In Illinois, the accounting profession is regulated by the Department of Financial & Professional Regulation. Like most states, Illinois requires anyone wishing to be a Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, to hold a license. In the past, Illinois had allowed for a separate category of “Registered Public Accountants,” but in 2012, the law ended this separate designation. All Illinois public accountants now must be CPAs. In this guide, we'll take you through the steps needed to receive and keep in good standing your Illinois CPA license.

Obtaining a License

First of all, understand that not all accountants in Illinois need be CPAs. The CPA designation has one primary power (in addition to conferring esteem and professionalism on the holder): CPAs can perform the “audit and attest” function. Here's how the Illinois state government describes this power:

“Without a license to practice public accounting you may not express an opinion on a financial statement based on an audit or examination of a financial statement or issue a report expressing assurance on a financial statement.”

Many accounting firms and jobs will require its accountants to eventually obtain their CPA license. Here are the general steps required:

• First, take the CPA examination. This is a notoriously difficult test, split into four parts, and its contents vary somewhat depending on the state you take it in. If you wish to take the exam in Illinois, you can click this link to learn how to sign up for the sections, which are typically given several months apart. The exam is given by the Illinois Board of Examiners.

• If you have taken the exam in another state, but now wish to practice in Illinois, your score may still be accepted (though it's not definite). Contact the state where you passed the test and have your exam information forwarded to the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation – if the state exam covers substantially the same bases as the Illinois test, they will accept your score. If not, you'll have to take the Illinois exam.

• You must also have one year, usually post-college (though a Bachelor's degree is not strictly required) of full-time experience providing “any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting.” Your supervisor will form a form out, called a VE-PAE form, verifying such employment, which will be submitted along with your application. Most accountants-to-be complete this employment period while they take their exams.

• And that's it! You may not submit the entire application. The application fee is 120 dollars.

Note that if you already hold a CPA license in another state, Illinois will likely grant you a license by endorsement, and without having to take the Illinois exam. The fee and application are the same, but you will also need to provide documentation of your home state licensure.

Maintaining a License

The continuing education requirements for Illinois accountants are fairly heavy: renewal of your license occurs every three years, and in those three years you must take 120 hours of continuing education, with at least four focused on ethics. Find out where to take those classes here. Happily, first-time renewals are not subject to the CE requirements! So they begin only in the three-year period after your first renewal.

As for renewal, it must occur by September 30 on the year dictated by the schedule created by the State. Currently, the next renewal must occur by September 30, 2015, and the following by September 30, 2018. Once you are in the “renewal period,” which is typically around 3 months prior to the renewal date, you will be able to access renewal documents on this page.