Section 1470.10  Application for Licensure

Each applicant seeking original licensure under Section 7 of the Act shall file an application, with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation-Division of Professional Regulation (Division), on forms provided by the Division. 

a)         The application for a licensed clinical social worker shall include:

1)         either:

A)        certification of graduation from a master's degree program in social work approved by the Division in accordance with Section 1470.30 and verification of completion of 3,000 hours of satisfactory supervised clinical professional experience as set forth in Section 1470.20; or

B)        certification of graduation from a doctorate degree program in social work approved by the Division in accordance with Section 1470.30 and verification of completion of 2,000 hours of satisfactory supervised clinical professional experience as set forth in Section 1470.20;

2)         proof of successful completion of the examination set forth in Section 1470.70. The examination scores shall be submitted to the Division directly from the reporting entity.;

A)        If on or after January 1, 2019, an applicant has taken but has not successfully completed the examination set forth in Section 1470.70, the applicant may, as an alternative to passing the examination, provide proof of the completion of at least 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience that is obtained within the timeline established under Section 8.2(b) of the Act and after obtaining the education required in subsection (a).  Supervised experience obtained as an alternative to passage of the examination shall be in addition to the supervised clinical experience required pursuant to subsection (a)(1).  Supervised professional experience obtained as an alternative to passing the examination 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.  Supervised professional experience may also include supervised clinical social work as described in Section 1470.20.

B)        Supervision of professional experience required in subsection (a)(2)(A) may be performed by any one or combination of the following:

i)          Licensed clinical social worker;

ii)         Licensed clinical professional counselor;

iii)        Licensed marriage and family therapist;

iv)        Licensed clinical psychologist;

v)         Licensed psychiatrist as defined in Section 1-121 of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code [405 ILCS 5/1-121];

vi)        Licensed advanced practice psychiatric nurse as defined in Section 1-101.3 of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code [405 ILCS 5/1-101.3].

C)        The 3,000 hours of experience required for the exam alternative must be made in the timeline established under Section 8.2(b) of the Act.  Applicants have 3 years from the date of application to complete the application process.  If the process has not been completed in 3 years, the application shall be denied, the fee shall be forfeited, and the applicant must reapply and meet the requirements in effect at the time of reapplication.  (Section 7 of the Act.)

D)        Beginning January 1, 2026, an applicant acquiring the examination alternative supervised professional experience must be a licensed social worker or licensed in this State for the practice of school social work prior to acquiring the supervised professional experience.  (Section 8.2 of the Act)

3)         the required fee set forth in Section 1470.55.

b)         The application for a licensed social worker shall include:

1)         either:

A)        certification of graduation from a master's degree program of social work approved by the Division in accordance with Section 1470.30; or

B)        certification of graduation from a baccalaureate degree program of social work approved by the Division in accordance with Section 1470.30 and verification of completion of 3 years of supervised professional experience in accordance with Section 1470.20;

2)         the required fee set forth in Section 1470.55.

c)         Individuals applying for a licensed social worker license who have successfully completed the Masters Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination subsequent to October 1986 shall not be required to retake the Masters ASWB examination to be eligible for licensure.

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 8825, effective June 4, 2024)