Illinois CPA CPE Requirements: Renewal Guide
Illinois CPAs need 120 hours of CPE every three-year renewal period, including at least 4 hours of professional ethics and 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training. There's no annual minimum. The current period runs October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027, and that's also your renewal deadline. Here's the rest, in plain English.
Illinois CPE requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Details | Frequency |
| Total CPE Hours Required | 120 hours of acceptable CPE | Every 3 years |
| Ethics CPE | 4 hours | Every 3 years |
| Sexual Harassment Prevention | 1 hour | Every 3 years |
| Carryover | Not Allowed |
When does my Illinois CPA license renew?
Every three years, on a fixed cycle for everyone. The current period runs October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2027. Your CPE has to be done inside that window, and your license renews online with IDFPR by September 30, 2027. Finishing your CPE doesn't renew your license, so you still need to file and pay.
Is there an annual minimum in Illinois?
No. Illinois only looks at the three-year total. You could do 20 hours one year and 60 the next, as long as you hit 120 by September 30 of your renewal year. Spreading it out is still smart, because it keeps you clear of the self-study and other caps.
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How many ethics hours do Illinois CPAs need?
At least 4 hours of professional ethics in each three-year period. They count toward your 120.
Do Illinois CPAs need sexual harassment prevention training?
Yes. Every individual license holder regulated by IDFPR needs a 1-hour sexual harassment prevention course each renewal period. For CPAs, it's part of the 120 hours.
Do Illinois CPAs need implicit bias training?
No. Illinois's implicit bias awareness requirement applies to health care professionals who renew with continuing education, like nurses and physicians. It isn't part of the CPA requirements.
Can I do my Illinois CPE through self-study?
Partly. Unlike California, Texas, and Florida, Illinois caps self-study:
- Interactive self-study (with review questions and feedback) earns full credit, at 50 minutes per credit.
- Non-interactive self-study earns half credit, at 100 minutes per credit, and is capped at 60 hours.
- All self-study combined is capped at 80 of your 120 hours.
That means at least 40 hours have to come from live programs, webcasts, or other non-self-study formats.
Audio-Based Self-Study and LumiQ
LumiQ provides CPE through audio-based interactive self-study courses designed to support CPAs with flexible, on-demand learning.
While LumiQ is often described as a “CPE podcast,” its episodes are structured educational programs intended to qualify as formal self-study continuing education when offered through a qualifying provider and completed in accordance with applicable requirements.
LumiQ does not determine a licensee’s individual Illinois CPA CPE requirements and does not provide legal, regulatory, or compliance advice. CPAs remain responsible for:
- Determining which CPE requirements apply to their license status
- Confirming that completed courses qualify as acceptable CPE under Illinois rules
- Ensuring applicable subject-matter requirements are satisfied
- Maintaining documentation in the event of an IDFPR audit
What other limits should I know about?
Maximums per three-year period:
- Personal development: 24 hours
- Teaching or leading a course: 60 hours
- Writing published articles or developing courses: 30 hours
- Non-verifiable CPE, combined: 60 hours
- Technical committee work: 10 hours
- Professional reading: 10 hours
- Consultation or research: 10 hours
Does my CPE provider need to be approved?
Illinois accepts courses from the AICPA, the Illinois CPA Society, accredited colleges, NASBA Registry sponsors and QAS self-study sponsors, and sponsors licensed by IDFPR. You can check a sponsor in IDFPR's License Lookup.
How is CPE credit calculated in Illinois?
One credit is 50 minutes. After the first full credit in a course, you can earn half credits (25 minutes). Non-interactive self-study is the exception, at half the average completion time.
What do new Illinois CPAs need?
Nothing for your first renewal. Illinois exempts the first renewal of a CPA license from the CPE hours. From your second renewal on, you need the full 120 hours. Check with IDFPR on the 1-hour sexual harassment course, since IDFPR's general rule applies it starting with your first renewal.
Can extra CPE hours carry over?
No. All CPE must be completed in the three years before your license expires. Hours you use to make up a shortfall can't count toward the next period either.
What if I'm short on hours?
You get two months after the period ends to make up a deficiency. IDFPR can also grant waivers for extreme hardship, such as military service or serious illness.
How do I report CPE and how long do I keep records?
You don't upload courses at renewal, but you have to be able to produce your records if IDFPR asks. Keep certificates for at least six years.
What if my license is inactive?
You can be excused from CPE and renewal fees by notifying IDFPR. While inactive, you can't perform accountancy work or call yourself a CPA.
I hold licenses in other states. What applies to me?
Illinois exempts CPAs who hold multiple state licenses from its CPE rules, as long as they meet their home state's CPE requirements.
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Frequently asked questions
How many CPE hours do Illinois CPAs need?
120 hours every three-year renewal period.
Is there an annual minimum?
No. Only the three-year total counts.
When is the next Illinois CPA renewal?
September 30, 2027, for the period that started October 1, 2024.
How many ethics hours do I need?
At least 4 hours per three-year period.
Do I need sexual harassment prevention training?
Yes, 1 hour each renewal period, as part of your 120.
Do Illinois CPAs need implicit bias training?
No. That requirement is for health care professionals.
How much self-study can I use?
Up to 80 hours, with no more than 60 from non-interactive self-study.
Can I earn Illinois CPE from podcasts?
Yes, as self-study, if the podcast is a structured course from an accepted sponsor with an assessment and certificate. Interactive podcast courses, with review questions and feedback, earn full credit. Non-interactive ones earn half credit. Either way, podcasts count toward the 80-hour self-study cap.
How much personal development counts?
Up to 24 hours per period.
Do new CPAs need CPE for their first renewal?
No. The first renewal is exempt from the CPE hours.
Can CPE carry over?
No.
What if I'm short at the deadline?
You have two months after the period ends to make it up.
How long do I keep records?
At least six years.
Do inactive CPAs need CPE?
No, but you can't practice or call yourself a CPA while inactive.
Sources
- IDFPR: Licensed CPA CPE FAQs (rev. 03/2026)
- IDFPR: Continuing Education requirements for all licensees
- Illinois CPA Society: CPE Requirements
- Illinois CPA Society: CPE requirements grid
- Illinois CPA Society: Renew Your License
Reviewed by Danielle Marion, Regulatory Compliance Manager at LumiQ. Danielle has more than 20 years of experience in regulatory compliance and professional education governance, including leadership roles at Deloitte LLP.
LumiQ Inc. Sponsor ID Numbers: NASBA (146039), New York (002996), Texas (010643)
LumiQ’s subject matter classifications are made in accordance with NASBA’s Fields of Study that qualify for Continuing Professional Education.
Each State Board of Accountancy retains final authority on the acceptance of individual episodes, credit hours, and the classification of fields of study for CPE purposes.
