Illinois Respiratory Therapist CEUs: Complete Renewal Guide

 

Continuing education units, called CEUs, are vital for healthcare workers to stay current on the latest information and therapies to ensure optimal patient care. Each state provides CEU requirements for respiratory therapists.

Respiratory Therapists of Illinois are required to complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Of those 24 hours, one is mandatory: Implicit Bias Awareness.

Additionally, Illinois law requires sexual harassment prevention training for employees. This training may be completed through your employer and may count toward your CEUs if it meets IDFPR requirements. This guide covers the full breakdown, renewal timeline, and what qualifies, so you're not caught off guard before October 31.


How Many CEUs Does Illinois Require for Respiratory Therapists? 

 Illinois requires 24 contact hours of continuing education for every respiratory therapist license renewal completed within the 24-month pre-renewal period ending October 31 of the renewal year.

The pre-renewal period is the 24 months immediately preceding October 31 of your renewal year. CEUs completed outside that window don't count toward your current renewal. Pacing yourself over the full two years is far easier than cramming before the deadline.

All 24 hours may be completed online through AARC-approved or IDFPR-recognized providers. One CEU equals one contact hour. Illinois does not use a conversion formula.

 

Mandatory CEU Requirement: Illinois RTs Cannot Skip

Illinois law requires 1 hour of Implicit Bias Awareness training each renewal cycle. general respiratory care electives, Implicit Bias Awareness, and Sexual Harassment Prevention.

Implicit Bias Awareness 1 Hour (Mandatory)

Under Public Act 102-0004, this 1-hour course must address how implicit bias, automatic, and unintentional bias affect clinical judgment, patient interactions, and care delivery. It applies to all Illinois healthcare professionals renewing their license, including respiratory therapists, and counts toward your 24-hour total.

This requirement goes beyond a compliance checkbox. Respiratory therapists work closely with patients during vulnerable moments, such as in the ICU, during breathing crises, and at the end of life, and recognizing how bias affects clinical decisions is directly relevant to the care you deliver.

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (Illinois Requirement)

Illinois requires annual sexual harassment prevention training under state employment law.

For respiratory therapists, this training:

  • May be provided by your employer
  • May count toward CEUs if it meets IDFPR requirements
  • Should be verified before relying on it for license renewal

While commonly included in CEU bundles, it is best to confirm whether your training qualifies as a CEU or is fulfilled separately through your employer.


Breaking Down the Full 24-Hour Requirement

Your 24 Illinois respiratory therapist CEUs break into: 

  • 1 hour: Implicit Bias Awareness (mandatory)
  • 23 hours: Clinical respiratory care content

All hours must be completed within the 24-month pre-renewal period.The remaining 23 elective hours give you flexibility to build CE around your actual clinical work, including:

  1. Critical care
  2. Neonatal respiratory
  3. COPD management
  4. Pulmonary rehab
  5. Home care
  6. Sleep medicine

The IDFPR requires elective content to directly relate to respiratory care practice. General healthcare courses do not meet that standard.

A note on self-assessment: When you renew, the IDFPR questionnaire asks you to attest that all Illinois CE requirements are complete. That attestation is your formal declaration of compliance. Keep certificates for every course, including both mandatory hours, so you can back them up if IDFPR requests documentation during an audit.

Illinois RT License Renewal Timeline

Illinois respiratory therapist licenses expire on October 31 every two years.

Three dates matter:

  • Pre-renewal period begins: 24 months before October 31
  • Renewal portal opens: About one month before expiration
  • Hard deadline: October 31

Practicing on an expired license can result in civil or criminal penalties under Illinois law.

How to Renew Your Illinois RT License Step by Step

You renew your Illinois respiratory therapist license online through IDFPR's CORE system by completing a compliance questionnaire, in which you attest to completing all 24 required CEU hours.

  1. Complete all Illinois 24 CEU hours within your pre-renewal period. 
  2. Save every certificate (course name, date, provider, hours)
  3. Log in to the idfpr.illinois.gov system before your deadline
  4. Complete the questionnaire and submit payment
  5. Keep records for at least five years in case of an audit

If you miss the renewal window and the portal closes, you must apply for reinstatement through IDFPR, a longer process than routine renewal.

What Qualifies as a CEU for Illinois Respiratory Therapists?

Illinois RT CEUs must directly relate to clinical respiratory care practice and come from an AARC-accredited CEU provider or one recognized by the IDFPR.

Qualifying topics include:

  • Mechanical ventilation
  • Pulmonary function testing
  • Neonatal and pediatric care
  • COPD and asthma management
  • Sleep medicine
  • Infection controlPulmonary rehabilitation

General healthcare courses that are not specific to respiratory care typically do not qualify. 

Complete Your Illinois RT CEUs at TheCEPlace

The mandatory Implicit Bias Awareness and Sexual Harassment Prevention courses catch many therapists off guard, especially those who assume all 24 hours can be clinical electives. TheCEPlace offers a full library of AARC-accredited courses covering all 24 required hours, including both mandatory courses and respiratory care electives built for Illinois-licensed practitioners. Complete your courses at your own pace, download certificates instantly, and renew with confidence before October 31. 

TheCEPlace strives to help you achieve your continuing education goals so that you have time to focus on your career. Register online or contact us to get started.