Illinois CPA requirements
If you're ready to earn your CPA license, the first step is knowing the Illinois CPA requirements. This page serves as a resource for the education and experience prerequisites and how to maintain your license with continued professional education (CPE). However, it's important to consult with the Illinois Board of Accountancy for the most up-to-date information.
Each state mandates different requirements for taking the CPA Exam. In Illinois, there is no residency requirement for taking the exam in this state, but in order to be eligible, candidates must be at least 18 and meet one of the following education requirements.
- Hold a graduate degree in accounting or business with a minimum of 24 semester credit hours in accounting
- Hold a bachelor's degree in accounting with a minimum of 24 semester credit hours in accounting that includes one class in taxation and one class in audit
- Hold a bachelor's degree in business with 30 semester credit hours in accounting and 24 in business, including one course in financial accounting, managerial accounting, tax & audit, business communication, and business ethics.
Each state mandates different requirements for taking the CPA Exam. In Illinois, there is no residency requirement for taking the exam in this state, but in order to be eligible, candidates must be at least 18 and meet one of the following education requirements.
- Hold a graduate degree in accounting or business with a minimum of 24 semester credit hours in accounting
- Hold a bachelor's degree in accounting with a minimum of 24 semester credit hours in accounting that includes one class in taxation and one class in audit
- Hold a bachelor's degree in business with 30 semester credit hours in accounting and 24 in business, including one course in financial accounting, managerial accounting, tax & audit, business communication, and business ethics.
Each state mandates different requirements for taking the CPA Exam. In Illinois, there is no residency requirement for taking the exam in this state, but in order to be eligible, candidates must be at least 18 and meet one of the following education requirements.
- Hold a graduate degree in accounting or business with a minimum of 24 semester credit hours in accounting
- Hold a bachelor's degree in accounting with a minimum of 24 semester credit hours in accounting that includes one class in taxation and one class in audit
- Hold a bachelor's degree in business with 30 semester credit hours in accounting and 24 in business, including one course in financial accounting, managerial accounting, tax & audit, business communication, and business ethics.
Illinois CPA licensure requirements
In addition to passing all four sections of the CPA Exam, candidates must meet CPA experience and education requirements.
Starting January 1, 2026, Illinois will no longer require 150 credit hours of higher education to apply for CPA licensure. Instead, candidates must complete one of three education options, which then determines the amount of professional experience required:
- Master's degree with a concentration in accounting + one year of experience
- Bachelor's degree with a concentration in accounting + two years of experience
- Bachelor’s degree + 30 additional college hours + one year of experience
Experience must perform one or more accounting services within a public accounting firm, government agency, business, or academia. All experience must be verified by an active licensed CPA.
Sources:
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Illinois CPA license renewal requirements
CPA licenses in Illinois are renewed triennially, expiring on September 30th every three years.
All CPAs must meet the Illinois CPE requirements to maintain their license. These requirements stipulate that you must complete at least 120 hours of acceptable continuing professional education (CPE) during each triennial period. Of the 120 hours, at least 4 hours must be of professional ethics.
Licensed CPAs are exempt from the continuing professional education requirement for the first renewal period following the original issuance of the license.
All CPAs must meet the Illinois CPE requirements to maintain their license. These requirements stipulate that you must complete at least 120 hours of acceptable continuing professional education (CPE) during each triennial period. Of the 120 hours, at least 4 hours must be of professional ethics.
Licensed CPAs are exempt from the continuing professional education requirement for the first renewal period following the original issuance of the license.
All CPAs must meet the Illinois CPE requirements to maintain their license. These requirements stipulate that you must complete at least 120 hours of acceptable continuing professional education (CPE) during each triennial period. Of the 120 hours, at least 4 hours must be of professional ethics.
Licensed CPAs are exempt from the continuing professional education requirement for the first renewal period following the original issuance of the license.
