Social Work License from Illinois to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners ↗
A social work license transfers from Illinois to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners, verify your Illinois license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; request that ASWB send your Clinical Score Report to Maryland. Maryland's clinical license (LCSW-C) is based on the ASWB Clinical exam; Maryland no longer issues the LCSW (its Advanced Generalist-based license), so do not apply for it when seeking clinical endorsement. No Maryland jurisprudence exam is required..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Only Maryland has enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, and since the compact is not issuing multistate licenses anywhere, that difference does not affect this move. You apply to the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners by endorsement, with your Illinois license verified and your ASWB score transferred.
What changes, Illinois → Maryland
| Illinois (current) | Maryland (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.) | $100 ($100 application processing fee (COMAR 10.42.05.02; paid online by Visa or Mastercard only), then a $75 initial license fee once approved. CHRC fingerprinting: $51.25 at state-operated centers or $30 plus the provider's fee at private providers.) |
| 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. | ~9 weeks (The Board's July 2026 endorsement guide says it has 60 days to review a completed application after all documents arrive (about 8.6 weeks). Once approved and the $75 fee is paid, the license is usually issued within 7 business days.) |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Social Work Examining and Disciplinary Board | Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Choose the correct LCSW-C by Endorsement application: over 5 years (5 of the past 10 years at 1,000+ practice hours per year under a clinical license) or under 5 years of clinical licensure.
- Complete a Maryland/FBI Criminal History Records Check (out-of-state applicants can request a fingerprint card).
- Request an ASWB Clinical score report and have your official master's transcript emailed to the Board.
- Under 5 years: document 12 academic credits of clinical coursework and 3,000 hours over 2-6 years of supervised clinical experience on Maryland's Supervision Verification Form.
- Over 5 years: mail Employment Certification Forms and a resume documenting post-licensure clinical practice.
- Pay the fees ($100 ($100 application processing fee (COMAR 10.42.05.02; paid online by Visa or Mastercard only), then a $75 initial license fee once approved. CHRC fingerprinting: $51.25 at state-operated centers or $30 plus the provider's fee at private providers.)) and allow ~9 weeks (The Board's July 2026 endorsement guide says it has 60 days to review a completed application after all documents arrive (about 8.6 weeks). Once approved and the $75 fee is paid, the license is usually issued within 7 business days.).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Maryland accept an Illinois social work license?
A social work license transfers from Illinois to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners, verify your Illinois license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. The ASWB exam is not retaken; request that ASWB send your Clinical Score Report to Maryland. Maryland's clinical license (LCSW-C) is based on the ASWB Clinical exam; Maryland no longer issues the LCSW (its Advanced Generalist-based license), so do not apply for it when seeking clinical endorsement. No Maryland jurisprudence exam is required..
Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from Illinois to Maryland?
The ASWB exam is not retaken; request that ASWB send your Clinical Score Report to Maryland. Maryland's clinical license (LCSW-C) is based on the ASWB Clinical exam; Maryland no longer issues the LCSW (its Advanced Generalist-based license), so do not apply for it when seeking clinical endorsement. No Maryland jurisprudence exam is required. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.
What does the Illinois-to-Maryland move cost and how long does it take?
$100 ($100 application processing fee (COMAR 10.42.05.02; paid online by Visa or Mastercard only), then a $75 initial license fee once approved. CHRC fingerprinting: $51.25 at state-operated centers or $30 plus the provider's fee at private providers.) Processing: ~9 weeks (The Board's July 2026 endorsement guide says it has 60 days to review a completed application after all documents arrive (about 8.6 weeks). Once approved and the $75 fee is paid, the license is usually issued within 7 business days.)
Does the Social Work Licensure Compact help with this move?
No. Maryland has enacted it and Illinois has not, and the compact was not issuing multistate licenses anywhere as of 2026-09-27. Endorsement through the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners is the route.
Will Maryland 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. Maryland's rule, where the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners 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.
- Maryland BSWE — Guide Sheet: How to apply for LCSW-C by Endorsement, Over 5 Years Experience (July 2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland BSWE — Licensing and FAQ content (reciprocity, endorsement applications, CHRC, LCSW-C criteria) (read via the Board site's SharePoint list data) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland BSWE — Fee Schedule (read via the Board site's SharePoint list data) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- COMAR 10.42 Board of Social Work Examiners (incl. 10.42.01.11 Licensure by Endorsement and 10.42.05.02 Fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland BSWE — Criminal History Records Check instructions ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]