Illinois splits CPA candidacy across two bodies — the Illinois Board of Examiners (ILBOE) for education evaluation and exam approval, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) for licensure once you’ve passed. If you’re planning to license in Illinois — or transfer a license here — these are the rules to plan around. Always confirm current specifics directly with the ILBOE / IDFPR before you commit; requirements change, and Illinois (like most states) periodically updates its rules.
Who licenses CPAs in Illinois
The Illinois Board of Examiners (Education and Application) and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Licensure) is the licensing authority. They evaluate your education, process exam applications, verify experience, and issue your license. Their site at https://www.ilboe.org/ is the authoritative source for current requirements and fees.
The three E’s in Illinois
Education
Like nearly all US jurisdictions, Illinois requires 150 semester hours of education for licensure — about 30 hours beyond a typical bachelor’s degree. Within those 150 hours, the state specifies minimums for upper-level accounting and business-related coursework, and most states also have an ethics-coursework component. The 150-hour total is largely stable across states; the breakdown of what counts within the 150 is what varies, and that’s where Illinois candidates trip up most often.
For the national framework, see CPA requirements by state and the broader CPA exam guide.
Exam
You must pass the Uniform CPA Examination — the three Core sections (FAR, AUD, REG) and one Discipline section of your choice (BAR, ISC, or TCP) under the Core + Discipline structure in place since January 2024. See CPA exam sections explained for what each section covers, and how long to study for the CPA to plan your timeline.
Most states allow candidates to sit for the exam before completing the full 150 hours (commonly at 120 hours), with the remaining hours completed before licensure. Illinois’s exact rule on this can change; verify with the ILBOE / IDFPR.
Experience
Illinois requires verified work experience under a licensed CPA before issuing a license. The specifics — minimum months/hours, eligible types of work, whether attest experience is separately required, and the verification process — are set by the ILBOE / IDFPR.
Other Illinois requirements
- The ILBOE evaluates your education and approves you to sit for the exam; the IDFPR issues the actual license. Two separate applications, two separate fees, at two different stages.
- Illinois requires 150 semester hours including specific minimum upper-level accounting and business hours. Verify current breakdown with the ILBOE.
- Illinois typically accepts an ethics course/exam as part of licensure — confirm the current requirement and accepted providers.
- Experience requirements are administered through the IDFPR side of the process.
Fees and costs
For the national cost picture, see CPA exam cost in 2026.
How to get started in Illinois
- Review the ILBOE / IDFPR’s current handbook and licensure requirements at https://www.ilboe.org/.
- Get your transcripts evaluated against Illinois’s specific course-content rules before assuming you qualify.
- Apply to sit for the exam through the ILBOE / IDFPR (which may route through NASBA’s CPAES — verify the current workflow).
- Pick a review course that fits how you learn: best CPA review courses in 2026.
- Build a realistic study calendar: how to build a CPA study plan.
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Related guides
- CPA Exam Guide 2026 — the full pillar
- CPA requirements by state — the overview
- CPA exam cost in 2026
- CPA exam pass rates
- Is the CPA worth it?
Always verify current requirements with the ILBOE / IDFPR and NASBA before relying on them. Rules and fees change, and Illinois updates its handbook periodically.