§ 90B-4. Prohibitions.

412 words·~2 min read·/nc/chapter-90b/90b-4

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(a)Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, it is unlawful for any person who is not certified as a social worker, master social worker, or social work manager under this Chapter to represent himself or herself to be certified under this Chapter or hold himself or herself out to the public by any title or description denoting that he or she is certified under this Chapter. A person who resides and practices social work in this State while credentialed in another state or jurisdiction shall clearly amend reference to his or her credential identifying the state or jurisdiction in which the credential is held.

(b)After January 1, 1992, except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, it is unlawful to engage in or offer to engage in the practice of clinical social work without first being licensed under this Chapter as a clinical social worker. A person who, pursuant to G.S. 90B-8(b), resides and practices clinical social work in this State for a period of not more than five days in any calendar year while credentialed in another state or jurisdiction, shall clearly amend reference to his or her credential identifying the state or jurisdiction in which the credential is held.

(c)Nothing herein shall prohibit school social workers who are certified by the State Board of Education from practicing school social work under the title "Certified School Social Worker." Except as provided for licensed clinical social workers, nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting social workers who are not certified by the Board from practicing social work. Except as provided herein for licensed clinical social workers, no agency, institution, board, commission, bureau, department, division, council, member of the Council of State, or officer of the legislative, executive or judicial branches of State government or counties, cities, towns, villages, other municipal corporations, political subdivisions of the State, public authorities, private corporations created by act of the General Assembly or any firm or corporation receiving State funds shall require the obtaining or holding of any certificate issued under this Chapter or the taking of an examination held pursuant to this Chapter as a requirement for obtaining or continuing in employment.

(d)Nothing herein shall authorize the practice of medicine as defined in Article 1 of this Chapter or the practice of psychology as defined in Article 18A of this Chapter. (1983, c. 495, s. 1; 1991, c. 732, s. 2; 1999-313, s. 1; 2019-240, s. 10(a); 2025-7, s. 1(a).)