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Below you will find the basic prerequisites, test center locations, exam fees, resources, and contact information to help you better understand all Illinois CPA requirements. There may be additional qualifications including continuing education or work experience. For help with further requirements, we offer FREE U.S. CPA Exam Eligibility Assessments to anyone purchasing or already purchased a 4-part UWorld CPA Review Course. We will provide you continued support throughout the application process at no additional charge.

The data on this page was last reviewed and updated in January 2024.

CPA Exam Requirements in Illinois

Education


Baccalaureate degree or higher is required
150 semester credit hours with an accounting concentration that includes managerial accounting, taxation, financial accounting, and auditing or an accounting major

View Other Illinois Education Requirements.

Residency


US citizenship is not required.
Illinois residency is not required.

Age


Minimum age: 18 Years Old

Exam Fees:


Education Evaluation Application Fee: $120.00
Auditing $225.00
Financial $225.00
Regulation $225.00
Business Analysis and Reporting $225.00
Information Systems and Controls $225.00
Tax Compliance and Planning $225.00
Total: $1,020.00

*Please note that this is a tentative exam fee structure.


CPA License Requirements in IL

Education


120 hours of continuing education is required.

Graduate degree or accounting major with 30 semester hours in accounting and 24 semester hours in business

Work Experience


One year of work experience is required.

Other Qualification


Social Security Number NOT required.

Pass the AICPA Ethics Exam.

Getting your CPA license in Illinois can mean that additional requirements must be met. Since fees, requirements, and rules may change on a frequent basis, we highly recommend contacting the Illinois State Board of Accountancy for complete licensing information.

Now that you know if you qualify to sit for the CPA exam, it’s time to choose CPA prep that’s right for you. Try our course free for 7 days and discover what makes our CPA Review Courses better than the competition.