Illinois Continuing Education (CE) Requirements

IMPORTANT: Review your profession’s Act and Rules to determine any continuing education (CE) requirements that may apply along with the legislative mandates outlined below.  You can access profession’s Act and Rules directly on this page: IDFPR | Acts & Rules.

Credit hours completed to meet the legislative mandates below may be applied towards the total number of CE hours outlined in your profession’s Act and Rules.

These legislative requirements are established by law — not by Department policy — and some may need to be completed even if your profession’s Act and Rules do not require continuing education, or as part of your profession-specific CE requirements.

These requirements are not applicable to business licenses or Continuing Education Sponsors.

Please ensure you complete ALL applicable continuing education requirements prior to renewing, reinstating, or restoring your license to avoid delays or compliance issues.

Below are the Continuing Education (CE) Requirements Pursuant to Legislative Mandate for Individual License Holders

*These requirements are not applicable to business licenses or Continuing Education Sponsors.

Each individual (non-business) license holder must complete a one-hour sexual harassment prevention course during each renewal cycle, beginning with the first renewal after obtaining their initial license. Note, this requirement also applies to individuals seeking reinstatement or restoration of a license.

Training must be provided by:

• The licensee’s employer,
• The Illinois Department of Human Rights Training, or
• A continuing education provider authorized under an Act administered by the Department.

The training must be completed, at a minimum, prior to renewing your license. This one-hour course may be counted toward the minimum credit hours required for profession-specific continuing education, if applicable. (20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5)

The requirement applies to individuals licensed or registered under the following Acts: This continuing education requirement applies to any individual (non-business) license holder under any licensing Act administered by the Department, even if the profession does not otherwise require continuing education credits for renewal, reinstatement, or restoration.

Health care professionals who are required to complete continuing education must complete a one-hour course in implicit bias awareness training per renewal period starting with the first renewal that requires continuing education, according to the professions Act and Rule. This course may be counted toward the minimum credit hours required for continuing education. Note, this requirement also applies to individuals seeking reinstatement or restoration of a license.

Licensees who hold multiple professional licenses subject to this requirement may apply the same one-hour course toward the CE requirements for each license without repeating the course.

Effective July 1, 2026, health care professionals who report to the Department that they provide maternal health care services and seek to renew a license or registration must complete implicit bias training that includes instruction on potential maternal health risk factors associated with childbearing individuals from marginalized racial or ethnic groups experiencing increased maternal mortality rates. This one-hour course may also be counted toward required CE hours.

For purposes of this requirement:

• “Maternal health care services” includes prenatal and postnatal care.
• “Postnatal care” refers to an office visit related to post-pregnancy care within 12 months after childbirth.
• "Prenatal care” has the meaning provided in the Maternal Mental Health Conditions Education, Early Diagnosis, and Treatment Act. (20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7)

These requirements apply to individuals licensed or registered under the following Acts: Medical Practice Act of 1987; Nurse Practice Act; Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act; Illinois Dental Practice Act; Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987; Pharmacy Practice Act; Illinois Physical Therapy Act; Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987; Acupuncture Practice Act; Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act; Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act; Dietitian Nutritionist Practice Act; Home Medical Equipment and Services Provider License Act; Naprapathic Practice Act; Nursing Home Administrators Licensing and Disciplinary Act; Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act; Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987; Respiratory Care Practice Act; Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act; Sex Offender Evaluation and Treatment Provider Act; Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act; Perfusionist Practice Act; Registered Surgical Assistant and Registered Surgical Technologist Title Protection Act; and Genetic Counselor Licensing Act.

Health care professionals with continuing education requirements and a renewal occurring on or after January 1, 2025, must complete at least a one-hour course on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. This course must be completed prior to the first renewal that requires continuing education and then retaken once every six years after that. Note, this requirement also applies to individuals seeking reinstatement or restoration of a license.

Training must include, but is not limited to:

• Assessment and diagnosis
• Effective communication strategies
• Management and care planning

This requirement applies only to health care professionals who provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adult populations age 26 or older in the practice of their profession.

A health care professional may count this one hour toward the minimum credit hours required for continuing education. Any Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias training used to satisfy another State licensure requirement, professional accreditation or certification requirement, or health care institutional practice agreement may also count toward this requirement.

The requirement applies to individuals licensed or registered under the following Acts: Medical Practice Act of 1987; Nurse Practice Act; Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act; Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987; Illinois Physical Therapy Act; Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987; Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act; Nursing Home Administrators Licensing and Disciplinary Act; Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act; Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987; Respiratory Care Practice Act; Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act; and Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act. (20 ILCS 2105/2105-365)

Health care professionals with continuing education requirements and a renewal occurring on or after January 1, 2025, must complete at least a one-hour course in cultural competency training. This course must be completed prior to the first renewal that requires continuing education and then retaken once every six years after that. Note, this requirement also applies to individuals seeking reinstatement or restoration of a license.

This one-hour course may be counted toward the minimum credit hours required for continuing education.

“Cultural competency” means a set of integrated attitudes, knowledge, and skills that enables a health care professional or organization to provide effective care to patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities.

This requirement applies to individuals licensed or registered under the following Acts: Medical Practice Act of 1987; Nurse Practice Act; Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act; Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987; Illinois Physical Therapy Act; Pharmacy Practice Act; Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987; Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act; Nursing Home Administrators Licensing and Disciplinary Act; Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act; Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987; Respiratory Care Practice Act; Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act; Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act; Illinois Dental Practice Act; and Behavior Analyst Licensing Act. (20 ILCS 2105/2105-370)

This requirement is established by DCFS, not by IDFPR policy.

A mandated reporter*, under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act [325 ILCS 5/4] is required to report suspected abuse or neglect and complete 1 hour of mandated reporter training at time of renewal, reinstatement or restoration.  

Beginning January 1, 2021, if a mandated reporter is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the profession requires continuing education, the training required under this section may count toward the licensee’s continuing education requirements. 

Each mandated reporter must report to their employer and IDFPR that they have completed mandated reporter training. The mandated reporter is also responsible for maintaining records documenting completion of the training. 

Medical Personnel:

Medical personnel who work with children in their professional or official capacity must complete mandated reporter training at least every six years. The mandated reporter training shall include, at a minimum, information on the following topics: (1) indicators for recognizing child abuse and child neglect, as defined under this Act; (2) the process for reporting suspected child abuse and child neglect in Illinois as required by this Act and the required documentation; (3) responding to a child in a trauma-informed manner; and (4) understanding the response of child protective services and the role of the reporter after a call has been made.

Medical personnel must attest at each renewal (and at the time of renewal, reinstatement or restoration, if applicable). that they understand they are a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect, that they are aware of the process for making a report, that they know how to respond to a child in a trauma-informed manner, and that they are aware of the role of child protective services and the role of a reporter after a call has been made. 

Medical personnel who do not work with children in their professional or official capacity may, instead of completing repeated training, attest at each license renewal (and at the time of renewal, reinstatement or restoration, if applicable) that they understand they are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, are aware of the reporting process, know how to respond to a child in a trauma-informed manner, and understand the role of child protective services and the role of the reporter after a report has been made. This provision does not prevent medical personnel from completing mandated reporter training and receiving continuing education credit for the training. 

DCFS administers an online training course entitled Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Training for Mandated Reporters, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

More information can be found here: Home | Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Mandated Reporter Portal

Non-Medical Personnel:

Non-medical personnel must complete mandated reporter training at least every 3 years following the initial training. The mandated reporter training shall include, at a minimum, information on the following topics: (1) indicators for recognizing child abuse and child neglect, as defined under this Act; (2) the process for reporting suspected child abuse and child neglect in Illinois as required by this Act and the required documentation; (3) responding to a child in a trauma-informed manner; and (4) understanding the response of child protective services and the role of the reporter after a call has been made.

This requirement applies to the following professions:

*Medical Personnel Mandated Reporters (outlined pursuant to 325 ILCS 5/4 and for the purpose of this Act): Acupuncturist, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Chiropractor Physician, Dental Hygienist, Dentist, Genetic Counselor, Licensed Practical Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy Assistant, Physician and Surgeon, Physician Assistant, Podiatric Physician, Registered Nurse, Respiratory Care Practitioner.

*Non-Medical Personnel Mandated Reporters (outlined pursuant to 325 ILCS 5/4 and for the purpose of this Act): Athletic Trainer, Funeral Director, Funeral Director and Embalmer, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Licensed Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Associate Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Behavioral Analyst, Licensed Assistant Behavioral Analyst.