Illinois CE Sponsor Requirements & Hours Tracker

Illinois regulates continuing education (CE) for licensed professional counselors (LPCs) and licensed clinical professional counselors (LCPCs) under the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act (225 ILCS 107) and its rules at 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1375. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Professional Regulation, administers these rules with advice from the Professional Counselor Licensing and Disciplinary Board. (idfpr.illinois.gov)

A “Continuing Education Sponsor” is a person or organization approved to offer CE courses that counselors may use toward their license-renewal requirements. For professional counselors and clinical professional counselors, the operative rule is Section 1375.220 – Continuing Education. (ilga.gov)

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1. No clinical “experience hours” are required to be a CE sponsor

The Illinois rules do not require a CE sponsor to document counseling practice hours (such as “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience”). Those kinds of hour requirements apply to individuals seeking licensure as clinicians, not to organizations (or individuals) seeking approval as a continuing education sponsor. (law.justia.com)

For CE sponsors, the “hours” in the rules refer to:

• Continuing education hours that licensees must complete to renew their licenses, and
• CE hours assigned to your courses (how much credit participants earn). (ilga.gov)

What matters for CE sponsors is that:

• Your entity fits one of the approved sponsor categories, or
• You apply and are approved as “any other person, firm, or association” sponsor; and
• Your courses meet the content, quality, and documentation standards in Section 1375.220(c). (ilga.gov)

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2. Types of approved CE sponsors

Under Section 1375.220(c)(1), “Sponsor, as used in this Section, shall mean” specific, enumerated entities, including: (ilga.gov)

• National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) or its affiliates
• American Counseling Association (ACA) or its affiliates
• Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification or its affiliates
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy or its affiliates
• Employee Assistance Professional Association (EAPA) and Employee Assistance Society of North America (EASNA) or their affiliates
• Social Work Continuing Education Sponsors approved under the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1470.95)
• American Psychological Association (APA) or its affiliates
• Illinois Counseling Association and Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association or their affiliates
• American Medical Association or its affiliates
• Marriage and Family Therapy Continuing Education Sponsors approved under the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1283.110)
• Clinical Psychologist Continuing Education Sponsors approved under the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1400.85)
• Accredited colleges, universities, and State agencies
• “Any other person, firm, or association that has been approved and authorized by the Division pursuant to subsection (c)(2) to coordinate and present continuing education courses.” (ilga.gov)

If you are in one of the specifically named categories (for example, an NBCC Approved Continuing Education Provider), you are recognized as an “approved sponsor” by rule and do not separately apply to IDFPR for professional counseling CE sponsor status. (ilga.gov)

If you do not fall into a pre‑named category, you can still become a CE sponsor through the “any other person, firm, or association” route in subsection (c)(1)(N).

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3. Applying to become a Continuing Education Sponsor

3.1. Who must apply

Entities that want to offer CE credit to Illinois LPCs/LCPCs and are not already one of the named national/state associations or pre‑approved sponsor types must apply to IDFPR for approval as a CE sponsor under Section 1375.220(c)(1)(N) and (c)(2). (ilga.gov)

3.2. Application components

Under Section 1375.220(c)(2), an entity seeking approval as a CE sponsor must: (ilga.gov)

1. Submit an application on forms supplied by the Division

   • Use IDFPR’s current “Application as a Continuing Education Sponsor” form for professional counselors/clinical professional counselors.

2. Pay the application fee

   • “The fee for application as a continuing education sponsor is $500. State colleges, State universities, and State agencies are exempt from payment of this fee.” (Section 1375.205(a)(2)) (ilga.gov)

3. Provide required certifications, including written statements that:

   • All courses offered for CE credit will comply with the criteria in Section 1375.220(c)(3) and all other requirements in Section 1375.220.
   • The sponsor will be responsible for verifying “full‑time continuous attendance at each course” and will provide certificates of attendance as specified in Section 1375.220(c)(9).
   • On request, the sponsor will submit evidence (e.g., certificates, course materials) needed to establish compliance when the Division has reason to inquire. (ilga.gov)

4. Submit a sample course package, including:

   • A sample course outline/syllabus
   • Names and credentials of proposed faculty/presenters
   • Course materials and syllabi, enough to show content, objectives, and teaching methods. (ilga.gov)

The rules themselves do not prescribe a minimum number of CE hours you must promise to offer annually to be approved. The emphasis is on the quality and structure of your courses and your compliance systems (attendance verification, documentation, evaluation).

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4. Required standards for CE courses and CE hours

Once approved, your courses must meet specific standards in Section 1375.220(a)–(b), (c)(3)–(4). These standards govern how CE “hours” are defined and how your offerings must be structured.

4.1. How “CE hours” are defined

For Illinois counselors and clinical professional counselors, the rule defines CE hours as follows: (ilga.gov)

• “A licensee shall complete 30 hours of CE during the 24 months preceding renewal.” (Section 1375.220(a)(1))
• At least 3 of the 30 hours must include content related to ethics in the practice of counseling. (Section 1375.220(a)(2))
• Upon the second renewal of an LCPC license, 9 of the required 30 CE hours shall be in clinical supervision training; this is a one‑time (lifetime) requirement. (Section 1375.220(a)(3))
• “One CE hour shall equal 50 minutes of attendance. After completion of the initial CE hour, credit may be given in one‑half hour increments.” (Section 1375.220(a)(4))

Your course descriptions and certificates need to reflect CE credit in these terms (e.g., 3 CE hours = 150 minutes of qualifying instructional time).

4.2. Approved types of CE activities

Your programs must fit into the structures described in Section 1375.220(b). Key points: (ilga.gov)

• CE hours are earned by verified attendance at or participation in a “course” offered or sponsored by an approved CE sponsor.
• Courses may be in person or remote, and remote courses may be live or recorded, including by mail, computer, or online platforms—but each course must include an examination.
• Graduate‑level academic courses, teaching CE programs, authorship, and clinical supervision can all generate CE hours, with specific hour‑conversion formulas and caps (e.g., 15 CE hours per semester hour of academic credit; caps on hours for teaching, authorship, supervision, leadership).

As a sponsor, you ensure your offerings are structured so participants can properly claim hours under these rules.

4.3. Course quality standards

Every CE course you offer must meet the criteria in Section 1375.220(c)(3): (ilga.gov)

• Contribute to the advancement, extension, and enhancement of professional skills and scientific knowledge in professional counseling/clinical professional counseling.
• Foster the enhancement of general or specialized counseling or clinical counseling practice and values.
• Be developed and presented by persons with education and/or experience in the subject matter.
• Specify course objectives, content, and teaching methods.
• Specify the number of CE hours that may be applied toward Illinois CE requirements.

Your sample course submission and all future offerings should be structured to clearly demonstrate these elements.

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5. Sponsor obligations after approval

Once approved, you hold a CE sponsor approval subject to ongoing obligations in Section 1375.220(c)(4)–(12) and Section 1375.205.

5.1. Evaluation of courses

Each CE course must provide a way for participants to evaluate the course and instructor (e.g., on‑site written evaluations or post‑event electronic evaluations). Sponsor and instructor should review outcomes and revise future programs as appropriate. (ilga.gov)

5.2. Subcontracting presenters

You may subcontract with individuals or organizations to present courses, but: (ilga.gov)

• All advertising, promotional materials, and certificates must identify the licensed sponsor and its license number.
• Presenters may be named but identified as “presenters,” not as the sponsor.
• The licensed sponsor retains full responsibility for monitoring attendance, issuing certificates, ensuring course compliance, and maintaining records.

5.3. Open access requirement

“All courses given by approved sponsors shall be open to all licensed professional counselors and licensed clinical professional counselors and not be limited to members of a single organization or group.” (Section 1375.220(c)(6)) (ilga.gov)

So, even if you are, for example, a private association, your CE programs that you want counted for Illinois LPC/LCPC credit must be open beyond just your membership.

5.4. Certificates of attendance – required content

You must provide each participant a certificate of attendance/participation that includes at least: (ilga.gov)

• Sponsor’s name, address, and license number
• Participant’s name and address
• A brief statement of the subject matter
• The number of hours attended in each course
• The date and place of the course
• The signature of the sponsor or responsible person for the CE course

5.5. Record‑keeping

Sponsors must: (ilga.gov)

• Maintain attendance records for at least 5 years
• Ensure no renewal applicant receives CE credit for time not actually spent attending the course

These records become critical if a licensee is audited or if IDFPR evaluates your compliance.

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6. Renewal of CE sponsor approval

CE sponsor approval does not continue indefinitely; you must renew it regularly.

6.1. Renewal schedule and reporting

Under Section 1375.220(c)(7): (ilga.gov)

• To maintain approval as a sponsor under subsection (c)(2), you must submit to the Division by March 30 of each odd‑numbered year:
  • A sponsor renewal application
  • The renewal fee
  • “A list of courses offered within the last 24 months,” including a brief description, location, date, and time of each course (including subcontracted courses).

6.2. Renewal fee

Under Section 1375.205(b)(2): (ilga.gov)

• “The fee for renewal as a continuing education sponsor is $250 for the renewal period.”

6.3. Consequences of non‑compliance

If a sponsor fails to comply with any requirements of Section 1375.220, the Division, after notice and a hearing, “shall thereafter refuse to accept for CE credit attendance at or participation in any of that sponsor's CE courses until such time as the Division receives assurances of compliance.” (Section 1375.220(c)(11)) (ilga.gov)

The Division or the Board may evaluate any sponsor at any time to ensure compliance. (Section 1375.220(c)(12)) (ilga.gov)

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7. How CE sponsor requirements interact with licensee CE-hour requirements

Although you are asking about CE sponsor approval, it is important to understand the CE framework your programs must serve:

• Each LPC or LCPC must complete 30 CE hours in the 24 months preceding renewal.
• Of those 30 hours, at least 3 must be ethics‑focused, and for LCPCs, 9 hours in clinical supervision training are required by the second renewal as a one‑time lifetime requirement. (ilga.gov)
• A CE hour is a 50‑minute instructional hour (not necessarily a full 60‑minute clock hour). (ilga.gov)

Your course descriptions, certificates, and marketing should clearly state how many Illinois CE hours the program offers, and in what content area (ethics, supervision, etc.), using these definitions.

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8. Distinguishing CE sponsor approval from counselor licensure

To avoid confusion:

• Licensure as a Professional Counselor (LPC) or Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) requires specific degrees, examinations, and supervised clinical experience (often framed as “equivalent of 2 years full‑time satisfactory supervised employment or experience” under Section 45 of the Act). (law.justia.com)

• Approval as a Continuing Education Sponsor for professional counselors/clinical professional counselors does not require you to document any particular number of client contact hours, supervisory hours, or clinical practice years.

Instead, CE sponsor approval is centered on:

• Your organizational status (fitting a recognized category or applying under 1375.220(c)(2)),
• Paying the required fees,
• Demonstrating that your courses meet the content, instructional, and compliance standards in Section 1375.220, and
• Fulfilling renewal, documentation, and record‑keeping obligations.

There is no Illinois requirement such as “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience” for CE sponsors in this profession. Any reference to such numbers would be about individual clinical licensure, not CE sponsorship.