Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — Board of Nursing
Illinois RNs need 20 hours of continuing education every 2 years. 5 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice.
At a glance
| Licenses covered | Registered nurse (RN) [1] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | Yes [2] |
| Hours per renewal | 20 hours [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [1] |
| Renewal deadline | RN licenses expire on May 31 of each even-numbered year. [2] |
| State-mandated topics | Sexual harassment prevention; Implicit bias awareness; Cultural competency; Alzheimer's disease and other dementias; Mandated reporter training (child abuse and neglect) [3] |
| What CE counts | CE from an approved sponsor, including American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) accredited or approved providers, CME conferences, providers approved by another state's board of nursing, Illinois-licensed hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers, accredited schools and government agencies, or a sponsor holding an Illinois CE sponsor license. [1] |
Licensees whose license requires CE to renew. May count toward the 20 hours.
A license renewal requirement for RNs. May count toward the 20 hours; a course on maternal health risks for marginalized groups can count toward this hour.
Required of licensed nurses starting January 1, 2025 as a condition of renewal; the course is repeated once every six years. May count toward the 20 hours.
RNs who provide health care services to and have direct patient interaction with adults 26 years of age and older. May count toward the regular CE requirement.
Nurses who work with children in their professional capacity, at least every 6 years; they attest at each renewal. The training can count toward required CE hours.
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — Board of Nursing ↗ before you renew.
Free courses that count toward the hours
The board accepts continuing education accredited by ANCC [1]. These current free courses state that accreditation. State-mandated topics can require a specific approved course, so check those separately.
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Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Emerging Therapies in Pulmonary Fibrosis. A free accredited ACHL enduring CME/CE activity.
A no-cost enduring CDC module about ALS, the National ALS Registry, diagnosis, treatment, management, and referral strategies.
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Questions
Illinois RNs need 20 hours of continuing education every 2 years. 5 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice. RN licenses expire on May 31 of each even-numbered year.
Sexual harassment prevention (1 hours): Licensees whose license requires CE to renew. May count toward the 20 hours. Implicit bias awareness (1 hours): A license renewal requirement for RNs. May count toward the 20 hours; a course on maternal health risks for marginalized groups can count toward this hour. Cultural competency (1 hours): Required of licensed nurses starting January 1, 2025 as a condition of renewal; the course is repeated once every six years. May count toward the 20 hours. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (1 hours): RNs who provide health care services to and have direct patient interaction with adults 26 years of age and older. May count toward the regular CE requirement. Mandated reporter training (child abuse and neglect): Nurses who work with children in their professional capacity, at least every 6 years; they attest at each renewal. The training can count toward required CE hours.
CE from an approved sponsor, including American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) accredited or approved providers, CME conferences, providers approved by another state's board of nursing, Illinois-licensed hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers, accredited schools and government agencies, or a sponsor holding an Illinois CE sponsor license. Free courses accredited by ANCC are listed on this page; a state-mandated topic may need a specific approved course.
Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. We fetched each page on the date shown and confirmed the exact wording below appears on it.
“All registered nurses shall complete 20 hours of approved continuing education per 2-year license renewal cycle.”
“All registered nurses shall complete 20 hours of approved continuing education per 2-year license renewal cycle.”
“All registered nurses shall complete 20 hours of approved continuing education per 2-year license renewal cycle.”
“participation in a program or course (program) that is offered or sponsored by an approved CE sponsor”
“American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) accredited or approved providers.”
“Any conference that provides approved Continuing Medical Education (CME) as authorized by the Illinois Medical Practice Act.”
“Providers approved by another state's board of nursing.”
“Employers licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act [210 ILCS 85] or the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act [210 ILCS 5].”
“Any other accredited school, college or university, State agency, federal agency, county agency or municipality that provides CE in a form and manner consistent with this Section.”
“A renewal applicant shall not be required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal of an Illinois license.”
“All CE must be completed in the 24 months preceding expiration of the license.”
“Up to 5 CE hours may be earned for completion of skills certification courses. A maximum of 2 hours in cardiopulmonary resuscitation certified by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, Health and Safety Institute (HSI), or other qualified organization may be accepted, while a maximum of 3 hours may be accepted for certification or recertification in Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) or their equivalent.”
“All advanced practice registered nurses shall complete 80 hours of approved continuing education in the advanced practice registered nurse's specialty per 2-year license renewal cycle. Completion of the 80 hours under this subsection (a)(1)(C) shall satisfy the continuing education requirements for renewal of a registered professional nurse license.”
“Each renewal applicant shall certify, on the renewal application, full compliance with the CE requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b).”
“This additional evidence shall be required in the context of the Division's random audit.”
“During every renewal, a renewal applicant will be required to complete 20 hours of continuing education as set forth in Section 1300.130.”
“Every registered professional nurse license issued under the Act shall expire on May 31 of each even-numbered year.”
“individuals with licenses issued by the Illinois Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) that require continuing education (CE) to renew their license, must also complete 1 hour of CE on the topic of sexual harassment prevention training.”
“The CE requirement for implicit bias awareness training, the CE requirement for sexual harassment prevention training and the CE requirement for cultural competency training may count towards the number of continuing education hours already required”
“Implicit bias awareness training CE requirement for Illinois RNs is a license renewal requirement.”
“completion of this 1 hour CE course may count towards meeting the credit hours”
“a course on maternal health risks for marginalized groups can count towards the one hour of implicit bias awareness CE required for license renewal.”
“Starting January 1, 2025 health care professionals who hold a professional license (including Illinois licensed nurses) listed in this Section shall complete a one-hour course in cultural competency.”
“Completion of this course shall be a condition of renewing a license. The course shall be repeated once every six years.”
“Illinois RNs who provide health care services to and have direct patient interaction with adults 26 years of age and older will be required to complete a one-hour course in diagnosis, treatment and care of Alzheimer's disease, along with other dementia types.”
“this course may count toward the regular CE requirements”
“nurses who work with children in their professional or official capacities must complete mandated reporter training at least every 6 years.”
“Such personnel must attest at each time of licensure renewal on their renewal form that they understand that they are a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect”
“they can use the training towards meeting their required continuing education hours.”
“CE sponsors must either be pre-approved per Rule 1300.130 or must have a CE sponsor license.”
