Illinois Real Estate License Renewal

Written by: Ethan Peyton

Last updated:

Illinois Real Estate License Renewal

If you have a real estate license in Illinoisyou will need to renew it every two years in order to continue operating legitimately. This is the case regardless of whether you are a real estate agent or a broker.

The cost of renewing your Illinois real estate license will depend on whether you do this on time – or have to pay a late penalty fee – as well as whether you are a broker or a real estate agent.

In this guide, we break down how you can go about completing your Illinois Real Estate License Renewal, detailing how much this will cost, as well as what continuing education (CE) requirements you will need to complete before submitting your application.

Illinois Real Estate Renewal Cost

The total cost of your Illinois Real Estate License Renewal will depend on several factors, including whether you need to pay a penalty fee and whether you are a broker or an agent:

StatusResidential Leasing AgentReal Estate Broker
Renewal Cost Online$100$150
Late Penalty Fee$50$50
Total Cost$100 – $150$150 – $200

On top of this, you’ll need to add the cost of purchasing a real estate CE course, as this is a legal requirement in the state of Illinois.

Recommended Continuing Education Course

Our #1 qualified real estate education course is The CE Shop. They offer an exceptionally large variety of packages and can be very helpful in guiding you through Illinois CE requirements.

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Illinois Real Estate Continuing Education

You will need to complete the following CE requirements in order to renew your real estate license in Illinois.

Illinois Real Estate Agent CE Requirements

You will need 12 hours of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) approved CE courses, including:

  • Illinois Core (Renewal): Four hours
  • Sexual Harrassment Prevention Training, Discrimination, & Fair Housing: One hour

You will need to complete the remaining hours of CE by taking elective courses. These can be general real estate courses, or courses such as:

  • Taxes and Real Estate: What You Need to Know
  • The Fundamentals of Commercial Real Estate
  • Document Diligence: Safeguarding Your Transactions

Illinois Real Estate Broker CE Requirements

Your real estate broker CE requirements will depend on when you got licensed:

License Issuance DateReal Estate Broker CE Requirements
Prior to November 2nd, 201912 hours of Illinois IDFPR-approved CE courses, including:Illinois Core (Renewal): Four hoursSexual Harassment Prevention Training, Discrimination, & Fair Housing: One hour
Between November 2nd, 2019 and October 31st, 201945 hours of post license education
On or after November 1st, 202145 hours of post license education to be completed by 4/30/2024

Illinois Active Real Estate License Renewal

In Illinois, an inactive status is allowed for up to five years, as long as you complete your CE education requirements every two years.

Keep in mind that you will not be able to engage in any real estate sales or brokerage activity with an inactive license.

If more than five years pass since your license expires, you will no longer be able to renew it, and will instead be required to submit a Reinstatement Application in order to get your Illinois real estate license.

Renew Illinois Real Estate License

You will be able to renew your Illinois real estate license online.

Online

You can renew your real estate license online through IDFPR online license renewal portal. If this is your first time renewing online, you will need to register first. You can do this by providing your:

  • Social Security Number
  • Last Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Access ID

We recommend that you complete your CE training at least 10 days before your license expires. This will ensure that there is enough time for it to be processed.

Illinois Real Estate License Renewal FAQ

How much does it cost to renew my real estate license in Illinois?

This will depend on several factors, including whether you are a real estate agent or a broker and whether you have to pay a late-filing penalty fee. You will also have to purchase a CE course. The CE Shop is our number one pick when it comes to real estate education courses because they offer a variety of packages at a very affordable price. For more information, we recommend having a look at our The CE Shop Real Estate Class Review article.

How many continuing education hours do you need to renew your license in Illinois?

You need 12 hours of continuing education (CE) training in order to renew your real estate agent license in Illinois. This number is different for real estate brokers, and will vary between 12 and 45 hours depending on when exactly you got your license.

What’s an approved continuing education course in Illinois?

An approved continuing education (CE) course is offered by a CE course provider that has been authorized – and is thus accepted – by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

How to get a real estate license in Illinois?

You can get a real estate license in Illinois by filing a real estate license application through the Illinois IDFPR system, completing a fingerprint and background check, taking a real estate education course, and passing your Illinois real estate exam. For more information, we recommend having a look at our How to Get Your Illinois Real Estate License article.

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