Don't Miss Your Window: Key Deadline Approaching for LCSW Licensure Alternative to the ASWB Clinical Exam

NASW-IL Staff
Jul 17
4 min read

Are you planning to pursue your LCSW in Illinois? If you're considering the alternative pathway to licensure that does not require the ASWB clinical exam, now is the time to act. A key provision is set to expire on January 1, 2026. This change could impact your ability to count previously earned professional work experience hours toward your LCSW license if those hours were completed before obtaining your LSW or PEL with School Support Personnel Endorsements in School Social Work.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This change only applies to the additional 3,000 supervised professional work experience hours used for the alternative to the ASWB clinical exam. These changes do not apply to the initial 3,000 supervised clinical professional work experience hours needed to apply for the LCSW.

What’s the change?

Beginning January 1, 2026, any LCSW applicant utilizing the alternative to the ASWB clinical exam must obtain their additional 3,000 hours of supervised professional work experience while holding a valid LSW or Professional Educator License with School Support Personnel Endorsements in School Social Work (PEL w/SSW endorsement). If you do not have a valid LSW or PEL w/SSW endorsement, any supervised professional work experience hours acquired prior to January 1, 2026, will no longer be eligible unless you had an LSW or PEL w/SSW endorsement while acquiring the hours.

For LCSW Applicants Utilizing the Alternative Pathway:

Applying Before Jan. 1, 2026: Professional work experience hours can be obtained without an LSW or PEL w/SSW endorsement. Professional work experience hours must be acquired post-MSW, within the last 10 years, and cannot repeat usage of the initial 3,000 LCSW–clinical professional work experience hours required to apply for the LCSW.
Applying After Jan. 1, 2026: Professional work experience hours must be obtained while holding either an LSW or PEL w/SSW endorsement. All previous supervised professional work experience hours obtained when you did not have an LSW or PEL w/SSW endorsement can no longer be used for supervised professional work experience hours.

Does this change affect me?

I already hold an LCSW in Illinois: You're all set—this change will not affect you.

I have an LSW in Illinois and plan to apply for the LCSW before January 1, 2026: No worries—you are not affected. Your current eligibility under the alternative pathway remains unchanged.

I have an LSW in Illinois and plan to apply for the LCSW after January 1, 2026: You are likely unaffected, but with one important caveat—as long as the professional work experience you plan to count toward the alternative pathway was earned after receiving your LSW or PEL w/SSW endorsement, you’re fine. However, if you were planning to count post-MSW professional work experience earned before obtaining your LSW or PEL—even if that work was supervised and within the permitted 10-year window—those hours will no longer be eligible after the deadline.

I do not hold an LSW or PEL w/SSW endorsement and plan to apply for the LCSW after January 1, 2026: Yes, this change will likely affect you. If you plan to use the alternative to the ASWB clinical exam and haven’t yet earned your LSW or PEL, your ability to count prior supervised professional work experience will be eliminated after January 1, 2026. After this date, you must hold an LSW or PEL w/SSW endorsement in order to collect qualifying professional work experience hours for the alternative pathway.

I didn’t have my LSW when I earned my initial 3,000 hours of supervised clinical professional work experience: This change does not affect your supervised clinical hours (those still count toward LCSW eligibility under both pathways), only those utilizing the alternative pathway to licensure and need to obtain an additional 3,000 supervised professional work experience hours. However, if you’re considering the alternative pathway and haven’t yet applied for the LCSW, we strongly recommend securing your LSW as soon as possible—especially if your initial 3,000 hours are complete. Doing so preserves your options for the future.

What’s the alternative to the ASWB clinical exam?

With disclosure back in August 2022 by the Association of Social Work Bords (ASWB) over glaring disparities in their clinical exam required for clinical licensure, Illinois took steps to pass a landmark legislation that would offer social work applicants unable to pass the clinical exam due to no fault of their own an alternative to the exam to obtain clinical licensure in Illinois.

Taking effect January 1, 2024, with the signage of House Bill 2365 into law, social workers would still need to complete the same requirements as before for clinical licensure including 3,000 clinical professional work experience hours supervised by an LCSW; however, for those who were unable to pass the ASWB clinical exam on their first or subsequent attempts, they could continue to take the exam or instead utilize an alternative to the ASWB clinical exam which would require obtaining an additional 3,000 hours of supervised professional work experience before applying again to the state for independent licensure.

To find out if utilizing the alternative to the ASWB clinical exam is right for you as well as steps on how to prepare, see our article, “Ask NASW-IL: How can I utilize the alternative to the ASWB exam to get my LCSW?.”

What qualifies for “professional work experience hours” as required for those utilizing the alternative to the ASWB clinical exam?

These hours are not 3,000 additional supervised clinical professional work experience hours, but rather 3,000 additional supervised professional work experience hours. This work may consist of: social services to individuals, groups, or communities in any one or more of the fields of social casework, social group work, community organization for social welfare, social work research, social welfare administration. school social work, or social work education. It may also include supervised clinical social work as described in Section 1470.20 of the Social Work Practice Act assuming these hours are not the same initial 3,000 supervised clinical professional work experience hours used to qualify to take the exam, and that they were acquired after you got your MSW and within the last 10 years..

More Information

For more information on how to apply for LSW or LCSW licensure in Illinois, about who can provide supervision for clinical licensure, and requirements for obtaining clinical supervision in Illinois, visit the NASW-Illinois Chapter website which has step-by-step instructions for obtaining your social work license in Illinois as well as supervision information.