The CE credit requirements for Illinois are changing!  Will YOU be allowed to take the old version, or will you have to take the new version??  That depends on YOUR timing (details below).

What is Actually Changing?

The CORE requirement is changing from 4 hours to 6 hours.  This will not, however, increase the total number of CE credit hours required.  The current requirements of 12 hours for Brokers, and 24 hours for Managing Brokers will remain the same.  Agents will simply take more CORE credit, and less Elective credit.

While there are several other changes involved, the biggest change was made to accommodate the new Fair Housing requirement.  The CORE course is now required to have a minimum of 2 hours of Fair Housing content.

Just like before, the Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (SHPT) course is a stand-alone course.  It cannot be part of the 6 hours of CORE credit.

In the past, for live courses, it was common for instructors to teach the 4-hour CORE course and a 2-hour version of the SHPT course in a single day (totaling six hours), and then offer two 3-hour Elective courses as another 6-hour day.  Due to the change to 6 hours for the CORE course, it is likely that most schools will be rewriting their other course offerings, to make the “two 6-hour days” format still work.  It is most likely that the SHPT courses will be shortened to a 1-hour format (since that meets the legal requirement), and one of the other Elective credit courses will be shortened to a 2-hour format.  That way, the 6-hour CORE course can be taught in a single day, and the other three courses (1-hour SHPT, 2-hour Elective, and a 3-hour Elective) can be taught as another 6-hour day.

The new requirements have already been passed and signed.  However, they are not in full force yet.

Will YOU Be Grandfathered?

IDFPR is currently re-writing the Administrative Rules.  The new curriculum for the 6-hr CORE course has not been completed as of this publication date.  IDFPR will release the new curriculum once it has been completed.  They do not have a definite date yet, but it’s currently looking like the turn of the year or shortly thereafter.  Once the new curriculum has been released, all of the schools will need time to re-write the courses, and get everything re-licensed.  Yes, each course has its very own license.  After the new curriculum has been released, IDFPR will set a hard date to “throw the switch” on the new 6-hour CORE requirement.

The Director of Licensing for the Division of Real Estate at IDFPR has informed us that the Department will allow for a “transition” period for CE credits.  The transition will work as follows…

Managing Brokers that are renewing for 2025 will be grandfathered in.  They will NOT have to wait to take the new 6-hour CORE format.  It will not likely be available by that point anyway.  They can take the 4-hour format.  As long as they have their 24-hour total, they will be eligible to renew.

Brokers…  Your situation will be handled differently.  Any Broker that has completed the 4-hour CORE course prior to the hard transition date (to be set later by IDFPR), will be considered grandfathered in, and will NOT have to take the 6-hour version prior to the renewal deadline of April 30, 2026.  Alternately, any Brokers that have NOT completed the 4-hour CORE course prior to the hard transition date, WILL be required to take the 6-hour version of CORE before they will be eligible for the April 2026 renewal.

So, if you would like to take advantage of the last opportunity to complete the 4-hour version of the CORE course, leaving more time for Elective credit, THIS is your chance!

What if I have already paid for my CE courses for the 2026 Renewal Season, including the 4-hour CORE format, but IDFPR sets the hard transition date, and I have not completed the courses yet?

No problem!  Once the new curriculum has been released, the class is re-written, and the license is issued for the new course, it will be made available to all students that have already paid, but have not yet completed the 4-hour version, at no additional cost.  We’ve got you covered!  🙂

In other words… “SIGN UP for the 12-Hr package TODAY!!”