Illinois Nurse Practitioner license renewal and CE requirements
Illinois nurse practitioners must complete 80 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Board of Nursing.
Every APRN license, including an APRN granted full practice authority, expires on May 31 of each even-numbered year. The license may be renewed during the month before expiration. The underlying registered nurse license must be renewed in order to renew the APRN license, and both expire on the same May 31 date. At each renewal the APRN attests to continued, current national certification in the specialty.
Summary
Illinois nurse practitioners must complete 80 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Board of Nursing. Every APRN license, including an APRN granted full practice authority, expires on May 31 of each even-numbered year. The license may be renewed during the month before expiration. The underlying registered nurse license must be renewed in order to renew the APRN license, and both expire on the same May 31 date. At each renewal the APRN attests to continued, current national certification in the specialty. Illinois also mandates specific subjects. Pharmacotherapeutics: 20 contact hours every renewal cycle. Opioid prescribing or substance abuse education: 10 contact hours every renewal cycle. Sexual harassment prevention training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (all persons holding a professional license issued by the Division who are subject to a continuing education requirement). Implicit bias awareness training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (advanced practice registered nurses and other listed health care professionals who have continuing education requirements). Cultural competency training: 1 contact hour on a periodic schedule set by the board (advanced practice registered nurses are on the list of licenses subject to the requirement). Alzheimer's disease and other dementias training: 1 contact hour on a periodic schedule set by the board (only licensees who provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adults age 26 or older; it does not apply to a practice limited to persons under 26). The first renewal is exempt.
Illinois Nurse Practitioner renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 05/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 80 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Independent study approved for CE credit (home study, journal articles, other independent study modules); Academic credits consistent with approved content (1 semester hour = 15 contact hours; 1 quarter hour = 12.5); Presenting a non-repetitive 60 minute lecture to other health professionals (5 CE hours each); Authoring a paper or published article (10 CE hours); authoring a book chapter, dissertation or research project (20 CE hours); Preceptorship of an APRN student, 10 CE hours per student per academic semester or quarter, maximum 30 hours per renewal period; Successful completion during the prerenewal period of a recertification exam in the APRN's area of specialty, 60 CE hours; Skills certification courses, up to 5 CE hours (maximum 2 hours CPR, 3 hours BLS, ACLS or PALS) |
The obligation is not layered on top of the RN requirement in Illinois; it replaces it. 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130(a)(1)(C): all advanced practice registered nurses shall complete 80 hours of approved continuing education in the APRN's specialty per 2-year license renewal cycle, and completion of those 80 hours satisfies the continuing education requirement for renewal of the registered professional nurse license (an RN alone owes 20 hours). An APRN holding more than one APRN license still completes 80 hours total. Inside the 80: a minimum of 50 hours must be obtained in continuing education programs, and those 50 must include no less than 20 hours of pharmacotherapeutics, of which 10 hours must be opioid prescribing or substance abuse education; a maximum of 30 hours may come from presentations in the APRN's clinical specialty, evidence based practice or quality improvement projects, publications, research projects, or preceptor hours. All CE must be completed in the 24 months preceding expiration. No CE is required for the first renewal of an Illinois license. 1 contact hour = 60 minutes and 1 CME, CNE or AMA credit = 1 contact hour. CE from a sponsor not approved in Illinois needs an individual program approval request with a $25 fee filed before the program or within 90 days before expiration (late approval adds $50 per hour up to $300). Hardship waivers may be requested before the renewal date.
Required CE topics for Illinois nurse practitioners
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PharmacotherapeuticsAt least 20 of the minimum 50 program hours must be pharmacotherapeutics. Counts inside the 80 hour total, not on top of it. Non-canonical topic key. | 20 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130(a)(1)(C)(i) |
| Opioid prescribing or substance abuse educationTen of the 20 pharmacotherapeutics hours must be opioid prescribing or substance abuse education, and the nursing rule states this for all APRNs rather than only prescribers. Separately, 720 ILCS 570/315.5 requires every prescriber licensed to prescribe controlled substances to complete one hour of continuing education on safe opioid prescribing practices during the prerenewal period; that hour is subsumed by the ten hours the nursing rule already requires. | 10 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130(a)(1)(C)(i); 720 ILCS 570/315.5 |
| Sexual harassment prevention trainingOne hour per renewal, counted toward the 80 hour total. Providers are limited to Division approved CE providers, entities recognized as CE providers under an Act the Division administers, State, county, municipal or federal agencies, accredited colleges, or a licensed health care institution for its own employees. A licensee holding several Division licenses takes it once. Non-canonical topic key. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All persons holding a professional license issued by the Division who are subject to a continuing education requirement | 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.400; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5 |
| Implicit bias awareness trainingAt least a one hour course per renewal period, counted toward the 80 hour total. On and after July 1, 2026, a licensee who reports providing maternal health care services must take a version covering maternal health risk factors for childbearing individuals in marginalized racial or ethnic groups with increased maternal mortality rates. Implicit bias training applied to another state licensure, accreditation, certification or institutional requirement may be counted. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | Advanced practice registered nurses and other listed health care professionals who have continuing education requirements | 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.500; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7 |
| Cultural competency trainingOne hour, effective for the first applicable renewal on or after January 1, 2025, then repeated once every six years rather than every renewal. Counts toward the 80 hour total but no more than one credit hour in any one renewal period. | 1 contact hour | Periodic | Advanced practice registered nurses are on the list of licenses subject to the requirement | 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.525; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-370 and 2105-375 |
| Alzheimer's disease and other dementias trainingOne hour on assessment and diagnosis, effective communication strategies, and management and care planning, for renewals on or after January 1, 2023, repeated once every six years. Counts toward the 80 hour total but no more than one credit hour in any one renewal period. | 1 contact hour | Periodic | Only licensees who provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adults age 26 or older; it does not apply to a practice limited to persons under 26 | 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.550; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365 and 2105-375 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Each renewal applicant certifies full compliance on the renewal application; the Division may require certificates of attendance in its random audit and it is the licensee's responsibility to retain or produce evidence (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130(d)). Approved sponsors include approved providers of recognized certification bodies, ANCC accredited or approved providers, ISAPN, AANP, NPACE, AANA or NBCNA, NACNS, ACNM, ANA-Illinois, the Illinois Nurses Association and affiliates, providers approved by another state board of nursing, approved Illinois nursing education programs, Illinois licensed hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers, CME conferences authorized under the Illinois Medical Practice Act, other accredited schools and government agencies, and sponsors approved by IDFPR on application. Sponsors keep attendance records at least 5 years; no licensee retention period is stated. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Illinois NP need to renew?
- Illinois nurse practitioners must complete 80 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Board of Nursing. The obligation is not layered on top of the RN requirement in Illinois; it replaces it. 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130(a)(1)(C): all advanced practice registered nurses shall complete 80 hours of approved continuing education in the APRN's specialty per 2-year license renewal cycle, and completion of those 80 hours satisfies the continuing education requirement for renewal of the registered professional nurse license (an RN alone owes 20 hours). An APRN holding more than one APRN license still completes 80 hours total. Inside the 80: a minimum of 50 hours must be obtained in continuing education programs, and those 50 must include no less than 20 hours of pharmacotherapeutics, of which 10 hours must be opioid prescribing or substance abuse education; a maximum of 30 hours may come from presentations in the APRN's clinical specialty, evidence based practice or quality improvement projects, publications, research projects, or preceptor hours. All CE must be completed in the 24 months preceding expiration. No CE is required for the first renewal of an Illinois license. 1 contact hour = 60 minutes and 1 CME, CNE or AMA credit = 1 contact hour. CE from a sponsor not approved in Illinois needs an individual program approval request with a $25 fee filed before the program or within 90 days before expiration (late approval adds $50 per hour up to $300). Hardship waivers may be requested before the renewal date.
- How often does a Illinois NP license need to be renewed?
- Nurse Practitioner licenses in Illinois renew every two years. Every APRN license, including an APRN granted full practice authority, expires on May 31 of each even-numbered year. The license may be renewed during the month before expiration. The underlying registered nurse license must be renewed in order to renew the APRN license, and both expire on the same May 31 date. At each renewal the APRN attests to continued, current national certification in the specialty.
- What specific CE topics are required for Illinois nurse practitioners?
- Pharmacotherapeutics: 20 contact hours every renewal cycle. Opioid prescribing or substance abuse education: 10 contact hours every renewal cycle. Sexual harassment prevention training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (all persons holding a professional license issued by the Division who are subject to a continuing education requirement). Implicit bias awareness training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (advanced practice registered nurses and other listed health care professionals who have continuing education requirements). Cultural competency training: 1 contact hour on a periodic schedule set by the board (advanced practice registered nurses are on the list of licenses subject to the requirement). Alzheimer's disease and other dementias training: 1 contact hour on a periodic schedule set by the board (only licensees who provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adults age 26 or older; it does not apply to a practice limited to persons under 26). Citations: pharmacotherapeutics (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130(a)(1)(C)(i)), opioid prescribing or substance abuse education (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130(a)(1)(C)(i); 720 ILCS 570/315.5), sexual harassment prevention training (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.400; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5), implicit bias awareness training (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.500; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7), cultural competency training (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.525; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-370 and 2105-375), and Alzheimer's disease and other dementias training (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.550; 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365 and 2105-375).
- Do Illinois nurse practitioners have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. Each renewal applicant certifies full compliance on the renewal application; the Division may require certificates of attendance in its random audit and it is the licensee's responsibility to retain or produce evidence (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130(d)). Approved sponsors include approved providers of recognized certification bodies, ANCC accredited or approved providers, ISAPN, AANP, NPACE, AANA or NBCNA, NACNS, ACNM, ANA-Illinois, the Illinois Nurses Association and affiliates, providers approved by another state board of nursing, approved Illinois nursing education programs, Illinois licensed hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers, CME conferences authorized under the Illinois Medical Practice Act, other accredited schools and government agencies, and sponsors approved by IDFPR on application. Sponsors keep attendance records at least 5 years; no licensee retention period is stated.
- Is the first Illinois NP renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Illinois does not require continuing education for a NP's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130 Continuing Education (Nurse Practice Act rules)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300, Nurse Practice Act rules, including Section 1300.40 RenewalsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130, including Sections 1130.400, 1130.500, 1130.525 and 1130.550 on sexual harassment prevention, implicit bias, cultural competency and dementia trainingStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5 Continuing education; sexual harassment prevention trainingStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7 Implicit bias awareness trainingStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365 Continuing education; Alzheimer's disease and other dementiasStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- 720 ILCS 570/315.5 Opioid education for prescribers, Illinois Controlled Substances ActStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Nursing, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional RegulationState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Online License Renewal, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional RegulationState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Illinois licenses the nurse practitioner as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse under the Nurse Practice Act; there is no separate nurse practitioner license, and 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1300.130 sets one 80 hour APRN requirement that covers the nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife and nurse anesthetist roles alike, so this is the shared APRN rule rather than a nurse practitioner specific one. The structure is a replacement rather than a layer: the rule says completing the 80 hours satisfies the RN renewal requirement, so an Illinois NP owes 80 hours, not 80 plus the RN's 20. Hours, internal minimums, the pharmacotherapeutics and opioid components, the first renewal exemption, the recertification exam and preceptor credits, and the May 31 even-numbered-year expiration were read in the JCAR text of Part 1300 (Sections 1300.40 and 1300.130). The four cross-profession subject mandates were read in the JCAR text of Part 1130, which lists advanced practice registered nurse by name for implicit bias, cultural competency and dementia, and in 20 ILCS 2105. Two topic keys are outside the canonical list: pharmacology and sexual_harassment_prevention. National certification is an attestation at renewal under 1300.40(a), except for an APRN continuously licensed since 2001 who does not meet the education requirements for national certification; it is not stated as a CE substitute. Licensee record retention is not stated in the rule; only the 5 year sponsor retention is. Prescriptive authority in Illinois runs through a written collaborative agreement or full practice authority and a mid-level controlled substances license, but the 10 opioid hours are written into the APRN CE rule for all APRNs, not scoped to prescribers.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Board of Nursing before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.