminal Record Certificate from the Puerto Rico Police. This document is valid for 30 days and must be valid at the time of uploading it to the portal.

• Upload to the portal in PDF format a digital copy of the Negative Debt Certificate of the Administration for the Support of Minors (ASUME) as required by Article 30 of Law No. 86 of August 17, 1994. This document is valid for 90 days and must be valid at the time of uploading it to the portal. If you have debt, you must submit penalties from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.

• If you have been a legal resident of any state or territory of the USA or another country during the past five years, you must also upload in PDF format a negative certification of criminal records and negative certification or compliance with the payment of alimony from that place.

• Upload to the portal a digital color copy of the Negative Certification of Law 300 of the year 1999. It must be less than one year old. Applies to any application filed as of May 1, 2019.

• If you have a Provisional or Extension Social Work License, you must upload a copy of the same in PDF format. Applications filed after one month from the date of expiration of the provisional license must be accompanied by an affidavit, stating whether if you have held a position or exercised any social work after the expiration thereof, and the reasons for not having applied for renewal or permanent license prior to the expiration of the provisional license.

• Upload to the portal in PDF format a sworn statement with photo, sworn before an Authorized Notary in Puerto Rico. It must not be more than one year old and must be completed in blue ink and scanned in color. Please click HERE to print the document. The photo must be 2x2 color - passport type with dark background.

• Upload to the portal in PDF format the Professional References Form to the portal. The form must be completed in all its parts by three (3) Social Work Professionals duly authorized to practice the profession in Puerto Rico (with a valid license and association). You must use a blue pen and the references cannot be more than one year old signed. Please click HERE to print the form.

• Upload to the portal in PDF format a digital copy of the Certification of Compliance of the Professional Association of Social Work of Puerto Rico (a single document contains both). If you were under the Belén Serra stipulation in the period immediately prior to the renewal, or if you did not pay for membership in some of the years, you must submit the document you submitted to the CPTS to agree to the non-payment of membership or a sworn statement stating the reasons for it.  The certification is valid for 90 days and must be current at the time of uploading it to the portal. Please click HERE to download the form

• Include payment for the amount of $100.00 USD (Visa or MasterCard).

• NOTE: To determine the validity of the documents, the last document submitted will be taken as reference to complete the application requirements.

• WARNING: It is necessary to have a current license to be able to practice the profession of social work in Puerto Rico. No person may occupy a position of Social Work in Puerto Rico without previously having obtained a license. The person who accepts an appointment or continues to occupy a social work position without meeting this requirement is subject to fines ranging from $250.00 for each violation to $5,000.00 for each violation, among other sanctions.