Illinois CME requirements for physicians
Illinois uses a three-year physician renewal cycle with 150 hours of CME. Several smaller training requirements run on different clocks: some recur every renewal, some every six years, and opioid education follows your controlled-substance registration.
By Michael Rushton, DO · Physician founder of ClearCME
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Published: · Updated:
At a glance
MD and DO · Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
150 hours, including at least 60 formal hours
- Renewal cycle
- The regular physician renewal date is July 31 every three years; the next regular renewal is July 31, 2029. IDFPR extended completion of the 2026 renewal process through August 31, 2026. The variance did not otherwise change CME requirements or the ordinary renewal cycle.
- Accepted credit types
- At least 60 hours in qualifying formal programs; up to 90 hours may come from qualifying informal CME. Document the program’s accreditation or qualifying sponsor. The CME pre-renewal period is the 36 months preceding July 31 in the renewal year.
Mandatory topics
Find your license type below. Some requirements also depend on your specialty, practice setting or prescribing authority.
MD requirements
Sexual-harassment prevention
One hour each renewal cycle, including the first renewal. This separate requirement still applies when you are exempt from the general CME total.
Explore related courses →Sources: 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5 — sexual-harassment training · 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · IDFPR — continuing education requirements
Implicit bias in health care
One hour per renewal, beginning with the first renewal for which continuing education is required. From July 1, 2026, physicians who report providing maternal health care must include the specified maternal-health risk content in this hour.
Explore related courses →Sources: 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7 — implicit bias and maternal health · 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · IDFPR — continuing education requirements
Safe opioid prescribing
One hour during each controlled-substance registration pre-renewal period. It applies to registered prescribers even if they do not prescribe opioids and at the first controlled-substance renewal. Qualifying training may count toward physician CME.
Explore related courses →Sources: 720 ILCS 570/315.5 — safe opioid prescribing · IDFPR — safe opioid prescribing FAQ
Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
One hour if you provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adults age 26 or older; repeat the course at least every six years. Newly licensed physicians should confirm first-renewal applicability with IDFPR before relying on a general CME exemption.
Explore related courses →Sources: 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365 — dementia training · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-375 — training intervals · IDFPR — continuing education requirements
Cultural competency
One hour before the first renewal requiring continuing education on or after January 1, 2025, then at least once every six years. Keep its completion date separate from the recurring implicit-bias hour.
Explore related courses →Sources: 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-370 — cultural competency · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-375 — training intervals
Child-abuse mandated-reporter training
Mandated reporters must complete initial training, including implicit bias, within three months of first serving in that role unless another applicable professional law sets the timeframe. Medical personnel who work with children repeat training at least every six years and attest to understanding reporting duties at renewal. Those who do not work with children may attest at renewal instead of repeating the training.
Explore related courses →
DO requirements
Sexual-harassment prevention
One hour each renewal cycle, including the first renewal. This separate requirement still applies when you are exempt from the general CME total.
Explore related courses →Sources: 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5 — sexual-harassment training · 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · IDFPR — continuing education requirements
Implicit bias in health care
One hour per renewal, beginning with the first renewal for which continuing education is required. From July 1, 2026, physicians who report providing maternal health care must include the specified maternal-health risk content in this hour.
Explore related courses →Sources: 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7 — implicit bias and maternal health · 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · IDFPR — continuing education requirements
Safe opioid prescribing
One hour during each controlled-substance registration pre-renewal period. It applies to registered prescribers even if they do not prescribe opioids and at the first controlled-substance renewal. Qualifying training may count toward physician CME.
Explore related courses →Sources: 720 ILCS 570/315.5 — safe opioid prescribing · IDFPR — safe opioid prescribing FAQ
Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
One hour if you provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adults age 26 or older; repeat the course at least every six years. Newly licensed physicians should confirm first-renewal applicability with IDFPR before relying on a general CME exemption.
Explore related courses →Sources: 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365 — dementia training · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-375 — training intervals · IDFPR — continuing education requirements
Cultural competency
One hour before the first renewal requiring continuing education on or after January 1, 2025, then at least once every six years. Keep its completion date separate from the recurring implicit-bias hour.
Explore related courses →Sources: 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-370 — cultural competency · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-375 — training intervals
Child-abuse mandated-reporter training
Mandated reporters must complete initial training, including implicit bias, within three months of first serving in that role unless another applicable professional law sets the timeframe. Medical personnel who work with children repeat training at least every six years and attest to understanding reporting duties at renewal. Those who do not work with children may attest at renewal instead of repeating the training.
Explore related courses →
Related courses are a starting point for your search. Before enrolling, confirm that the activity meets your board’s provider, content, category and completion-date requirements.
Formal and informal hours serve different parts of the total
The 60-hour formal minimum sits inside the 150-hour requirement. Qualifying formal education includes approved AMA, AOA and other programs recognized in the Illinois rule. Informal study can contribute to the remaining hours when it meets the rule’s definition.
Keep a dated record of informal activities that describes the learning, its relationship to professional practice and the time claimed. A general reading list without dates or hours is difficult to support at audit.
First renewal and separate registrations
The general 150-hour requirement does not apply to the first physician renewal after original licensure. That exemption does not erase the separate sexual-harassment training obligation or the controlled-substance registration’s opioid education requirement.
Your physician license and controlled-substance registration are separate renewal obligations. Check both records before assuming that a course’s six-year interval or a physician exemption covers prescribing authorization.
Sources: 68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1285.110 — physician CME · IDFPR — continuing education requirements · IDFPR — safe opioid prescribing FAQ
Carryover, records and hardship
The same hours cannot be used for more than one Illinois renewal period. Build each 36-month record from activities earned in that period.
Retain formal certificates and your informal activity log so that you can support the renewal attestation if IDFPR requests evidence. Keep one-time or six-year training documentation available for the later renewal where it matters.
The rule provides a hardship process. Submit a supported request before the license expires; a request alone is not approval.
Recent changes and the next cycle
IDFPR extended completion of the 2026 physician renewal process through August 31, 2026. This one-cycle extension did not change the ordinary July 31 triennial schedule or other CME requirements.
Cultural-competency training applies to the first renewal requiring continuing education on or after January 1, 2025, then at least once every six years. Maternal-health content became part of the implicit-bias hour on July 1, 2026 for physicians who report providing maternal health care.
This guide was reviewed October 13, 2026. Opioid education remains due at each controlled-substance registration renewal; the six-year interval applies to other named topics.
Sources: IDFPR — signed 2026 physician renewal extension · 68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1285.120 — physician renewal · 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7 — implicit bias and maternal health · 20 ILCS 2105/2105-375 — training intervals · 720 ILCS 570/315.5 — safe opioid prescribing
Questions physicians ask next
How many CME hours do Illinois MDs and DOs need?
Both generally need 150 hours during the three-year pre-renewal period, including at least 60 formal hours. Up to 90 may be qualifying informal CME.
When is Illinois physician renewal?
The regular physician renewal date is July 31 every three years; the next regular renewal is July 31, 2029. IDFPR extended completion of the 2026 renewal process through August 31, 2026. The variance did not otherwise change CME requirements or the ordinary renewal cycle.
Is the first Illinois renewal exempt from all training?
No. The general CME exemption does not remove sexual-harassment prevention or applicable opioid education for controlled-substance registration.
Is Illinois opioid training every six years?
No. The one-hour safe-opioid-prescribing requirement is due during each controlled-substance registration pre-renewal period.
Who needs dementia education?
One hour if you provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adults age 26 or older; repeat the course at least every six years. Newly licensed physicians should confirm first-renewal applicability with IDFPR before relying on a general CME exemption.
Does maternal-health training add another hour?
For affected physicians, maternal-health content must be included in the existing one-hour implicit-bias course from July 1, 2026. It does not add a separate hour.
Can I reuse surplus CME at the next renewal?
The Illinois rule does not allow the same hours to be used in more than one renewal period.
Primary sources
Board guidance and controlling law support this guide. Your board’s current rules and individual determination govern your renewal.
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1285.110 — physician CME ↗
“In order to renew a license, a licensee shall be required to complete 150 hours of CME per prerenewal period.”
- IDFPR — continuing education requirements ↗
- 720 ILCS 570/315.5 — safe opioid prescribing ↗
“every prescriber who is licensed to prescribe controlled substances shall, during the pre-renewal period, complete one hour of continuing education”
- IDFPR — safe opioid prescribing FAQ ↗
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code § 1285.120 — physician renewal ↗
- IDFPR — signed 2026 physician renewal extension ↗
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1130 — mandatory training ↗
- 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5 — sexual-harassment training ↗
- 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7 — implicit bias and maternal health ↗
- 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365 — dementia training ↗
- 20 ILCS 2105/2105-370 — cultural competency ↗
- 20 ILCS 2105/2105-375 — training intervals ↗
- 325 ILCS 5/4(j)–(k) — mandated-reporter training ↗