Illinois School Counselor Certification Renewal

School Counselor Certification

by School Counselor Certification Staff

Updated: November 19th, 2024

Certification Renewal Process for School Counselors

The Illinois school counselor license is valid for five (5) years and can be renewed online (ISBE Online Renewal). The renewal for the Professional Educator License (PEL) with a school counselor endorsement requires a $50 fee and 120 hours of Professional Development credits from accredited institutions or approved providers (see PEL requirements on the ISBE website).

For PEL-endorsed School Support Personnel, requirements can be met through an active professional license or national certification in specific areas. National certifications like School Counselor, School Psychologist, Speech Language Pathologist, School Nurse, and School Social Worker are accepted.

Military members may pause their license validity period with no fee during active duty, requiring written notification and proof of military orders. Educator License with Stipulations (ELS) for military members grants a 2-year validity period with basic skills and content tests required for PEL issuance. School counselor license renewal involves the same five-year validity period, a $50 fee, and 120 hours of Professional Development credits (see How to renew your PEL certification).

Renewal for PEL Endorsed in School Support Personnel:

  • If employed in an Illinois public, charter, or state-operated school for 50% or more FTE, PD requirements can be met by holding an active and current professional license related to endorsement or holding national certification in specific areas.
  • National certifications accepted include School Counselor, School Psychologist, Speech Language Pathologist, School Nurse, and School Social Worker.
  • The licensee needs to enter the license or national information into the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) for 120 PD hours.

Adding National Certification as an Activity in ELIS:

  • Login to the ELIS and select “PD Plus” from the top menu panel.
  • Click on the icon with the lightbulb that says “PD” next to it.
  • Click “+Enter New PD” and select “IDFPR License or National Certification.”
  • Continue through the wizard until prompted to save the information on the PD page.
  • National licenses for renewal must be uploaded as an image in ELIS.

Military Information:

  • Individuals on military service may have the validity period of their license paused.
  • No fee is owed for the period of license validity pause.
  • Written notification and proof of military orders are required for pause and return from active duty.

Educator License with Stipulations (ELS) for Military Members:

  • Active members of the US Armed Forces or Reserves, and their spouses, with a valid out-of-state license and a Bachelor’s degree, may be granted ELS(PEDU) for 2 years.
  • Tests of basic skills and applicable content tests are required for the issuance of the Professional Educator License within the 2-year validity period.

School Counselor License Renewal:

  • Valid for five (5) years from the date of issue.
  • Renewal requires a $50 fee covering a $10 registration fee for each year of validity.
  • 120 hours of Professional Development credits are necessary.

For more information about renewal applications, email licensure@isbe.net or call (217) 557-6763 during normal business hours.