Licensure Renewal
LSW and LCSW Licensure Renewal in Illinois
When does my license expire?
Regardless of when you first receive your license, every license shall expire on November 30 of each odd-numbered year. The holder of a license may renew that license during the month preceding the expiration date of the license by paying the required fee set and complying with the continuing education requirements.
The current license expiration date is November 30, 2025.
If you renew after the November 30th deadline, additional fees are required, CEUs must be submitted, and your license may be suspended temporarily.
Do I need CEUs for my renewal?
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If this is your first time renewing your LSW or LCSW: you do not need to accumulate 30 CEUs for licensure, but you will still need to apply for renewal and (NEW!) may need to complete an Alzheimer's disease and other dementias training. See our CEU Requirements page and the section on "More About the Specialty CEU Training Requirements" for more about the Alzheimer's disease and other dementias training requirement.
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If this is your second or subsequent time renewing: you will need to accumulate CEUs for renewal.
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If you are renewing your LCSW for the first time AND want to keep your LSW: you will need to accumulate CEUs for your LSW renewal. NOTE: We do not recommend maintaining your LSW if you have an LCSW.
Need more CEUs? Check out our latest live and on-demand CEU offerings!
When can I renew my license?
Approximately 2–3 months out from the renewal deadline, the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) will send out e-mail notices to all Illinois social workers when their online portal is open for social work license renewal. If you have fulfilled all renewal requirements (including obtaining all 30 hours of continuing education) for your license, you may begin applying for renewal. Make sure you don't miss out on any alerts or news from the department by making sure your contact information is current and up to date with IDFPR—see instructions below for updating your information with the department.
Where do I renew my license?
IDFPR is the licensing board for all professional, licensed professions in the state of Illinois, including social workers. In fall 2021 the department updated their online renewal system to a new portal. All Illinois professionals must now renew their license online via this new portal.
Need more assistance with the renewal process? See our detailed, step-by-step guide here (to come).
How much does it cost to renew my license?
IDFPR renewal application fees are currently $60.00 (i.e., $30 for each year in the 2-year cycle).
NEW! For the current 2023 renewal cycle ONLY, application fees have been waived. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker waived the $60.00 license renewal fee* this licensure cycle for social workers as a thank you to first responders for their work during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis. See our April 2022 article when we announced the waiver or our May 2022 article when IDFPR announced released an FAQ.
*If you have already utilized the fee waiver for a previous application to become a social worker, you may be requested to pay the $60.00 renewal fee.
What if I let my license lapse? How do I reinstate/restore my license?
Please see our Licensure Steps page for how to reinstate or restore a lapsed license.
How do I update my e-mail or mailing address on my license?
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 shall not constitute an excuse for failure to pay the renewal fee or to renew one's license.
If you have an account in the IDFPR Online Services Portal, sign into your account and go to Online Services, then Account Information to update your mailing address (Address Change) and/or e-mail address (Update My Contact Info).
If you do not have an account, you'll need to submit the IDFPR Name and Address Change Form via paper form.
How can I get another copy of my license/find out when my license was issued?
IDFPR has gone paperless and is no longer mailing paper licenses. To print out a copy of your license which includes the years it was issued as well as when it expires, visit their “Print My License” portal.