Occupational therapy continuing education requirements are different for every state. They may even differ for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in the same state. While the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) does provide a national certification, only some states will accept it in lieu of meeting their own requirements. Illinois OT continuing education requirements are developed by the Illinois board of occupational therapy.
This guide focuses on the CEU requirements for occupational therapists; if you are an OTA, you can find the dedicated page for Illinois OTA CEU requirements here.
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Total CEUs Required
Almost all states have continuing education requirements for occupational therapists. Generally, OTs are required to complete a specific number of CEUs every one to two years. The CEU due date is often, but not always, the same as the license expiration date.
Total CEUs required: 24
CEU Due Date: Dec. 31, 2027
As an OT in Illinois, you need 24 CEUs every two years by December 31st of odd years.
Currently, CEUs need to be completed between Jan. 1, 2026 and Dec. 31, 2027.
First Renewal Rules
CEUs required: 0
For occupational therapists renewing for the first time, some states require the full number of CEUs, some require a prorated amount and some do not require any continuing education at all.
The rules may depend on whether you were licensed by examination or by endorsement. Generally, if you are newly licensed by examination, the exemption or prorated amount will apply to you. However, if you are newly licensed by endorsement, you will likely be expected to complete the full number of CEUs.
OTs in Illinois are not required to complete CEUs for their first renewal.
According to the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act: "A renewal applicant is not required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal following the original issuance of the license."
Special Requirements
Implicit Bias - 1 CEU
Ethics - 1 CEU
Sexual Harassment Prevention - 1 CEU
Dementia Training (if applicable) - 1 CEU
Cultural Competence - NEW in 2025 - 1 CEU
Some states have requirements regarding specific topics or activity types. There may be a certain number of CEUs required, or you may have to complete a particular course or exam. The CEUs you earn for special requirements can usually be applied toward your total.
Illinois requires occupational therapists to complete the following as part of their total CEU requirement.
Implicit Bias - 1 CEU
Per the Illinois Administrative Code: “All health care professionals who hold a professional license listed in this Section shall complete a one-hour course in implicit bias awareness training. Implicit bias is a form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, that nevertheless affects judgments, decisions, and behaviors. A licensee may count this one hour for completion of this course towards meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education.” "Completion of this course shall be a condition of renewing a license. This requirement shall become effective for all applicable license renewals on or after January 1, 2023. The course must be repeated for each subsequent renewal period."
Source: Illinois
Ethics - 1 CEU
One hour in ethics is required.
Sexual Harassment Prevention - 1 CEU
Per the Illinois Administrative Code: “All persons who hold a professional license issued by the Division and are subject to a continuing education requirement shall complete a one-hour course in sexual harassment prevention training. A licensee may count this one hour for completion of this course towards meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education. “
Source: Illinois
Dementia Training (if applicable) - 1 CEU
Starting in 2023, all licensed healthcare professionals in Illinois, who have direct patient interaction with adults age 26 and above will be required to complete one-hour course in dementia training. Per the Illinois General Assembly website: “For license or registration renewals occurring on or after January 1, 2023, a health care professional who has continuing education requirements must complete at least a one-hour course in training on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias per renewal period. This training shall include, but not be limited to, assessment and diagnosis, effective communication strategies, and management and care planning. This requirement shall only apply to health care professionals who provide health care services to, and have direct patient interactions with, adult populations age 26 or older in the practice of their profession. A health care professional may count this one hour for completion of this course toward meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education. Any training on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias applied to meet any other State licensure requirement, professional accreditation or certification requirement, or health care institutional practice agreement may count toward the continuing education requirement under this Section.”
Source: Illinois
Cultural Competence - NEW in 2025 - 1 CEU
Per the Illinois Administrative Code: "All health care professionals who hold a professional license listed in this Section shall complete a one-hour course in cultural competency. Cultural competency training includes development of a set of integrated attitudes, knowledge, and skills that enables a health care professional or organization to care effectively for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities. A licensee may count this one hour for completion of this course towards meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education."
Source: Illinois
Choosing Courses
To choose the right occupational therapy continuing education courses, consider a few key factors. First, choose topics that are interesting to you, applicable to your current clinical setting, or helpful for transitioning to a new role. However, personal interest isn’t the only priority; make sure the course is specifically approved for your state. Finally, consider the cost, especially if your employer doesn’t pay for continuing education.
A subscription site can simplify this process. They provide unlimited access to a wide variety of subjects, with both live and recorded options, all for one reasonable price. Most sites offer courses in every state, though you should always check for individual course approval. Just because one course is approved for OTs in Illinois, you shouldn't assume all courses on that site are approved for OTs in Illinois. Before signing up for a course, check with the CE provider to see if it is approved.
Discounts on CEUs
To help take the guesswork out of your search, we’ve partnered with a few of our favorite platforms to offer you the best discounts!
Medbridge offers the largest selection with 1,800+ online OT continuing education courses including recorded courses, podcasts and live webinars.
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OccupationalTherapy.com offers a lower-priced option with 600+ evidence-based courses including live webinars, recorded webinars, text courses and audio courses.
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Compact Privileges
Compact privileges: No
Illinois does not issue OT Compact privileges.
The OT Compact has started issuing privileges for a few states as of January 2026. Your state may have joined the compact but may not be actively issuing privileges yet. Continue to check here or the OT Compact website for updates.
What is the OT Compact?
The Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact allows an OT licensed in one state to quickly and easily obtain privileges to practice in another state.
In order to take advantage of compact privileges, both your home state (the state you have your driver’s license in) as well as the state you want to practice in need to be part of the compact.
Compact privileges are intended to be temporary. If you move to a new state and you hold a compact privilege there, you won't be able to continue using that privilege. You'll need to apply for a license by endorsement in your new home state.
The OT Compact and CEU Requirements
Compact privileges have the same expiration date as your home state. You only need to meet the CEU requirements of your home state. You do not need to complete jurisprudence examinations in each state where you want to apply for a privilege.
Sources
CEU Keeper strives to simplify Illinois continuing education requirements for occupational therapists. We like to say “we read the rules so you don’t have to”. While we do read them often, the rules are subject to change and it’s always best to confirm or clarify directly from the source, the state board website.
Conclusion
Understanding OT continuing education requirements can be confusing. When searching for this information on social media, it’s important to remember requirements can be different for each state and profession. If you ask a question about occupational therapy requirements, be sure to specify your state and either OT or OTA. With that said, you can always ask us your questions. We want to help and it's what we do!
Curious how Illinois OT CEU requirements compare to other states? Check out our state list of occupational therapy CEU requirements.