1. A. Each licensee shall renew the licensee's license biennially by submitting a renewal application on a form provided by the board. At the time of license renewal, the board shall require a licensee to produce evidence of continuing education, as prescribed by the board. The board may establish a method to provide for staggered biennial terms of licensure. The board may authorize license renewal for one year to establish the renewal cycle.
2. B. A thirty-day grace period shall be allowed each licensee after each annual licensing period, during which time licenses may be renewed upon payment of the renewal fee and providing evidence of continuing education as prescribed by the board.
3. C. Any licensee who allows the licensee's license to lapse for longer than three months shall have the license automatically revoked and may be required to take an examination.
4. D. A late penalty fee shall be assessed after the thirty-day grace period has expired for anyone attempting to renew a license to practice social work.

History: Laws 1989, ch. 51, § 14; 1996, ch. 51, § 16; 2006, ch. 4, § 7; 2019, ch. 143, § 8.

ANNOTATIONS

Delayed repeals. — For delayed repeal of this section, see 61-31-25 NMSA 1978.

The 2019 amendment, effective June 14, 2019, removed the requirement that the social work licensure examination be in writing; and in Subsection C, after "required to take", deleted "a written" and added "an".

The 2006 amendment, effective May 17, 2006, changed the renewal period from annually to biennially and authorized the board to provide for staggered biennial terms of licensure in Subsection A; authorized the board to prescribe the fee and evidence of continuing education required for license renewal in Subsection B; and changed Subsection C to eliminate the mandatory requirement that the board require a written examination for the renewal of a license that has been revoked for timely failure to renew.

The 1996 amendment, effective March 5, 1996, substituted "thirty-day" for "sixty-day" in Subsections B and D and substituted "three" for "six" and made a stylistic change in Subsection C.