Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · PA

50 hours. Every two years. March 1 of even years.

A source-verified guide to Illinois's CME requirements for PAs — hours, mandatory topics, audit rules, and exemptions.

Updated April 2026Sourced from IDFPR~6 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 17, 2026

Mandatory topics

For PAs, 50 hours is the total CME requirement. Illinois also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 50-hour total.

Professional Boundaries[1]
1 hr
Biennial
Sexual harassment prevention training required for all Illinois licensed professionals with CE requirements. Universal mandate — applies to all PAs. Counts toward the 50-hour total. Illinois Academy of PAs secondary-source summary; 68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116 scraped in Layer 1 does not itself enumerate topic mandates.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“1 hour sexual harassment prevention each renewal”
IL Academy of PAsSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Cultural competency[1]
1 hr
Biennial
Implicit bias awareness required for all Illinois healthcare professionals effective January 1, 2023 (Illinois Academy of PAs secondary-source summary). Universal mandate. Counts toward the 50-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“1 hour implicit bias each renewal”
IL Academy of PAsSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Cultural competency[1]
1 hr
Custom
Cultural competency training required every 6 years (every 3 renewal cycles) for renewals on/after 1/1/2025 (Illinois Academy of PAs). Distinct from implicit bias training. Counts toward the 50-hour total in the cycle in which it is completed. Custom period: 6 years.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“1 hour cultural competency for renewals on/after 1/1/2025”
IL Academy of PAsSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Illinois cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Conditional requirements

These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.

ConditionalOpioid / controlled substances[2]
1 hr
Biennial

PAs holding an Illinois controlled substances registration

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Every prescriber who is licensed to prescribe controlled substances shall, during the pre-renewal period, complete one hour of continuing education on safe opioid prescribing practices...”
720 ILCS 570/315.5See source [2] in Primary Sources
ConditionalPharmacology[3]
10 hrs
Biennial

PAs with Schedule II controlled substance prescriptive authority

View sourceVerbatim from source
“at least 5 hours of continuing education in pharmacology”
720 ILCS 570/303.05See source [3] in Primary Sources
ConditionalAlzheimer’s & dementia[1]
1 hr
Custom

PAs providing care to patients aged 26 or older

View sourceVerbatim from source
“1 hour Alzheimer's/dementia if providing care to patients age 26+”
IL Academy of PAsSee source [1] in Primary Sources
ConditionalAbuse Reporting[1]
Hrs vary
Custom

PAs serving as DCFS mandated reporters working with children

View sourceVerbatim from source
“DCFS mandated reporter training within 3 months of assuming role, then at least every 6 years if working with children”
IL Academy of PAsSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Illinois Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
AAPA Category 1
PAs onlymin 25 hrs
A minimum of 25 hours of required CEs must be earned in Category 1 CMEs. Approved sponsors include the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) explicitly.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116[4]
AMA PRA Category 1
Approved sponsors include the American Medical Association (AMA). AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers counts toward the Category 1 minimum.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116[4]
AAFP Prescribed
AAFP Prescribed credit is customarily accepted as Category 1 equivalent. Not enumerated verbatim in 68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116 as scraped.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116[4]
AOA Category 1-A
AOA Category 1 credit is customarily accepted. Not enumerated verbatim in 68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116 as scraped.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116[4]
Category 2 continuing education
PAs onlymax 25 hrs
The remaining 25 hours may consist of Category 1 or Category 2 credits combined. Up to 25 of the 50 hours may be Category 2 (any educational activity relating to medicine, patient care, or the PA role not designated Category 1).Source68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116[4]
Board-approved credit
Acceptable providers include any other accredited school, college or university, State agency or association approved by the Department. Out-of-state programs require individual program approval ($25 processing fee).Source68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116[4]
Documentation & audit

Illinois uses an attestation-based compliance system. There is no mechanism to submit or log CE hours with IDFPR at renewal. PAs attest to completion, and IDFPR may conduct random audits. PAs must retain all CE documentation for the full renewal period.[4]

Waivers & exemptions

PAs renewing an Illinois license for the first time are exempt from the 50-hour CE requirement.[4] The first PA license is valid for 3 years.

Good-cause waivers are available for military service, documented illness, or 'physical inability to access the sites of approved programs.'[4]

FAQ
How many CE hours do Illinois PAs need?
Illinois PAs must complete 50 hours of continuing education every two years, with at least 25 hours being Category 1 CME as defined by NCCPA.[4] All PA licenses expire on March 1 of even-numbered years. The first license issued is valid for 3 years, and PAs renewing for the first time are exempt from the 50-hour requirement.[4] Acceptable credit includes AAPA Category 1, AMA PRA Category 1, AAFP Prescribed credit, AOA Category 1, and Category 2 CE for up to 25 of the 50 hours.
Are there mandatory CE topics for PAs in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois has multiple mandatory CE topics for PAs. Every biennial renewal requires 1 hour of implicit bias awareness training and 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training.[1] PAs with a controlled substances registration must complete 1 hour of safe opioid prescribing education.[2] PAs with Schedule II prescriptive authority must complete 10 hours of pharmacology per biennial cycle.[3] Every 6 years, PAs must also complete 1 hour each of Alzheimer's/dementia training and cultural competency training.[1] All mandatory hours count toward the 50-hour total.
Where can I check my Illinois PA license renewal date?
Illinois PA license information is available through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) at idfpr.illinois.gov.[5] All PA licenses expire on March 1 of even-numbered years, so the date is the same for all PAs regardless of when they were initially licensed. The renewal window opens approximately two to three months before expiration. IDFPR uses an attestation-based system, so PAs attest to CE completion at renewal rather than submitting documentation.
Is NCCPA certification required for Illinois PA renewal?
NCCPA certification is required for initial Illinois PA licensure but is not required for ongoing license renewal under the current statute. However, most Illinois PAs maintain NCCPA certification for employment, credentialing, and insurance purposes regardless. Even if a PA maintains NCCPA certification (which requires 100 credits per two-year cycle), they must still complete the Illinois-specific mandatory topics: sexual harassment, implicit bias, opioid prescribing, pharmacology, Alzheimer's, and cultural competency requirements are not covered by NCCPA certification alone.
What is the pharmacology CE requirement for Illinois PAs?
PAs with Schedule II controlled substance prescriptive authority must complete 5 hours of pharmacology annually (10 hours per biennial renewal cycle).[3] This requirement applies only to PAs with Schedule II authority, not to all controlled substance prescribers. The 10 hours count toward the 50-hour biennial total. PAs with only Schedule III-V authority or no controlled substance license are exempt from this requirement.

Never miss a Illinois CME deadline.

Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your a fixed renewal cycle renewal.

Start tracking freeSee how it works

Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. Licensing and Renewals — Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “1 hour sexual harassment prevention each renewal”IL Academy of PAs
    “1 hour implicit bias each renewal”IL Academy of PAs
    “1 hour cultural competency for renewals on/after 1/1/2025”IL Academy of PAs
    “1 hour Alzheimer's/dementia if providing care to patients age 26+”IL Academy of PAs
    “DCFS mandated reporter training within 3 months of assuming role, then at least every 6 years if working with children”IL Academy of PAs
  2. 720 ILCS 570/315.5 — Safe Opioid Prescribing CE (as amended by P.A. 103-531)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-20
    Show verbatim text
    “Every prescriber who is licensed to prescribe controlled substances shall, during the pre-renewal period, complete one hour of continuing education on safe opioid prescribing practices... (Source: P.A. 103-531, eff. 1-1-25.)”720 ILCS 570/315.5 · Effective 2025-01-01
    “Every prescriber who is licensed to prescribe controlled substances shall, during the pre-renewal period, complete one hour of continuing education on safe opioid prescribing practices...”720 ILCS 570/315.5 · Effective 2025-01-01
  3. 720 ILCS 570/303.05 — PA Prescribing Requirements
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “at least 5 hours of continuing education in pharmacology”720 ILCS 570/303.05
  4. 68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116 — Continuing Education (Physician Assistants)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Physician assistants in Illinois must complete 50 hours of approved CE per 2-year license renewal cycle. … a minimum of 25 hours of required CEs must be earned in Category 1 CMEs. The remaining 25 hours may consist of Category 1 or Category 2 credits combined. … Acceptable providers include the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), American Medical Association (AMA), and any other accredited school, college or university, State agency or association approved by the Department.”68 Ill. Admin. Code 1350.116
  5. Physician Assistant — Illinois IDFPR
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state's medical board before relying on any information presented here.

Privacy policyTerms of serviceContact