Illinois · LCPC Renewal
Illinois LCPC CEU Requirements (2026–2027)
Illinois LCPCs need 30 hours of continuing education every two years. Ethics is the biggest single bucket at 3 hours, with the rest of the mandated categories landing in one-hour slices. LCPCs also complete a 9-hour clinical supervision training once, at second renewal. First renewal is exempt. Here is the verified breakdown from 68 IAC §1375.220.
Last verified: April 2026 · Source: 225 ILCS 107; 68 Ill. Admin. Code §1375.220; 68 Ill. Admin. Code §1130 Subpart E
The short version
| Requirement | Hours | Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Total continuing education | 30 | Every 2 years |
| Counseling Practice Ethics | 3 | Every 2 years |
| Cultural Competency | 1 | Every 2 years (effective 2025) |
| Sexual Harassment Prevention | 1 | Every 2 years |
| Implicit Bias Awareness | 1 | Every 2 years |
| Alzheimer's & Other Dementias | 1 | Every 3rd renewal |
| Clinical Supervision Training (LCPC only) | 9 | One-time, at 2nd renewal |
The remaining 23 hours can come from any board-approved counseling course content. Post-graduate university coursework counts toward the total at 15 CE hours per semester hour or 10 per quarter hour.
Every-cycle requirements
- 3 hours, Counseling Practice Ethics. Required every renewal under 68 IAC §1375.220.
- 1 hour, Cultural Competency training. Effective January 1, 2025. First renewal cycle ending on or after that date must include it.
- 1 hour, Sexual Harassment Prevention training. Statewide mandate under 68 IAC §1130 Subpart E (PA 100-0762).
- 1 hour, Implicit Bias Awareness training. Statewide mandate under PA 101-0221.
Every-3rd-renewal: Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias
A 1-hour Alzheimer's and Other Dementias training (PA 102-0399) is required once every three renewal cycles. Still Licensed surfaces this as a recurring requirement because the data model does not yet distinguish every-cycle from every-Nth-cycle rules. Check your last two renewals before deciding whether it is due this cycle.
Clinical supervision training (LCPC only, one-time)
LCPCs are required to complete 9 hours of clinical supervision training at their second renewal. This is a lifetime requirement tied to the clinical license. LPCs without the clinical upgrade do not carry this obligation.
First renewal is exempt
No CE is required for the first renewal of an LPC or LCPC license. The 30-hour rule kicks in at second renewal and every renewal after that.
Activity caps inside the 30 hours
Illinois counselors have a few activity-based caps worth knowing. All count toward the 30 hours, not on top of them.
- Teaching: up to 10 CE hours per cycle, claimed only the first time the material is presented.
- Authoring or presenting: up to 10 CE hours per cycle for papers, publications, or presentations to an LPC or LCPC audience.
- Clinical supervision given or received: up to 8 CE hours per cycle, on a regular basis with a set agenda.
- Leadership activities: up to 8 CE hours per cycle for service as an officer, editor, or board member of a counseling organization.
Reporting to IDFPR
Illinois does not use CE Broker for counseling. At renewal you certify a yes/no that you completed the required CE. Most licensees are never asked to submit proof, but IDFPR can request it during a random audit, a license restoration, or a disciplinary matter. Keep every certificate.
Approved sponsors
CE must come from a sponsor approved under 68 IAC §1375.220(c)(1) or an accepted equivalent, including NBCC and affiliates, ACA and affiliates, CRCC, AAMFT affiliates, ICA, IMHCA, APA, AMA, accredited colleges and universities, state agencies, and Illinois-licensed Professional Counselor CE Sponsors (9-digit license numbers starting with 197). Approved Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Clinical Psychologist sponsors are also accepted.
Carryover
Illinois does not allow CE hours to carry over between cycles. Extra hours completed beyond the 30-hour minimum do not bank toward the next biennium.
LPC vs LCPC
Illinois issues two counseling credentials. LPC is the entry-level license granted after meeting the educational and examination requirements. LCPC adds the clinical practice authority after two years of post-master's supervised experience and the NCMHCE. The every-cycle CE categories are identical. The only difference at renewal is the 9-hour clinical supervision training, which LCPCs must complete once at second renewal.
Board links
Track these requirements automatically.
Still Licensed keeps your Illinois ethics and total hours up to date as you log each CE. Multi-state support means one entry can count toward every state you're licensed in.
This page is informational. Rules change. Verify against the IDFPR — Professional Counselor Licensing and Disciplinary Board before acting on anything here.