Renewal Season Is Open for Illinois Social Work Licenses—Don’t Put It Off
- NASW-IL Staff
- Sep 15
- 3 min read
The Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has begun to allow for social work licensure renewal through the IDFPR Online Services Portal. Even if you haven't received your e-mail notice from the department, all Illinois social work licenses will expire unless renewed by November 30, 2025.
Don't Delay!
Fulfilled all renewal requirements? Don't delay in renewing your license! Waiting until the last week (or day!) to renew your license brings its own headaches: slow websites, missing certificates, tech glitches, or realizing you forgot a specialty hour you still need to earn. And if you miss the November 30th deadline altogether, you’ll pay late fees and your license could lapse—which could create an even bigger (and expensive!) mess for you later.
How to Renew
In order to renew your social work license, you must first fulfill any and all requirements for renewal. If this is your first time renewing your license, there are no educational requirements to fulfill. However, if this is your second or subsequent time renewing your license, you will need to fulfill continuing education requirements as required by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR). For a list of CEU requirements for the current licensure cycle, see our past article, "Get Ready for 2025–2027 Licensure Renewal!" or find full details at our NASW-IL CEU Requirements page.
TIP! For a step-by-step renewal guide with screenshots to walk you through the renewal process, see our NASW-IL Renewal Page.
Check your CEUs. Use our NASW-IL CE Worksheet to confirm you have all required hours, especially the specialty ones like ethics and cultural competence. IMPORTANT! You cannot renew your license until you have fulfilled all requirements. This means that if you must obtain education requirements to renew your license and have not yet fulfilled them, you cannot renew your social work license.
Fill in the gaps now. Missing a few hours? NASW-IL offers live and recorded courses that meet every requirement. For a full listing, visit the NASW-IL Events page.
Make sure IDFPR has your current contact info. If you’ve moved or changed your e-mail address, update the department here: IDFPR | Name/Address Change Request.
Renew online well before November 30, 2025. If you miss the deadline, you’ll owe a late fee and your license could be placed on inactive status. If this happens, here’s what you’ll need to do to fix it: IDFPR License Renewal & Reactivation Info.
Go to the IDFPR Online Renewal Portal.
Need guidance? Follow these IDFPR Renewal Instructions or view our step-by-step instructions here: Social Work Licensure Renewal | National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter
IDFPR renewal application fees are currently $60.00 (i.e., $30 for each year in the 2-year cycle). You can pay with a credit card, debit card, or eCheck. A small processing fee will be added.
Save your CEU certificates. Keep all CEU certificates somewhere safe. While you won't need to submit them for this cycle's renewal, you'll definitely need them if you are ever audited by IDFPR.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to have every CEU done before renewing? Yes. If you renew without having completed all hours, you’re certifying false information. If you get audited, that’s a serious issue.
Do I need to get CEUs? If this is your first time renewing your license, you do not need CEUs (but you still need to renew your license!). If this is your second or subsequent time renewing your license, you will need to fulfill continuing education requirements as required by IDFPR.
What CEUs do I need to get for renewal cycle? See our past article, "Get Ready for 2025–2027 Licensure Renewal!" or find full details at our NASW-IL CEU Requirements page.
I didn’t get the reminder e-mail from IDFPR. Does that mean I don’t have to renew? It is the responsibility of each licensee to notify IDFPR of any change of mailing and e-mail addresses. Failure to receive a renewal form from IDFPR does not constitute an excuse for failure to pay the renewal fee or to renew one's license.