Social Work License from Illinois to Colorado: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) ↗
A social work license transfers from Illinois to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations), verify your Illinois license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken. For LCSW by endorsement you attest that you passed an exam covering the general areas of social work knowledge, or a written exam testing competence to practise independent social work, or (if no exam was required when you were first licensed) that you practised at the independent level for at least 5 of the last 10 years. Colorado also requires every LCSW applicant to pass the Colorado Mental Health Professions Jurisprudence Examination (open-book, online); results are valid for one year..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The compact question does not arise here. Colorado has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact and Illinois has not, but nothing is being issued in either, so the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations)'s endorsement process below is the whole route.
What changes, Illinois → Colorado
| Illinois (current) | Colorado (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| SW Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | SW Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| Application fee | $200 (Endorsement licensure application fee per IDFPR's Social Worker/LCSW instructions; non-refundable. The Acceptance of Examination and Examination methods cost $50 but apply only to people not currently licensed elsewhere.) | The Colorado DPO social work pages and the online application preview do not state the LCSW application fee; the fee is shown only inside the DPO Online Services system. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. |
| Processing time | IDFPR states no processing time. Its instructions ask applicants to allow 6 weeks from mailing before inquiring about status, and an application stays active for three years. | No processing time is published on the Colorado social work application pages. |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Social Work Examining and Disciplinary Board | Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Colorado sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Colorado's current requirements on the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active LCSW (or equivalent) license in another state, verified by upload showing original issue date and any discipline.
- Pass the Colorado Mental Health Professions Jurisprudence Examination and upload the signed result.
- Attest that you completed the post-degree experience your original licensing state required.
- Hold a master's or doctoral degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program.
- Answer criminal-history screening questions and complete the Healthcare Professions Profile.
- Pay the fees (The Colorado DPO social work pages and the online application preview do not state the LCSW application fee; the fee is shown only inside the DPO Online Services system. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.) and allow No processing time is published on the Colorado social work application pages..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado accept an Illinois social work license?
A social work license transfers from Illinois to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations), verify your Illinois license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken. For LCSW by endorsement you attest that you passed an exam covering the general areas of social work knowledge, or a written exam testing competence to practise independent social work, or (if no exam was required when you were first licensed) that you practised at the independent level for at least 5 of the last 10 years. Colorado also requires every LCSW applicant to pass the Colorado Mental Health Professions Jurisprudence Examination (open-book, online); results are valid for one year..
Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from Illinois to Colorado?
The ASWB exam is not retaken. For LCSW by endorsement you attest that you passed an exam covering the general areas of social work knowledge, or a written exam testing competence to practise independent social work, or (if no exam was required when you were first licensed) that you practised at the independent level for at least 5 of the last 10 years. Colorado also requires every LCSW applicant to pass the Colorado Mental Health Professions Jurisprudence Examination (open-book, online); results are valid for one year. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
What does the Illinois-to-Colorado move cost and how long does it take?
The Colorado DPO social work pages and the online application preview do not state the LCSW application fee; the fee is shown only inside the DPO Online Services system. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Processing: No processing time is published on the Colorado social work application pages.
Does the Social Work Licensure Compact help with this move?
No. Colorado has enacted it and Illinois has not, and the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) is the route.
Will Colorado accept the supervised hours I completed in Illinois?
Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. Colorado's rule, where the Colorado State Board of Social Work Examiners (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) publishes one, is in the requirements on this page; confirm with the board if your hours were logged under a different structure.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Colorado DPO — Social Work Applications and Forms ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Colorado DPO — Licensed Clinical Social Worker initial application preview (linked from the Applications page) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Colorado DPO — Social Work Licensing Guide (linked from the Applications page) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Social Work Licensure Compact — compact jurisdictions ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- IDFPR — Qualifications for Licensure, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (149), effective 05/2025 ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- IDFPR — Instructions, Licensed Social Worker or Licensed Clinical Social Worker application ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- IDFPR — Social Work profession page ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27
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