Physical Therapist Assistant Licensure in Illinois
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Timeline 9 weeks or more
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Initial Costs $180
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Renewal Costs $60
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CE Requirements 20 Hours
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Compact No
How to apply
To secure your Travel Physical Therapist Assistant license in Illinois, you'll be working with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). You will submit your application through their new online system, CORE (Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment). Before you start, I recommend initiating your background check and requesting your transcripts, as these third-party steps often take the longest.
Step-by-Step Guide
- The Background Check (Crucial Step): Illinois requires a fingerprint-based background check. If you are currently out-of-state, you cannot simply go to a local police station and have them transmit the results. You must use the "Card Scan" method.
- Head over to a local law enforcement agency or fingerprint vendor to get your fingerprints inked onto standard FD-258 cards (get two copies just in case).
- Mail these physical cards to a licensed Illinois Live Scan vendor (such as Accurate Biometrics or others listed on the IDFPR website) that offers "Card Scan" services. Do not mail them to the Board. The vendor will digitize your prints and transmit them to the Illinois State Police for you.
- Request Official Documents: Contact your PTA program to send your official transcripts directly to the IDFPR (or upload them if the portal allows, but direct from source is safer). Simultaneously, log in to the FSBPT dashboard and request a Score Transfer of your NPTE results to Illinois.
- Submit the Application: Create an account on the CORE portal. Select "Physical Therapist Assistant" and the method "Endorsement" (since you are already licensed elsewhere). Complete the profile, upload any required personal documents, and hit submit.
What You'll Need & Key Details
- Documents to Have Ready: A valid Driver's License or ID, your Social Security Number, and your employment history for the past 5 years (dates and locations).
- Items to Request: Official Transcripts (sent directly from your school), NPTE Score Transfer (from FSBPT), and Verification of Licensure from your original and current states (often done via FSBPT or the state board's portal).
- Exams: Good news—there is no Jurisprudence Exam required for initial licensure by endorsement in Illinois (it is only a Continuing Education requirement for renewal).
Initial Costs
Here is the breakdown of what you can expect to spend to get licensed in Illinois:
- Application Fee: $100
- Background Check / Fingerprinting: $50 (approximate)
- Jurisprudence Exam: $0
- Verifications: $30
- Total Estimated Initial Cost: $180
Note: Fees are subject to change by the Board, but this gives you a solid estimate to plan your budget!
Renewals
When to Renew: Illinois Physical Therapist Assistant renewal happens every two years and is due by September 30 of every odd-numbered year.
Cost: The renewal fee is approximately $60.
Note: You must complete 20 Continuing Education (CE) hours, including mandatory training in ethics, sexual harassment prevention, and implicit bias, before the deadline.
CE Requirements
20 Contact Hours required every 2 years.
Deadline: September 30th of odd-numbered years.
Live vs. Online: Great news for Travel Physical Therapist Assistant CEUs: Illinois currently has no limit on self-study or online courses, provided they are completed through an approved provider.
Provider Restrictions: Courses must be approved by the IDFPR, the APTA, or the Illinois Physical Therapy Association (IPTA). General portals like MedBridge are widely accepted as they maintain approved provider status.
Mandatory Topics
- Ethics: (3 hours)
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training: (1 hour)
- Implicit Bias Awareness: (1 hour)
- Dementia Training: (1 hour - required only if you provide services to patients age 26 or older)
Excluded Topics: CPR certification, business management, marketing, and time spent in meetings for policy decisions do not count toward your total.
New Licensee Rule: If this is your first renewal after initial licensure by examination, you are exempt from continuing education requirements.
Reporting: Illinois is an audit-based state. You do not need to report hours upfront, but you must maintain your certificates of completion for at least 5 years in case of an audit.
Board Information
Need to reach out with questions or send in documents? Here are the direct details for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation:
- Address: 320 W Washington, 3rd Floor Springfield, IL 62786
- Website: Visit Board Website
- Phone: (217) 782-8556
- Email: FPR.LMU@illinois.gov
Ready to start? Click here to go directly to the Application Portal.
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How to Apply
To secure your Travel Physical Therapist Assistant license in Illinois, you'll be working with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). You will submit your application through their new online system, CORE (Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment). Before you start, I recommend initiating your background check and requesting your transcripts, as these third-party steps often take the longest.
Step-by-Step Guide
- The Background Check (Crucial Step): Illinois requires a fingerprint-based background check. If you are currently out-of-state, you cannot simply go to a local police station and have them transmit the results. You must use the "Card Scan" method.
- Head over to a local law enforcement agency or fingerprint vendor to get your fingerprints inked onto standard FD-258 cards (get two copies just in case).
- Mail these physical cards to a licensed Illinois Live Scan vendor (such as Accurate Biometrics or others listed on the IDFPR website) that offers "Card Scan" services. Do not mail them to the Board. The vendor will digitize your prints and transmit them to the Illinois State Police for you.
- Request Official Documents: Contact your PTA program to send your official transcripts directly to the IDFPR (or upload them if the portal allows, but direct from source is safer). Simultaneously, log in to the FSBPT dashboard and request a Score Transfer of your NPTE results to Illinois.
- Submit the Application: Create an account on the CORE portal. Select "Physical Therapist Assistant" and the method "Endorsement" (since you are already licensed elsewhere). Complete the profile, upload any required personal documents, and hit submit.
What You'll Need & Key Details
- Documents to Have Ready: A valid Driver's License or ID, your Social Security Number, and your employment history for the past 5 years (dates and locations).
- Items to Request: Official Transcripts (sent directly from your school), NPTE Score Transfer (from FSBPT), and Verification of Licensure from your original and current states (often done via FSBPT or the state board's portal).
- Exams: Good news—there is no Jurisprudence Exam required for initial licensure by endorsement in Illinois (it is only a Continuing Education requirement for renewal).
Initial Costs
Here is the breakdown of what you can expect to spend to get licensed in Illinois:
- Application Fee: $100
- Background Check / Fingerprinting: $50 (approximate)
- Jurisprudence Exam: $0
- Verifications: $30
- Total Estimated Initial Cost: $180
Note: Fees are subject to change by the Board, but this gives you a solid estimate to plan your budget!
Renewals
When to Renew: Illinois Physical Therapist Assistant renewal happens every two years and is due by September 30 of every odd-numbered year.
Cost: The renewal fee is approximately $60.
Note: You must complete 20 Continuing Education (CE) hours, including mandatory training in ethics, sexual harassment prevention, and implicit bias, before the deadline.
CE Requirements
20 Contact Hours required every 2 years.
Deadline: September 30th of odd-numbered years.
Live vs. Online: Great news for Travel Physical Therapist Assistant CEUs: Illinois currently has no limit on self-study or online courses, provided they are completed through an approved provider.
Provider Restrictions: Courses must be approved by the IDFPR, the APTA, or the Illinois Physical Therapy Association (IPTA). General portals like MedBridge are widely accepted as they maintain approved provider status.
Mandatory Topics
- Ethics: (3 hours)
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training: (1 hour)
- Implicit Bias Awareness: (1 hour)
- Dementia Training: (1 hour - required only if you provide services to patients age 26 or older)
Excluded Topics: CPR certification, business management, marketing, and time spent in meetings for policy decisions do not count toward your total.
New Licensee Rule: If this is your first renewal after initial licensure by examination, you are exempt from continuing education requirements.
Reporting: Illinois is an audit-based state. You do not need to report hours upfront, but you must maintain your certificates of completion for at least 5 years in case of an audit.
Board Information
Need to reach out with questions or send in documents? Here are the direct details for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation:
- Address: 320 W Washington, 3rd Floor Springfield, IL 62786
- Website: Visit Board Website
- Phone: (217) 782-8556
- Email: FPR.LMU@illinois.gov
Ready to start? Click here to go directly to the Application Portal.