Get Your Illinois Social Work License With These Steps
The path to getting your Illinois social work license became easier by a lot in 2022. State legislators passed Senate Bill 1632 that removed the exam requirement for new LSWs. The Illinois government no longer asks LSW candidates to take the master’s exam from the Association of Social Work Boards. These simplified processes make it easier than ever to start a career in social work.
Your career advancement depends on understanding everything in social work licensing requirements in Illinois. The state provides two license levels: Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). You can work in case management, community organizing, or policy and advocacy organizations. Illinois doesn’t have reciprocity agreements with other states, but provides an endorsement process for out-of-state licensed practitioners. LCSW professionals must renew their license every two years before November 30th of odd-numbered years. They need to complete 30 continuing education units during each renewal period to keep their credentials current.
Education Requirements
Your Illinois social work career begins with the correct educational path. The right credentials are crucial to get your Illinois social work license. Requirements vary based on the credential you want.
To become a Licensed Social Worker (LSW), you can choose between two educational paths:
- Complete a degree from a CSWE-approved graduate program of social work, or
- Graduate from a CSWE-approved undergraduate program of social work and complete three years of supervised professional experience
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) candidates need specific educational qualifications. You must get either:
- A degree from a CSWE-approved graduate program of social work, or
- A degree from a CSWE-approved doctoral program of social work
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation plays a vital role. CSWE represents the recognized accrediting body for social work education programs throughout the United States. This accreditation will give a quality education that prepares you for professional practice. On top of that, it lets students apply for licensure right after graduation.
Accredited programs come under these status categories:
- Fully Accredited
- Accredited (Conditional) – programs with documented noncompliance that must be addressed within a year
- Accredited (Withdrawal in Progress) – programs with a planned closure date
- Candidacy – programs that have completed at least one year of the Candidacy process
- Pre-Candidacy – programs scheduled for Candidacy status review within one year
Illinois offers many quality options for social work education. The University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work ranks third nationally in the 2024 US News & World Report rankings. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (ranked 24), the University of Illinois Chicago (ranked 28), and Loyola University (also ranked 28) are other notable programs.
Illinois has 17 CSWE-accredited MSW programs, with seven in Chicago. You can choose a program that matches your career goals and personal needs.
BSW degree holders might qualify for advanced standing programs at Illinois’ MSW programs. These fast-track programs let you complete your MSW in just one year of full-time study.
BSW programs typically need:
- Minimum GPA between 2.5-3.0 (varies by institution)
- Personal statement showing dedication to social work values
- Letters of recommendation
- Volunteer or work experience in human services (preferred but not always required)
After completing your education, you need supervised clinical experience for LCSW licensure. Graduate degree holders must complete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical professional experience. Doctoral degree holders need 2,000 hours.
Note that the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) handles all licensure applications. IDFPR oversees licensing for all professional designations in the state.
Exam Requirements
The requirements to get your Illinois social work license vary substantially based on the credential you want. Illinois has made major changes to make the licensure process smoother since 2022.
LSW Exam Requirements
Illinois stopped requiring the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination for LSW licensure on January 1, 2022. Senate Bill 1632 brought this groundbreaking change to make the social work profession available to more people throughout the state. Notwithstanding that, you should think over your future plans because other states might still need you to pass the ASWB exam if you want to practice there.
LCSW Exam Requirements
Illinois still requires you to pass the ASWB Clinical exam to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. The clinical exam has 170 multiple-choice questions that cover four main areas:
- Human Development, Diversity, and Behavior in the Environment (24% of exam)
- Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning (30% of exam)
- Psychotherapy, Clinical Interventions, and Case Management (27% of exam)
- Professional Values and Ethics (19% of exam)
You’ll need to pay a registration fee of $260 for the ASWB Clinical exam. The Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) must approve your application before you can register with ASWB. After registration, you can schedule your exam at any Pearson VUE testing center.
Alternative Pathway to LCSW Licensure
Starting January 2024, Illinois offers a different path if you find the exam challenging. You can complete 3,000 additional hours of supervised professional experience instead of retaking the test after your first attempt. This experience should include social services to individuals, groups, or communities in social casework, group work, community organization, research, administration, or education.
This flexible pathway comes with some limitations. Some government positions might still need you to pass the exam. Other states usually require successful exam completion for reciprocity.
Exam Preparation Resources
The NASW-Illinois Chapter provides a Social Work Licensure Test Review Course. This course covers theories of human development, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, psychopathology, psychopharmacology, communication, ethics, management, research, and diversity. NASW-Illinois has lowered course fees to make test preparation available to more people.
ASWB’s own exam guides and online practice tests, along with many more free and paid preparation options from various providers, are available to help you prepare. The Illinois social work board must approve your application before you can schedule your exam. Note that your test results don’t determine your worth or potential as a skilled social worker.
Supervised Experience
Getting supervised clinical experience is a vital step in your trip to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois. You must meet specific supervised practice requirements after completing your education to qualify for the LCSW credential.
Your educational background determines the required hours of supervised experience. You need to complete 3,000 hours of supervised clinical professional experience with a CSWE-accredited master’s degree in social work. The requirement drops to 2,000 hours if you have a CSWE-accredited doctoral degree in social work.
You can start your supervised experience only after earning your degree. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker must supervise your experience to meet the professional experience requirement for LCSW licensure. Illinois doesn’t require you to get an LSW license before pursuing LCSW credentials.
You have several options for structuring your supervised experience:
- Full-time experience: Between 30-40 hours per week
- Part-time experience: Maximum of 29 hours per week
Regular supervision meetings must happen throughout your experience period. You and your supervisor need to meet for at least 4 hours each month to discuss client cases and treatment procedures. Supervision can happen individually or in groups, but group sessions can’t have more than five supervisees at once.
Your supervision setup can be flexible. You can work with a supervisor hired by your organization or hire one privately. You can also have different supervisors at different times, as long as each supervisor has the right license. The work can be paid or volunteer, but must include direct practice experience instead of clerical duties.
Documentation is key to verify your supervised experience. Both you and your supervisor must complete designated portions of the VE-SW form for all LCSW applications. Your supervisor’s original signature is required – photocopies won’t work. Supervisors must confirm your satisfactory performance and compliance with applicable regulations on this form.
There’s also an alternative path to LCSW licensure. You might qualify by completing an extra 3,000 hours of professional experience in the last 10 years if you’ve taken the ASWB clinical exam at least once since January 2019. These extra hours count as professional experience rather than clinical hours.
Application Process
The time has come to start your Illinois social work license application after meeting the education and experience requirements. Starting October 30, 2024, the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) offers CORE, a new online system that makes license applications easier.
You should first choose between becoming a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Each license type has specific requirements. Both licenses require a $50.00 application fee, which you can pay online through the IDFPR ePay portal or by check/money order.
The IDFPR and NASW-Illinois Chapter recommend using the online portal for quicker processing. Your application needs several supporting documents that you can download and submit:
- ED Form (Certification of Education) – Your social work program must complete this
- VE-SW Form (Verification of Supervision & Experience) – Required for LCSW applications or LSW applications with undergraduate degrees
- PHQ Form – All applicants must submit this
Applicants with credentials from other states need to submit the CT Form (Certification of Licensure) from their first and most recent practicing states.
IDFPR evaluates your “good moral character” during the application review. You must provide documentation for any criminal history or medical conditions that might affect your practice.
The standard processing time runs between 4-6 weeks. This might extend to 11 weeks during peak graduation periods. IDFPR will guide you through the next steps once they accept your application, including exam registration for LCSW candidates.
The Department keeps your completed application valid for three years from the receipt date. You can track your application status by contacting IDFPR or using their website’s License Look Up feature.
The NASW-Illinois Chapter suggests reaching out to your local state legislator if you experience unusual delays. Make sure all forms have original signatures because photocopies aren’t accepted. You’ll need proof of name change if your documents show different names.
Continuing Education
Your Illinois social work license needs ongoing professional development through continuing education (CE). Licensed social workers (LSW and LCSW) must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years. Keep in mind that CE is not required when you renew your license for the first time.
Licenses expire on November 30th of each odd year. You need to complete your CE during the 24 months before this date.
The 30 required hours must include these specific topics:
- 3 hours in Social Work Practice Ethics
- 3 hours in Cultural Competence
- 1 hour in Sexual Harassment Prevention training
- 1 hour in Implicit Bias Awareness training
- 1 hour in Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias training (required once every three renewal periods)
- 6 hours in Clinical Supervision Training (LCSWs only, one-time requirement)
Illinois gives you several ways to earn these credits:
- Attending in-person courses or programs from approved CE sponsors
- Taking live or pre-recorded courses remotely (remote programs must include an examination)
- Completing post-graduate training or social work related courses at educational institutions
- Teaching social work at an accredited institution
- Writing papers, publications, dissertations, or books in the social work field
Your courses must come from approved providers. These include NASW or affiliates, ASWB or affiliates, accredited colleges and universities, and licensed Social Work CE Sponsors (with a 9-digit license number starting with 159).
IDFPR conducts random CE audits. So you should keep records of your CE activities for at least five years.
You might qualify for a one-time CE waiver in special cases. This applies if you served full-time in the US armed forces during most of the license cycle or had an incapacitating illness documented by a licensed physician.
Meeting these requirements will give a good standing to your Illinois social work license. This lets you continue your professional practice without interruption.
Additional Information
Social workers licensed in other states can transfer their credentials to Illinois through licensure by endorsement. Illinois has no formal reciprocity agreements with other states, but qualified out-of-state practitioners can get an equivalent license without starting over. Your original jurisdiction’s requirements need to match Illinois standards. The endorsement application fee is $200, and processing usually takes four to six weeks.
Here’s some good news – LCSWs with five consecutive years of licensure in another state can transfer their credentials with minimal paperwork. The IDFPR won’t charge fees to reinstate licenses that have been inactive or expired for five years or less until January 1, 2028.
The Social Work Compact Bill could change everything about interstate practice. This national licensing reform initiative would create multi-state license reciprocity. Social workers could practice across state lines more easily once seven states enact this legislation. Missouri has already joined, and 21 other states have started the process as of January 2024.
Illinois offers excellent career opportunities with competitive salaries. Healthcare social workers make around $55,250 per year, while social work educators at post-secondary institutions earn about $63,110. You’ll find major employers like the Illinois Department of Human Services, Chicago Public Schools, SwedishAmerican Health System, and many behavioral health facilities across the state.