Illinois CPA Requirements
Everything you need to become a CPA in Illinois
Key Facts
- ✓120-credit pathway enacted, effective January 1, 2027 (HB 2459)
- ✓150 credit hours currently required for licensure
- ✓Can sit for exam with 120 credits
- ✓3-year license renewal cycle
- ✓120 hours of CPE required every 3 years
*Illinois offers a 120-credit pathway (HB 2459) with additional experience requirements. Effective January 1, 2027. See Licensure Pathways below for details.
Education & Experience Requirements
Verify Before Applying: Requirements shown are for informational purposes and may have changed. Always confirm current requirements with the official state board before beginning your application.
Education Requirements
- •Must include auditing, tax, and management accounting
Experience Requirements
- ✓Public accounting
- ✓Private industry
- ✓Government
Exam Eligibility
Licensing & CPE
Exam vs. Licensure: Illinois requires different credit thresholds to sit for the CPA exam versus obtaining your license. You can begin testing with 24 accounting credits, but must complete 30 for full licensure. Business credits: 12 to sit, 24 for licensure. Total credits: 120 to sit, 150 for licensure.
Licensure Pathways
Traditional 150-Credit Pathway
- •150 semester hours
- •30 hours accounting, 24 hours business
- •1 year of experience
120-Credit + Experience Pathway
Effective: January 1, 2027
- •Bachelor's degree with accounting emphasis (120 credits)
- •2 years of experience
- •Passed unanimously in both chambers
- •Both sponsors are licensed CPAs
Master's Degree Pathway
Effective: January 1, 2027
- •Master's degree + bachelor's with 30 hours accounting
- •1 year of experience
Illinois State Board of Accountancy
Illinois Board of Examiners
Application Tips
- 1.Verify current requirements on the official state board website before applying
- 2.Have official transcripts sent directly from your educational institution
- 3.Allow 4-6 weeks for application processing
- 4.Keep copies of all submitted documents for your records
Illinois CPE & License Renewal
Frequently Asked Questions
Education Programs for Illinois
18 programs meet CPA education requirements in Illinois. Browse by category to find the right fit.
Online MAcc
7Arizona State University
AACSBOnline Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
AACSBiMSA (Online Master of Science in Accountancy)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
AACSBOnline Master of Accounting (MAC)
Indiana University
AACSBOnline MS in Accounting (Kelley School)
Rutgers University — Camden
AACSBOnline Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Syracuse University
AACSBOnline MS in Professional Accounting (Whitman)
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
AACSBOnline Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Campus MAcc
5University of Michigan
AACSBMaster of Accounting (MAcc)
University of Texas at Austin
AACSBMaster in Professional Accounting (Traditional MPA)
University of Notre Dame
AACSBMS in Accountancy
Ohio State University
AACSBMaster of Accounting
University of Southern California
AACSBMaster of Accounting
150-Hour Pathways
1MST Programs
2Related Resources
Planning your CPA journey in Illinois? These guides can help.
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