Are you preparing to get your Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in Illinois? If yes, then you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about the CPA Exam and license requirements in Illinois.
Illinois CPA Requirements
The Illinois Board of Examiners (ILBOE) maintains the standards of the Uniform CPA Exam by verifying candidates’ academic credentials, permitting them to take the exam, and issuing certificates of CPA Exam completion.
| Social Security Requirements | No |
| Age, Citizenship, and Residency Requirements |
|
| Good Moral Character | Yes |
| Education Requirement for Licensure | 150 hours* (including a bachelor’s degree) |
| Pass the Exam | Score 75 in each section to pass |
| Work Experience | 1 year |
| Ethics Exam Requirements | American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA®) Ethics Exam |
| International CPA Examination Program | Yes, is a participant |
*Legislative Update: HB2459 (Effective Jan. 1, 2027)
Starting Jan. 1, 2027, Illinois will offer an alternative pathway to licensure, requiring only a bachelor’s degree and 2 years of experience. This option will be available alongside the current requirements listed below.
Educational and Credit Hours
The following educational requirements are currently needed:
- A graduate degree or higher in accounting or business is needed from a board-recognized institution with either or both the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accreditation.
- Candidates must complete 120 semester hours of education to sit for the CPA Exam, with 24 semester hours dedicated to accounting (including taxation and audit) and 12 semester hours of business-related courses.
- However, you can also apply for the CPA Exam by fulfilling the 150 semester-hour requirement through a baccalaureate or higher education.
- In this case, you must complete 30 semester hours in accounting and 24 semester hours in business-related courses.
Starting Jan. 1, 2027, Illinois will follow a new education pathway for CPA candidates, with multiple options to meet the requirement:
- Complete a bachelor’s degree in accounting from an accredited college or university, or
- Complete a master’s degree, or
- Complete a bachelor’s degree with 30 credit hours in accounting from an accredited college or university.
Work Experience Requirements
You need at least 1 year of experience in the accounting field. It can be in either the public or private sector. Experience doesn’t need to be under the supervision of a Certified Public Accountant. It can be gained through work in any sector of the economy, such as government, industry, universities, or public practice.
From Jan. 1, 2027, Illinois will require CPA candidates to meet a work experience requirement based on their education level from an accredited college or university:
- If you hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting, you are required to have 2 years of experience.
- If you hold a master’s degree, you are required to have 1 year of experience.
- If you have a bachelor’s degree with 30 credit hours in accounting, you must complete 1 year of experience.
Illinois CPA Exam & Licensing: Cost and Fees
The cost of becoming a CPA in Illinois is split between fees paid to the Illinois Board of Examiners (ILBOE) for your application and fees paid to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) for the actual exam sections.
First, you must apply to the ILBOE to verify your eligibility. This fee depends on the number of exams you plan to take within the next 6 months.
- Credential Evaluation Fee: $200 (1-time fee for domestic credentials)
- Initial Application Fee: (Tiered based on number of sections)
| Number of Exams | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| 1 Exam Section | $40 |
| 2 Exam Sections | $76 |
| 3 Exam Sections | $108 |
| 4 Exam Sections | $120 |
Once your application is approved by ILBOE, they will send your authorization to NASBA. You will then receive a payment coupon, which allows you to pay for your exam sections.
- Cost Per Section: You will pay approximately $255 per section (Fees vary slightly by jurisdiction and are subject to NASBA updates).
- How to Pay: You will not be required to pay this fee during your initial application. Instead, you will pay it directly to NASBA via the payment coupon found in your NASBA candidate account.
- Important Deadlines: You must pay this fee within 90 days of receiving your payment coupon. If you miss this window, your authorization expires, and you will forfeit the initial application fees paid to the Illinois Board.
- Refund Policy: This fee is strictly non-refundable. If you fail to schedule your exam or miss your appointment, you cannot recover these funds and must repay the full amount to retake the section.
- Rescheduling: If you need to reschedule your exam date with Prometric, you may do so for free if it is more than 30 days in advance. Rescheduling between 1 and 30 days before your test date will incur a separate rescheduling fee, payable directly to Prometric.
Total Estimated Cost Breakdown
| Fee Type | Cost | Payable To |
|---|---|---|
| Credential Evaluation | $200 (domestic) | ILBOE |
| Initial Application (e.g., 4 sections) | $120 | ILBOE |
| Exam Fees (4 sections at ~$255*) | ~$1,020 | NASBA |
| Total Exam Cost | ~$1,340 | |
| License Acceptance Fee | $120 | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) |
Note: Exam section fees are subject to change by NASBA. Current estimates for Illinois candidates are approximately $255 per section, though domestic fees can vary slightly by jurisdiction.
Illinois is a 2-tier state. Naturally, the licensing process varies a little in other states. Once you have completed the ethics exam, the AICPA will send your score to the ILBOE. Within 3 days of receiving your ethics exam score, you will get an email with an official certification letter. The certification letter contains your certificate number. You can apply for a license through IDFPR with the certificate number. Candidates with both international and domestic credits must submit applications, fees, and supporting materials to both NASBA and ILBOE.
License Renewal Requirements
Individual CPA licenses expire every 3 years on Sept. 30. Your license can be renewed up to 2 months before its expiration date. The renewal fee is $40 per year.
Continuing Education Requirements
A licensed CPA must complete 120 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) every 3-year renewal period. These 120 hours have to include at least 4 hours of a professional ethics course. There is a CPE requirement exemption for all the CPA licenses for the first renewal following the actual issuance of the license. Licensees must preserve CPE data for a minimum of 6 years.
Illinois CPA Exam: Exam Dates, Score Release, and Scheduling
Let’s go over exam dates, score release procedures, and some effective scheduling techniques to help you on your journey to becoming a CPA.
Exam Dates & Score Release
Illinois CPA candidates can apply for the exam year-round based on their preferences. The AICPA releases the CPA Exam score release dates every 2 years. We recommend referring to these dates when scheduling your exams to plan accordingly.
Exam Section Scheduling
Here is a brief, step-by-step guide to the application process.
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