State CPE Requirements
Illinois
Welcome to your go-to guide for fulfilling your Continuing Professional Education requirements, tailored to your state’s specific mandates and regulations.
Revision Date:
May 5, 2025
All Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements are sourced from NASBA. For detailed information, please visit the NASBA CPE Requirements page.
Total CPE Hours Required
120 hours
CPE Reporting Period
10/1 to 9/30 triennially
License Renewal Deadline
9/30 triennially
License Renewal Deadline:
9/30 triennially
CPE Reporting Period:
10/1 to 9/30 triennially
Total CPE Hours Required:
120 hours
Ethics Requirements:
4 hours
Credit Limitations:
Instruction: Instruction credits are limited to 60 hours.
Non-Verifiable CPE: Credit for non-verifiable CPE is limited to 60 hours and includes the following:
- Programs without an approved sponsor
- Committee Meetings and Technical Meetings*
- Reading of Published Materials*
- Consultation with experts or research in an area new to the licensee*
Personal Development: Personal development credits are limited to 24 hours.
Published Materials: Authorship credits are limited to 30 hours.
Self-Study: Self-study credits are limited to 80 hours, with only 60 hours allowed from non-interactive self-study.
*This type of CPE is limited to 10 hours and comprises part of the hours allowed as “non-verifiable” CPE.
Other Subject Area Requirements:
One (1) hour of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Other State Policies:
Sponsors: All program sponsors must register with the Board or fall into one of the following categories for automatic approval:
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA);
The Illinois CPA Society/Foundation (ICPAS/F);
A university or college approved by its governing board in the State of Illinois, or equivalent public authority governing board if in another jurisdiction, to award accounting degrees; or
The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and persons, firms, associations, corporations, or other groups that are members of NASBA’s National Registry of CPE Sponsors or Quality Assurance Service (QAS) Program.
Reciprocity: Effective January 2020, Licensees with an Address of Record outside of IL shall be considered compliant with IL CPE requirements (except for the 1-hour Sexual Harassment Prevention Training) if the licensee has complied with the CPE Requirements of the state in their Address of Record.
No carryover allowed: Effective January 2020, CPE hours earned in excess of the 120 hour requirement during any three-year renewal period shall not be eligible for use as credit in a subsequent renewal cycle.
Other State CPE Requirements
Deadlines always sneak up on you, but not this time.
Financial and Accounting Professionals reporting in one of the states listed below can easily find their State’s CPE Requirements.