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Illinois CME requirements
Continuing medical education and license renewal rules for clinicians licensed in Illinois, as recorded by MedLicense for planning.
Planning aid only. MedLicense is not legal or compliance advice. Boards change rules between cycles, so confirm every requirement with the board before you rely on it.
- Licensing board
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- License lookup
- Public license verification
- License renewal
- Every 3 years, based on a fixed calendar date (07-31)
MD CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-10-31 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-10-31. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Some details below are marked for confirmation, so treat those as unverified until the board confirms them. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 150 hours every 3 years, with at least 60 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 3 years, based on a fixed calendar date (07-31)
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | Safe opioid prescribing for prescribers with CS licence |
| Implicit bias | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Implicit bias awareness for those with direct patient care; frequency to confirm |
| Sexual harassment prevention | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Sexual harassment prevention training, 1 hour each renewal |
Notes. 150 hours per 3 years, at least 60 Category 1. Licenses expire July 31 on a fixed 3-year cycle (the 2026 renewal moved them to 2029). One hour of sexual harassment prevention training is required each renewal.
DO CME requirements
Not yet verified Not yet verified, confirm with the board. This entry has not been checked against the board’s own published rules.
- Total hours
- 150 hours every 3 years, with at least 60 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 3 years, based on a fixed calendar date (07-31)
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | Safe opioid prescribing for prescribers with CS licence |
| Implicit bias | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Implicit bias awareness for those with direct patient care; frequency to confirm |
| Sexual harassment prevention | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Sexual harassment prevention training, 1 hour each renewal |
Notes. Copied from the MD block as a planning default; the osteopathic rules were not separately confirmed. Confirm with the board.
NP CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-11-01 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-01. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Some details below are marked for confirmation, so treat those as unverified until the board confirms them. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 80 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 3 years, based on a fixed calendar date (07-31)
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology | 20 | Every cycle | Everyone | At least 50 of the 80 hours must come from CE programs that include no less than 20 hours of pharmacotherapeutics |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 10 | Every cycle | Everyone | Included within the 20 pharmacotherapeutics hours: opioid prescribing or substance abuse education |
| Implicit bias | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Counts toward the 80; first renewal exempt |
| Sexual harassment prevention | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Counts toward the 80 |
| Alzheimer's / dementia | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Only for APRNs with direct patient contact with adults age 26 and over; counts toward the 80 |
Notes. Per IDFPR APRN CE FAQ (written for the 2024 renewal; rule 68 IAC 1300.130). 80 hours per 2-year cycle in the APRN's specialty; max 30 hours may come from presentations, evidence-based practice or QI projects, publications, research or preceptor hours. Nurses who work with children must complete mandated reporter (child abuse) training at least every 6 years, which may count toward CE (hours not stated). First renewal is exempt from CE. Confirm the current cycle with the board.
PA CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-11-01 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-01. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 50 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 3 years, based on a fixed calendar date (07-31)
Required topics
No mandated topics are recorded for this profession in this state. That is not the same as the board having none, so confirm with the board.
Notes. 225 ILCS 95/11.5: the Department's rules must require 50 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle, and completing the 50 hours satisfies the renewal CE requirement. The section is scheduled to be repealed January 1, 2028, so re-check after that date. Category split and topics set by IDFPR rules were not read.
CRNA CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-11-01 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-01. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Some details below are marked for confirmation, so treat those as unverified until the board confirms them. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 80 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 3 years, based on a fixed calendar date (07-31)
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology | 20 | Every cycle | Everyone | At least 50 of the 80 hours must come from CE programs that include no less than 20 hours of pharmacotherapeutics |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 10 | Every cycle | Everyone | Included within the 20 pharmacotherapeutics hours: opioid prescribing or substance abuse education |
| Implicit bias | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Counts toward the 80; first renewal exempt |
| Sexual harassment prevention | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Counts toward the 80 |
| Alzheimer's / dementia | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | Only for APRNs with direct patient contact with adults age 26 and over; counts toward the 80 |
Notes. Per IDFPR APRN CE FAQ (written for the 2024 renewal; rule 68 IAC 1300.130). 80 hours per 2-year cycle in the APRN's specialty; max 30 hours may come from presentations, evidence-based practice or QI projects, publications, research or preceptor hours. Nurses who work with children must complete mandated reporter (child abuse) training at least every 6 years, which may count toward CE (hours not stated). First renewal is exempt from CE. Confirm the current cycle with the board. Nurse anesthetists are APRNs in Illinois, so this APRN rule applies; confirm with the board.
Plan this renewal
Use the free opioid CME planner to see the controlled-substance rules for Illinois next to other states, or the license cost calculator to estimate fees. Read how multi-state CME works if you hold more than one license.
Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologist assistants usually also maintain national certification, which has its own cycle. The recertification basics guide explains how that fits alongside state rules.
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