In response to the growing emergency, and in recognition of the financial difficulties many licensed professionals are facing during this time, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (“Department”) has ordered that all licensed professionals with licenses issued by the Department that have renewal dates between March 1 and July 31, 2020 receive an automatic extension through September 30, 2020. Renewal dates, and corresponding CE completion deadlines, are automatically extended through September 30, 2020.
Additionally, the Department issued a Variance to allow all current licensees, including but not limited to healthcare professionals, under Department jurisdiction to complete all continuing education coursework without the requirement for live attendance. This Variance only applies to licensees with renewal deadlines on March 1, 2020 through and including July 31, 2020.
What this means for you is if your license renewal requirements list a specific amount of continuing education course hours that must be completed in person, and your license is up for renewal from March 1, 2020 through July 31, 2020, that requirement is no longer a barrier to renewal. You must still complete the requisite number of hours, but they may all be interactive webinar, online distance education courses, or other permitted methods.
Licensees that fall under this Variance include:
- Advanced Practice Nurse
- Alarm Contractor
- Chiropractic Physician
- Fingerprint Vendor
- Locksmith
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy
- Pharmacy Controlled Substance
- Pharmacy Technician
- Physician
- Physician Controlled Substance
- Private Detective
- Real Estate Broker
- Real Estate Leasing Agent
- Registered Nurse
- Security Contractor
For the full list of applicable professions, as well as additional information, you can view the Variances on the Department’s website.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding this Variance or your renewal application, the attorneys at Crick Walanka Law Group are here for you and happy to help. We will continue to post updates as the current situation unfolds.