Illinois: CPE, firm permit and peer review rules for CPAs.

This page lists what the Illinois board of accountancy publishes for a CPA and a CPA firm: CPE hours and the reporting period, the ethics requirement, whether a firm permit or registration is required, whether peer review is required, the licence renewal cycle, and whether an out-of-state CPA may practise under a practice privilege.

It is built for owners of small accounting and bookkeeping firms, especially those licensed in one state and serving clients in another. Every entry is a snapshot of what the cited source published on the verification date; it is a research starting point, not licensing advice.

Illinois, field by field.

Board of accountancy

Licensing authority: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Professional Regulation, under the Illinois Public Accounting Act (225 ILCS 450). The Act defines 'Department' as IDFPR, 'Committee' as 'the Public Accountant Registration and Licensure Committee appointed by the Secretary', and 'Board' as the Board of Examiners (225 ILCS 450/0.03), which the Governor appoints to 'determine the qualifications of persons applying for certification' and to conduct the examinations (225 ILCS 450/2). There is no 'Board of Accountancy'; the IDFPR Public Accounting page links 'Board Information' and 'Meeting Notices & Minutes'.

CPE hours & reporting period

120 hours per three-year renewal period: 'a licensed CPA shall complete 120 hours of CPE every 3-year renewal period. Of the 120 hours, at least 4 hours shall be courses covering the subject of professional ethics. A licensed CPA is exempt from CPE requirements for the first renewal following the original issuance of the license. Licensees shall maintain CPE records for not less than 6 years' (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1420.70(a)(1)); registered CPAs are exempt (1420.70(a)(2)); excess hours do not carry over (1420.70(a)(5)); the first-renewal exemption is also in 225 ILCS 450/16(d). IDFPR CPE FAQ (revised 03.2026): 'All CPE must be completed in the three years preceding expiration of the license. For example, the 2027 renewal, all CPE must have been completed between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2027.' Caps per renewal period: noninteractive self-study 60 hours and all self-study 80 hours (1420.70(b)(3)(A)(v)); instruction and preparation 60 hours (1420.70(b)(3)(B)); authorship 30 hours (1420.70(b)(3)(C)); nonverifiable CPE 60 hours in total and 10 hours per listed activity (1420.70(b)(4)(C)); personal development 24 hours (1420.70(b)(5)). No annual minimum is stated. A licensee with an address of record outside Illinois who is actively licensed there and has complied with that state's CPE renewal requirements is compliant (1420.70(c)). Source: amended at 44 Ill. Reg. 184, effective January 3, 2020.

Ethics CPE requirement

4 hours of professional ethics per three-year period: 'Of the 120 hours, at least 4 hours shall be courses covering the subject of professional ethics' (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1420.70(a)(1)). The IDFPR CPE FAQ (revised 03.2026) adds that 'one hour must be in sexual harassment prevention training'; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5(a) requires each IDFPR licensee to complete sexual harassment prevention training, 'at a minimum, prior to a licensee's renewal of his or her license' (P.A. 102-308, eff. 8-6-21); the one-hour figure appears in the FAQ and not in Part 1420.70 as read. No Illinois-specific ethics course is stated in the rule.

CPA firm permit / registration

Required: a CPA firm that '(i) has an office in this State that uses the title "CPA" or "CPA firm"; (ii) has an office in this State that performs accountancy activities, as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Section 8.05 of this Act; or (iii) does not have an office in this State and does not meet the practice privilege requirements as defined in Section 5.2 of this Act, but offers or renders services, as set forth in subsection (e) of Section 5.2 of this Act, for a client that is headquartered in this State must hold a license as a CPA firm issued under this Act' (225 ILCS 450/13(b)); a firm not subject to subsection (b) may use the CPA title for unregulated services without a firm licence through individuals with Section 5.2 practice privileges (450/13(d)). An applicant firm submits an application, the fee and an affidavit naming each member performing accountancy activities in Illinois and each person responsible for the licensure of an Illinois office, and affirming that a majority of the ownership belongs to persons licensed or registered in some state and that Illinois-based members hold Illinois licences (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1420.30(b)); firms notify the Division of changes in members at renewal (1420.30(c)). 'Every license for a CPA firm shall expire on November 30 every 3 years', renewable during the two months before expiration with the fee, notice of changes in Illinois-resident members and verification of continued qualification under Section 14 of the Act (1420.80(b)). 'Illinois law requires that a managing CPA be named for a CPA firm license to be issued in Illinois' (IDFPR Form CPA-BR, IL486-2609, 12/25). IDFPR's firm reinstatement form (IL486-2610, 1/26) requires 'the renewal fee of [$120] for each missed renewal period and a $50 late fee', 'Maximum amount due is $260', and states 'The firm cannot advertise or offer any professional services in Illinois without a valid CPA Firm license.'

Peer review requirement

Required for CPA firms and sole practitioners that perform Section 8.05(a)(1) accountancy activities: 'For renewals on and after July 1, 2012', 'the Department shall require that the CPA firm or sole practitioner satisfactorily complete a peer review during the immediately preceding 3-year period, accepted by a Peer Review Administrator in accordance with established standards for performing and reporting on peer reviews' (225 ILCS 450/16(e)); the firm satisfies the document-submission requirement by allowing the Peer Review Administrator to give the Department access through the AICPA Facilitated State Board Access within 45 days after the review (450/16(e)); 'A new CPA firm or sole practitioner shall not be required to comply with the peer review requirements for the first license renewal' and must undergo a review within 18 months of the report date of its initial engagement (450/16(e)); exemptions apply for a peer review in another state or foreign jurisdiction within 3 years, for not having performed covered activities within 2 years (with notice and an 18-month review undertaking), and for personal health, military service or other good cause for up to 12 months (450/16(i)). The Division's Peer Review Program is established under Section 16(e) (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1420.75(a)(1)); approved Peer Review Administrators include the AICPA, the AICPA National Peer Review Committee, the Illinois CPA Society, other state CPA societies, other entities fully involved in the AICPA program, and the PCAOB (1420.75(c)(1)).

Licence renewal cycle

Three-year cycle set by rule: 'The expiration date and renewal period for each license or registration issued under this Act shall be set by rule' (225 ILCS 450/16(a)). 'Every license issued to an individual under the Act shall expire on September 30 every 3 years. The holder of a license may renew the license during the 2 months preceding the expiration date by submitting the fee required by Section 1420.40 and meeting the CPE requirements set forth in Section 1420.70' (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1420.80(a)); 'Every license for a CPA firm shall expire on November 30 every 3 years' (1420.80(b)); CPE sponsor licences expire December 31 every year (1420.80(c); IDFPR sponsor qualifications sheet effective 12/2024). Practising on an expired licence is unlicensed activity (1420.80(e)). IDFPR CPE FAQ example for the current cycle: the 2027 renewal's CPE window is October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2027.

Mobility / practice privilege

Yes ('Enhanced mobility'). 'An individual whose principal place of business is not in this State shall have all the privileges of a person licensed under this Act as a licensed CPA without the need to obtain a license from the Department or to file notice with the Department' if the individual holds a valid CPA licence from a state whose licensure requirements are equivalent to Section 14, or holds a non-equivalent state licence and obtains an equivalency determination from the Committee (225 ILCS 450/5.2(a)); a CPA firm whose principal place of business is not in Illinois has the privileges of a licensed CPA firm without a licence or notice if it complies with Sections 14.4 and 16 through its home state's enhanced mobility (450/5.2(a-5)); 'no notice or other submission must be provided by any such individual or CPA firm' (450/5.2(b)); the individual or firm consents to Department jurisdiction, compliance with the Act and rules, ceasing accountancy activities in Illinois if the home licence becomes invalid, and service of process through the issuing state board (450/5.2(c)); financial statement audits and other SAS engagements, SSAE examinations of prospective financial information and PCAOB engagements for an entity headquartered in Illinois may be performed by a privileged individual only through a licensed or privileged CPA firm, and by a privileged firm only through licensed or privileged individuals (450/5.2(d), (e)). Source line: P.A. 103-309, eff. 1-1-24; 104-228, eff. 1-1-26.