IDFPR Moves to Online Application for CPA Licenses

Continuation of Rauner Administration Efforts to Modernize Government

SPRINGFIELD - Individuals seeking to apply for their Certified Public Accountant and Public Accounting Firm License with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) will now be required to submit and pay for their initial application online via IDFPR’s Online Services Portal. The new online portal enables applicants to enter all required information electronically, including attachment of supplemental electronic documents. Once submitted, applicants may monitor their application’s status online as it moves through IDFPR’s review process. The move to an online, paperless initial licensure is part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to modernize the state’s regulatory agency.

“Migrating our initial application process to an online format allows for a mutually beneficial arrangement that affords the added convenience and accuracy of online forms, while providing an added layer of transparency and security,” said Bryan A. Schneider, IDFPR Secretary. “By transitioning away from the paper application, we are able to streamline tasks that, ultimately, allow us to better serve our applicants and licensees with a faster, more modernized regulatory experience.”

“Maximizing efficiency is something all accounting and financial professionals strive for in building success,” said Todd Shapiro, President and CEO of the Illinois CPA Society. “We express our appreciation to the IDFPR’s leadership for making accounting one of the first professions to benefit from this new and innovative online process. This is a significant development in leveraging technology to create a user-friendly experience for all CPAs. We’re grateful to the IDFPR for making this possible and honored that our members will be among the first to benefit from this initiative.”

Currently there are over 41,678 Certified Public Accountants and over 850 Public Accounting Firms in the State of Illinois. IDFPR’s Division of Professional Regulation currently licenses over 1.1 million professionals in more than 200 license categories throughout the State of Illinois.

Individuals seeking to apply for their Public Accountant license may do so by visiting IDFPR’s online initial application portal at: https://online-dfpr.micropact.com/.