Licensure Requirements
The Illinois Licensure System
On July 1, 2013, Illinois implemented a new system of educator licensure that replaced the previous system of educator certification. All Illinois teaching, administrative, and school service personnel certificates have been converted to a corresponding license. Educators did not lose any of their credentials or endorsements in this transition.
If you held an initial, standard, or master teaching certificate, administrative certificate, or school service personnel certificate prior to July 1, 2013, your certificate has been converted to a professional educator license (PEL) endorsed for the content areas and grade levels that were listed on your certificate. Each endorsement corresponds with the certificate that was held prior to July 1.
If you held a provisional, alternative provisional (i.e. teaching or administrative), resident teacher, provisional vocational, temporary provisional vocational, transitional bilingual or visiting international certificate, or an approval to serve as a paraprofessional, your certificate or approval has been converted to an educator license with stipulations (ELS) endorsed for the content areas and grade levels that were listed on your certificate. Each endorsement corresponds with the certificate or approval that was held prior to July 1.
To access your Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) account please click here
Professional Educator License Requirements
Career and Technical Education Licensure Requirements
Provisional Career and Technical Education Licensure Requirements
Paraprofessional Educator Requirements
Substitute Teaching License Requirements