Illinois Cosmetology Continuing Education Course

Course Summary

If you are a cosmetologist, esthetician, hair braider, or nail technician in Illinois, then you need to know how to renew your license so you can keep working, avoid late fees, or board discipline. The Illinois cosmetology license renewal process can seem a little daunting, whether this is your first or fifth renewal.

You not only want your CE hours done now, but you need your CE hours done now. We know the salon environment is busy and doesn’t leave you with a lot of extra time to search for answers to your renewal questions and learn how to complete your CE courses online.

At Cosmo Credits, our goal is to make renewing your license simple and stress-free. We will walk you through the steps involved in renewing your license, cover lots of frequently asked questions, and provide some tips on making the process go as smoothly as possible.

Take a seat in your salon chair and let’s get started. In a few minutes, you will know how to renew your license like a pro!

What are the types of Illinois cosmetology board licenses?

There are four types of licenses issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. They are:

• Cosmetology License
• Esthetician License
• Hair Braiding License
• Nail Technician License

In addition, there is an instructor license for each one of the above license types.

What are my renewal continuing education requirements?

All licensed cosmetologists, estheticians, hair braiders, and nail technicians must complete continuing education to renew their license, However, not all license types have the same renewal requirements.

Cosmetologist Renewal Requirements

It is our understanding, you, are required to complete 14 CE hours each renewal cycle.

Of the 14 hours required, at least seven (7) must be completed in an “Instructor-Led” format.

The other seven (7) hours can be fulfilled through “Distance Learning” options, such as online courses. This is where Cosmo Credits comes in. We can help you complete these seven hours from your salon chair, couch, or favorite coffee shop. You can use your laptop, tablet, or phone on your schedule.

Nail Technician and Esthetician Renewal Requirements

It is our understanding, you are required to complete 10 CE hours each renewal cycle.

Of the 10 hours required, at least five must be completed in an “Instructor-Led” format.

The other five (5) hours can be fulfilled through “Distance Learning” options, such as online courses. This is where Cosmo Credits comes in. We can help you complete these seven hours from your salon chair, couch, or favorite coffee shop. You can use your laptop, tablet, or phone on your schedule.

Hair Braider Renewal Requirements

It is our understanding, you are required to complete 10 CE hours each renewal cycle.

Of the 10 hours required, at least five must be completed in an “Instructor-Led” format.

The other five (5) hours can be fulfilled through “Distance Learning” options, such as online courses. This is where Cosmo Credits comes in. We can help you complete these seven hours from your salon chair, couch, or favorite coffee shop. You can use your laptop, tablet, or phone on your schedule.

Are you an approved provider for the Illinois Cosmetology Board or IDFPR?

Yes! We are an approved continuing education provider for the Illinois Cosmetology Board. Our license number is 190.000850.

Our seven (7) hour renewal package includes:

3 hours of Sanitation

2 hours of Essential Business Skills

2 hours Preventing Burnout/Personal Wellness

Our five (5) hour renewal package includes:

3 hours of Sanitation

and either

2 hours of Essential Business Skills

or

2 hours Preventing Burnout/Personal Wellness

Do your offer the Illinois Sexual Harassment Awareness Course Requirement?

Yes!

We offer this course through another provider that is pre-approved by the IDFPR.

More about this requirement…

As a reminder, this new requirement was established by the IDFPR in 2020. Each renewal cycle, all those licensed under the IDFPR are required to complete a course on Sexual Harassment Awareness.

Do you offer the Domestic Assault Course Requirement?

Not at this time.

List of Domestic Assault CE Providers

Do you report completed hours to the IDFPR?

No. The IDFPR does not have a CE reporting portal at this time. You are responsible for reporting your own completed continuing education hours to the IDFPR.

Where can I find live CE courses?

In addition to your online hours, you need 5 to 7 hours of live, classroom, or “instructor-led courses”.

We recommend contacting cosmetology schools in your area to find live courses. They often have courses year-round and especially close to renewal deadlines.

Here is the current list of all board-approved providers.

Are there any variances for continuing education?

You may see varying opinions on this question, which makes it confusing. There are a few websites that are not up-to-date on the changes.

As of 2017, there are no longer exemptions for continuing education.

Previously there were exemptions for licensees that were:

• Having their first renewal
• Over 62 years old
• Licensed by the department over 25 Years

What about COVID?

It does not appear there are any additional variances, exemptions, or waivers for COVID at this time.

For extreme hardship or active military, there are some waivers. You can read here for more information here on current waiver options.

Illinois Cosmetology Instructor Renewal Requirements

If you hold an instructor license, you have different requirements and a different renewal deadline.

How do I renew my Illinois Cosmetology License?

Once your hours have been completed, you will need to submit a renewal application to the Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (IDFPR) along with your renewal fee. This can be done online.

You will need to create an account with the IDFPR. Once you have logged in, you will be able to complete the renewal application and pay the required fee.

To renew your license online, here is the link: Renew Illinois Cosmetology License Online

If you have problems with your renewal, you can contact the IDFPR by phone or their contact page:

Phone: 1 (888) 473-4858

Contact Email: Illinois Cosmetology Board Email

What is the renewal fee?

The renewal fee for cosmetologists, estheticians, hair braiders, and nail technicians is $50.

When is my renewal deadline for my Illinois cosmetology license?

Cosmetologist licenses shall expire on September 30th of each odd-numbered year. This means the next renewal deadline is September 30th, 2025.

Esthetician licenses shall expire on September 30th of each odd-numbered year. This means the next renewal deadline is September 30th, 2025.

Nail Technician licenses shall expire on October 30th of each odd-numbered year. This means the next renewal deadline is on October 30th, 2025.

Hair Braider licenses shall expire on October 30th of each odd-numbered year. This means the next renewal deadline is on October 30th, 2025.

What if my license is delinquent?

In Illinois, they call this “restoration”.

Restoration is when a person’s license has been expired or on inactive status for less than 5 years. In this case, you need to submit an application to the appropriate division to get your license back in good standing.

How do I get started?

Here is how you can renew your license in just few steps.

How does the online course work.

1. Register
2. Complete Course and Exam (No-fail exams)
3. Download and print certificate (Available immediately after course completion)

Printing Your license

IDFPR no longer mails paper licenses to licensees. Licensees can print their own licenses from the IDFPR website. To do this, you will need to log in to your online account and select the ‘Print License’ option.

It is Time to Get This Done!

There is a chance you have already procrastinated long enough. We see it all the time.

But, now that you know what is needed to renew your cosmetology license in Illinois, the next step would be to get started on completing your cosmetology Continuing Education (CE) course. We promise to make is simple, convenient and worth your time. Once you are done with the CE coursework and have met all requirements set out by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, you’ll be eligible for renewal of your Illinois cosmetology license.