Illinois RN License Renewal Requirements: 2024 Edition

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For busy nurses, 2024 has been flying by, and summer is already just around the corner. With warmer weather on the way, many healthcare professionals are looking forward to personal events on their calendars like weddings, graduations, and Little League games. But if you’re a nurse in Illinois, there is one important date you can’t afford to forget: renewing your nursing license!

In the state of Illinois, all RNs and APRNs must renew their licenses with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) in even years. You must complete all renewal requirements by May 31st, 2024 to remain in compliance and maintain an active nursing license. It’s a hard deadline and you need to have the application submitted, fees paid, and CE completed to continue practicing as a nurse.

If you haven't started the renewal process yet, you’ll want to begin familiarizing yourself with it soon. It’s not hard, but it takes a little time and there are specific course requirements that change from year to year. To ensure you’ve got all your bases covered, an online Illinois LPN/RN Renewal Package can be the perfect choice for an easy experience with no unpleasant surprises.

Regardless of whether this is your first renewal or you’re a seasoned pro, we’ve got all the tips and information you need to get yourself up to date. Here’s our complete guide to the Illinois RN license renewal requirements: 2024 edition.

CE Requirements

Like most states, Illinois understands the critical role continuing education plays in keeping healthcare workers up to date with best practices and confident in their skill set. While many nurses view CE as an important part of their professional growth, Illinois RN licensure renewal CE requirements don’t let any nurse slip by without completing at least some education every two years.

Specific RN Requirements in Illinois

Illinois requires all RNs renewing their license to complete 20 hours of CE in the 24 months preceding their expiration date unless this is the first time renewing. According to the Illinois Nurse Practice Act guidelines, an applicant is not required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal of an Illinois RN license. All other nurses must complete them, however.

Some of those 20 hours can be general coursework, but there are a few topics Illinois requires its nurses to review specifically. Because healthcare changes all the time, there are always additions to the Illinois RN license renewal requirements—2024 is no exception.

• 1 hour of Implicit bias awareness training will begin as a license renewal requirement in 2024. If taken through an approved provider, a license renewal applicant can count this 1-hour completion towards the 20 total credit hours required for license renewal.
• As of January 1, 2020, individuals with licenses issued by the Illinois Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) that require CE to renew their license must complete 1 hour of CE on the topic of sexual harassment prevention training.
• Beginning with the 2024 RN renewal, Illinois RNs who provide direct patient care to adults 26 years of age and older will be required to complete a 1-hour course in diagnosis, treatment, and management of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia types. The CE content must include how to identify and diagnose Alzheimer's, effective communication strategies, and management and care planning in order to be an approved course. CE obtained on this topic will be counted toward the 20 total hours of CE required for renewal.

Submitting Your Renewal Application

The renewal application is submitted completely online using the IDFPR online services portal. The portal is the same one used for the initial application for licensure and can be accessed with the same username and password. For the rare case where someone might have a license but not a portal account, a new account will need to be created online. It’s easy, but it does take a little time and effort.

Once online you can view all licenses you might have issued through the IDFPR, and you can take care of basic maintenance like updating your contact information. To begin the renewal process, simply select the option to renew your license from the main page and the portal will walk you through the steps. All questions need to be answered, and it’s possible to save and close if you need to finish later. Of course, only complete applications will be considered for renewal.

As expected there will be a fee to renew your nursing license. The renewal fee amounts to $40 per year ($80 in total for a 2-year renewal) and can be paid online when you submit your renewal application.

Illinois RN License Renewal Requirements 2024 FAQs

While the state of Illinois is working to make this process as easy and clear as possible, there are a lot of unique circumstances nurses will bring to the table. Here are some of the most common questions.

Does CE From Another State Count?

If you completed CE hours in another state you may be wondering if you can count those towards your required 20 hours. The answer is “Yes!” CE hours obtained in another state can be used when issued from an approved provider or Illinois CE sponsor. By using a reputable provider like Premiere that creates high-quality CE content for nurses across the country, you can confirm the education you are getting meets all Illinois requirements.

Can Academic Credits Be Used for CE?

Yes, academic credits can be used to fulfill CE requirements. However, college or university courses that are audited may not be used for CE credit, and  "core" or general education credits such as English, literature, history, math, music, and physical education will not apply.

Can a Skill-Based Course Be Used for CE?

Yes! Up to 5 CE hours may be earned for completion of skills certification courses. 2 hours in cardiopulmonary resuscitation certified by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, Health and Safety Institute (HIS), or other qualified organizations may be accepted. 3 hours may be accepted for certification or recertification of Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).

Do I Need to Submit Proof of CE?

You will not need to provide a certificate of completion if you renew on time, but you may be asked to confirm that you have completed the training at a later time. If audited, you may need to provide proof of course completion that includes the number of hours completed to restore or reinstate an expired license.

Concerned About Illinois RN License Renewal Requirements? 2024 Can Be Easy with Premiere!

If you’re worried about all the rules and regulations surrounding the Illinois RN license renewal requirements, 2024 doesn’t have to stress you out—Premiere has done the work for you! With the Illinois LPN/RN Renewal Package, all three required topics are at your fingertips, and you’ll have a variety of interesting choices for the remainder of the 20 required CE hours. Of course, if you already know what you want to focus on, Premiere’s Unlimited Nursing CE Subscription is where it’s at. You have access to our extensive library of continuing education content for nurses and can update at your convenience anywhere you have a screen.

Don’t make your renewal harder than it has to be, put your trust in Premiere for all your CE needs and you’ll be more than ready to enjoy this Spring.