Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Medical Licensing Board · MD

150 hours. Every three years. Uniform July 31 deadline.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from IDFPR(MLB~6 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 21, 2026

Mandatory topics

For physicians, 150 hours is the total CME requirement. Illinois also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 150-hour total.

Professional Boundaries[1]
1 hr
Triennial
Required every triennium for all Illinois licensed physicians. Counts toward the 150-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“1-hour sexual harassment prevention education mandate applies to ANY profession licensed by the state”
68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285See source [1] in Primary Sources
Cultural competency[1]
1 hr
Triennial
1-hour requirement per triennium for all licensed Illinois physicians. Covers how unconscious bias affects clinical decision-making and patient communication. Counts toward the 150-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“1-hour requirement on recognizing implicit bias in healthcare”
68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285See source [1] in Primary Sources
Cultural competency[1]
1 hr
Custom
1-hour training on providing care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities (IDFPR guidance). Required every 6 years (every other triennium). Distinct from implicit bias training. Counts toward the 150-hour total. Custom period: 6 years.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“1-hour training on providing care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities”
68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285See 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
Triennial

Physicians holding an Illinois Controlled Substances License

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... (Source: P.A. 103-531, eff. 1-1-25.)”
720 ILCS 570/315.5See source [2] in Primary Sources
ConditionalAlzheimer’s & dementia[1]
1 hr
Custom

Physicians who interact with patients aged 26 or older

View sourceVerbatim from source
“1-hour requirement applies to every licensed healthcare professional who interacts with patients 26 years of age or older... on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias”
68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285See 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
AMA PRA Category 1
min 60 hrs
At least 60 of the 150 hours must come from formal CME programs — live conferences, webinars, enduring materials, and accredited online courses. AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers is the primary formal-credit currency.Source68 Ill. Adm. Code 1285.110[3]
AOA Category 1-A
DOs only
Illinois licenses MDs and DOs jointly through IDFPR — no separate osteopathic board. AOA Category 1-A is customarily accepted as formal CME for DOs. Not enumerated verbatim in 68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285 as scraped.Source68 Ill. Adm. Code 1285.110[3]
Informal learning activities
max 90 hrs
Up to 90 hours may come from informal learning activities such as peer consultation, journal reading, teaching, medical writing, and quality assurance participation — self-documented.Source68 Ill. Adm. Code 1285.110[3]
AAFP Prescribed
AAFP Prescribed credit is customarily accepted under the formal-CME framework. Not enumerated verbatim in 68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285 as scraped.Source68 Ill. Adm. Code 1285.110[3]
Documentation & audit

Physicians are responsible for retaining CME documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.

Waivers & exemptions

First-time Illinois license renewals and licenses reinstated during the pre-renewal period are exempt from the CME requirement.[3]

Waivers are available for documented extreme hardship, including military service, serious illness, or prolonged hospitalization during the renewal period.[3]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Illinois physicians need?
Illinois physicians must complete 150 hours of continuing medical education every three years to renew their license through IDFPR.[3] This works out to approximately 50 hours per year on average, but Illinois does not require an annual minimum; the 150 hours can be earned in any pattern within the 36-month renewal cycle. The cycle ends on July 31 of the third year, and the deadline is uniform for all Illinois physicians regardless of when they were originally licensed.
Are there mandatory CME topics in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois requires 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training, 1 hour of implicit bias training, 1 hour of cultural competency training, and 1 hour of Alzheimer's disease and dementia care training every renewal cycle.[1] Physicians who hold an Illinois Controlled Substances License must also complete safe opioid prescribing training each cycle.[2] All of these topic-mandated hours count toward the 150-hour total.
Where can I check my Illinois medical license renewal date?
IDFPR maintains a license lookup tool at online-dfpr.micropact.com/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx. Search by name or license number to confirm your registration status and expiration date. The Illinois physician renewal cycle ends July 31 of the third year of each triennium, and the deadline is the same for every Illinois physician. The next renewal is due July 31, 2026.[1]
Does the Illinois three-year cycle change how I should plan CME?
Yes. Most states use a two-year cycle, so physicians who move to Illinois, or who are dual-licensed, sometimes underestimate how the longer cycle works. The 150-hour total is technically lower per year than Pennsylvania's 50-hour annual average, but the absence of an annual minimum means it is easy to fall behind without realizing it. The most disciplined approach is to earn 50 hours per year and avoid the third-year scramble.
Do all the mandatory topics count toward the 150 hours?
Yes. Illinois does not require 150 hours plus additional topic hours on top. All of the mandated topic hours (sexual harassment, implicit bias, cultural competency, dementia care, and opioid prescribing) count toward the 150-hour total. In practice, the topic mandates total roughly 7 hours of the 150, leaving 143 hours that the physician can allocate freely to topics relevant to their specialty and practice.
Do Illinois MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. Illinois does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Medical Licensing Board and subject to the same CME requirements (150 hours per renewal cycle).[3]

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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. CME Requirements for Physician License Renewal in Illinois — University of Chicago CME
    Secondary sourceAccessed 2026-04-12
    Show verbatim text
    “1-hour sexual harassment prevention education mandate applies to ANY profession licensed by the state”68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285
    “1-hour requirement on recognizing implicit bias in healthcare”68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285
    “1-hour training on providing care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities”68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285
    “1-hour requirement applies to every licensed healthcare professional who interacts with patients 26 years of age or older... on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias”68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285
  2. 720 ILCS 570/315.5 — Safe Opioid Prescribing CE (as amended by P.A. 103-531)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    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
  3. 68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1285, Section 1285.110 — Continuing Education for Physicians
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “A licensee shall be required to complete 150 hours of CME per prerenewal period. … Minimum 60 hours from formal CME programs set forth in subsection (b)(2). … Maximum 90 hours from informal activities or alternative formats.”68 Ill. Adm. Code 1285.110

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 (IDFPR), Medical Licensing Board, 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.

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