Your Illinois architect license renewal is due November 30, 2026, and every even-numbered year after that. Renewal runs entirely through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s online portal, costs $125, and requires you to certify that you’ve completed 24 hours of continuing education during the two-year cycle.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 68 Section 1150.75 – Fees2Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. License Renewal Information
The portal typically opens about two to three months before expiration, so expect access around September 2026.3Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Online License Renewal The $125 fee is non-refundable.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 68 Section 1150.75 – Fees
Continuing Education You Have to Certify
The 24-hour requirement isn’t a single bucket. The mix matters, and getting it wrong is the most common reason architects run into trouble in the last weeks before a deadline.4Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Architect License Renewal CE Requirements
- 16 hours of core health, safety, and welfare (HSW) content, earned through structured activities such as courses, seminars, or workshops.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 68 Section 1150.105 – Continuing Education
- 8 elective hours on broader practice-related subjects, which can be structured or self-directed.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 68 Section 1150.105 – Continuing Education
- 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training that meets the standards in the Illinois Administrative Code. Courses offered by the Illinois Department of Human Rights, your employer, or an approved CE provider all qualify. This hour counts toward the 24-hour total.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 68 Section 1150.105 – Continuing Education
- 1 hour on high wind or natural disaster design, which must sit inside your 16 core HSW hours. This applies starting with the November 30, 2024 renewal and continues forward.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 68 Section 1150.105 – Continuing Education
Hours earned in other states count. The administrative code explicitly allows credits acquired outside Illinois, whether in person or virtual.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 68 Section 1150.105 – Continuing Education AIA members can track credits through their AIA transcript; otherwise keep individual certificates of completion from providers.
Keep Your Records Even Though You Don’t Upload Them
Illinois doesn’t ask you to submit CE documentation during renewal. You certify that you’ve completed the required hours, and the Department can audit you after the fact. If you’re selected, you’ll need to produce your records, so keep certificates organized and accessible. The Architecture Practice Act authorizes fines of up to $10,000 per violation for disciplinary matters, which includes misrepresenting CE compliance.6Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989 (225 ILCS 305)
If You Were on Active Military Duty
A license that lapsed or went inactive because of active military duty can be restored without any lapsed renewal or restoration fees. Apply within two years of completing your service and provide evidence of your military status to the Department.6Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989 (225 ILCS 305)
Renewing Through the IDFPR Portal
All renewals go through the IDFPR’s online licensing portal. Log in with the credentials tied to your license number and work through prompts confirming your contact information, answering professional conduct questions, and certifying your CE completion.7Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Tips For Renewing a Professional License Answer every question and submit the application. Saving and closing partway through doesn’t count as a submission.
The system accepts credit and debit cards for the $125 fee.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 68 Section 1150.75 – Fees After payment, you’ll get a confirmation email that serves as temporary proof of renewal. Allow two to four business days for your license status to update, then log back in to download your updated license document and confirm the new expiration date.3Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Online License Renewal
Check your email address on file before you start. IDFPR sends renewal reminders and notifications to the address in your account, and a bad address means you won’t get them.8Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Architect License Application Keeping contact information current is your responsibility, and the Department doesn’t accept a missed reminder as an excuse for a late renewal.
If You Miss the November 30 Deadline
Once November 30 passes without a renewal, your license expires and you cannot legally practice architecture in Illinois. Practicing without a valid license exposes you to civil penalties of up to $10,000 per offense and potential criminal charges. A first offense is a Class A misdemeanor; repeat violations are a Class 4 felony.9Illinois General Assembly. 225 ILCS 305/23.5
If the license has been expired for less than three years, restoration is relatively straightforward: complete the required CE hours, submit a restoration application, and pay the restoration fee. That fee is $175 if paid before the next renewal period opens, and $300 if paid after.2Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. License Renewal Information Longer lapses require additional proof of your fitness to practice, which can include evidence of active licensure in another state.6Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989 (225 ILCS 305)
Going Inactive Instead
If you’re stepping away from practice temporarily and want to avoid accumulating restoration fees, request inactive status before your license expires. The IDFPR provides Form F2413 for this purpose.10Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Architect Professions An inactive license doesn’t authorize you to practice, but it keeps your record in good standing, and returning to active status follows the same restoration process rather than requiring a fresh application.
Your Individual License Doesn’t Cover Your Firm
If you operate or manage a business that offers architectural services in Illinois, the firm itself needs a separate Professional Design Firm registration. Your individual license alone does not cover the entity. As of July 2025, the biennial renewal fee for a PDF registration is $150, and the restoration fee if it lapses is capped at $500. LLCs are not eligible for registration as a professional design firm in Illinois.11Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Design Newsletter Issue 33 – Summer 2025
Deducting the Renewal Fee and CE Costs
If you’re self-employed, the $125 renewal fee and your continuing education expenses are generally deductible as ordinary business expenses on Schedule C. The IRS allows deductions for license fees paid to state governments and for education that maintains or improves skills required in your current profession.12Internal Revenue Service. Publication 535 – Business Expenses CE that keeps your Illinois license active fits squarely within that rule.
If you’re a W-2 employee and your firm doesn’t reimburse you, the news is less favorable. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated deductions for unreimbursed employee expenses, and that change has been made permanent. Employee architects who pay their own renewal and CE fees out of pocket cannot deduct those costs on their federal return. If your firm doesn’t cover these expenses, it’s worth asking, because the tax benefit has permanently shifted to the employer side.