§34-30-26. Term; expiration date; renewal; inactive status.

(a) All licenses and certificates under this chapter shall be effective when issued by the State Board of Social Work Examiners.

(b) All licenses and certificates issued by the board shall expire on the last day of the month in the calendar year that is exactly two years from the calendar year and month in which the license or certificate is issued.

(c) A license or certificate may be renewed by the payment of the renewal fee set by the board and by the execution and submission on a form provided by the board of a sworn statement by the applicant that his or her license or certificate has been neither revoked nor currently suspended.

(d) At the time of license renewal, each applicant shall present satisfactory evidence that in the period since the license was issued, such applicant has completed the continuing education requirements specified by the board. At the time of license renewal, the board may, in its discretion, waive the continuing education requirement upon a showing by an applicant that prolonged illness or other extenuating circumstances prevented completion of such requirements. A waiver shall not be granted to any applicant twice in succession.

(e) The application for renewal must be made within 60 days after the expiration of the license or the termination of the period of suspension.

(f) No licensee shall be denied a license renewal based on the fact that such licensee has not actively practiced social work for the previous licensing period, provided that all licensing renewal fees have been paid to the board by the licensee.

(g) A licensee under this chapter who is not engaged in the practice of social work or who does not live in the state may request, in writing, that the board place his or her name on the board's inactive roll, thereby granting him or her inactive status and protecting his or her right to obtain a license to practice pursuant to subsection (a) at a later time if he or she wishes to become actively engaged in the practice.

(h) If, upon receipt of the request as provided in subsection (g), the board determines that the social worker shall be permitted to retain his or her initial registration or certification, the social worker shall pay a biennial registration fee in such amount as the board, from time to time, shall determine. If a social worker who has elected inactive status wishes to reenter the practice, he or she shall make application to the board for licensure to practice. To ensure competency to practice, the board, in its rules, shall specify the number of hours of continuing education the applicant shall obtain before regaining active status.

(Acts 1977, No. 652, p. 1102, §11; Acts 1981, No. 81-221, p. 291, §4; Act 2009-727, p. 2176, §1.)