Illinois Architect CE Requirements (2026): 24 Hours Every 2 Years
Requirements Overview
The Illinois Architecture Licensing Board, under IDFPR, requires 24 contact hours of continuing education per biennial renewal, of which at least 16 must be public-protection subjects relevant to health, safety and welfare (HSW). The remaining 8 may be other architecture-related topics.
Two specific hours sit inside that total. One hour of sexual harassment prevention training has been required since the 2020 renewal and may be satisfied by a course from the Illinois Department of Human Rights, your employer, or an approved provider. And beginning with the November 30, 2024 renewal, at least 1 of the HSW hours must address design practices for high winds or natural disasters — this hour counts within the 16 HSW hours, not on top of them.
Licenses renew biennially on November 30 of even-numbered years. There is no carryover between periods, and architects are exempt from CE during the first biennial renewal after initial Illinois licensure.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Protection / Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | 16 | Every renewal | At least 16 of the 24 contact hours must be public-protection subjects relevant to public health, safety and welfare. The remaining 8 may be other architecture-related subjects. |
| Sexual Harassment Prevention Training | 1 | Every renewal | 1 of the 24 hours must be sexual harassment prevention training. A qualifying course from the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the licensee's employer, or an acceptable provider counts toward this hour. |
| High winds / natural disaster design (HSW) | 1 | Every renewal | Beginning with the November 30, 2024 renewal, at least 1 hour of the HSW category must relate to design practices reflecting improved understanding of high winds or natural disasters. This hour counts within the 16 HSW hours, not on top of them. |
Exemptions
- First Biennial Renewal (Newly Licensed) — A licensee is not required to report continuing education hours during the first biennial renewal period in which the licensee obtained initial Illinois licensure.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Illinois CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Illinois that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Of the 24 contact hours, at least 16 must be public-protection (HSW) subjects; the remaining 8 may be other architecture-related subjects.
- One of the 24 hours must be sexual harassment prevention training (effective the Nov 30, 2020 renewal).
- Beginning with the November 30, 2024 renewal, at least 1 of the HSW hours must address design practices for high winds or natural disasters (counted within the 16 HSW hours).
- Licenses renew biennially due November 30 of even-numbered years; no carryover between periods, and new licensees are exempt for their first biennial renewal.
Tips for Illinois Architects
- Book a sexual harassment prevention course early — it is a required hour within your 24 and easy to overlook among technical HSW credits.
- For renewals from November 30, 2024 onward, make sure one of your HSW hours specifically covers high winds or natural-disaster design; a generic HSW course will not satisfy it.
- The high-winds hour is inside the 16 HSW hours, so it does not add to your total — but the sexual harassment hour can be any of the 24.
- Illinois allows no carryover, so earn all 24 hours within the two-year period ending November 30 of the even year.
- If this is your first renewal after initial Illinois licensure, you owe no CE — confirm your license date before relying on the exemption.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Illinois Architecture Licensing Board (IDFPR)'s official rules and continuing-education sources and recorded with the exact source excerpt. Last verified Jul 2026. Read how we compile and verify this data.