Casein kinase 1δ (CK1δ) is a simple monomeric enzyme involved in the regulation of a variety of functions, including signal transduction, the circadian clock, and the cell cycle, and is a known target of the ubiquitin ligase APC/CCdh1. How CK1δ is regulated to exert its multiple functions is not understood. Here, we have characterized the posttranslational regulation of CK1δ. We show that newly synthesized CK1δ is highly susceptible to proteasomal degradation in the nucleus and shuttles between the cytosol and nucleus in search of assembly partners that stabilize CK1δ. Kinase activity supports two competing processes: export from the nucleus to ensure distribution of CK1δ between its clients, and degradation in the nucleus to keep the amount of active, potentially deleterious orphan kinase low. During mitosis, CK1δ is inhibited by (auto)phosphorylation, stabilizing the CK1δ released from centrosomes to preserve the kinase for the subsequent G1 phase. Our data show that all active CK1δ is associated with stabilizing partners.