IllinoisHB5387104th General Assembly (2025–2026)HouseWALLET

IDFPR-VARIOUS LICENSES

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Became Law

Summary

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Changes the repeal date of the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987, the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act, the Boxing and Full-contact Martial Arts Act, the Massage Therapy Practice Act, the Medical Practice Act of 1987, and the Licensed Certified Professional Midwife Practice Act to January 1, 2032 (rather than January 1, 2027). Amends the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning written collaborative agreements; temporary authorization of practice by persons licensed in other jurisdictions; and disciplinary action. Amends the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning exemptions and restrictions and limitations. Amends the Massage Therapy Practice Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning licensure requirements and grounds for discipline. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Makes changes in provisions concerning certain permits; disciplinary action; and physician delegation of authority. Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987. Makes changes in provisions concerning permitted activities and grounds for disciplinary action. Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning exempt activities. Amends the Boxing and Full-contact Martial Arts Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning the authorization to conduct contests; professional or amateur contests; and medical suspension. Amends the Sex Offender Evaluation and Treatment Provider Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning qualifications for licensure and the appointment of a hearing officer. Repeals provisions concerning a roster of names maintained by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Amends the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985. Makes changes in provisions concerning the requisites for ownership or operation of salons and shops. Amends the Electrologist Licensing Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning exemptions. Amends the Professional Service Corporation Act. Makes changes in the definition of "related professional services". Amends the Professional Limited Liability Company Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning the nature of business. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

health care licensesassignmentslicensed activities

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Analyzed Economic Effects

39 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 14 costs, 16 mixed.

Massage ads need licenses, big fines

You may not advertise massage services unless the person providing the massage holds a valid license. Advertising by unlicensed providers is a misdemeanor. The Department can also fine up to $10,000 per violation after a hearing, payable within 60 days.

Psychology practice: business and supervision rules

A business may not offer clinical psychological services unless everyone who provides those services is licensed. Supervised hours do not count if the supervisor is paid by, or employed by, the supervisee. Unlicensed clinical psychology is a public nuisance and may be stopped by court order. The first unlicensed‑practice offense is a Class B misdemeanor; later offenses are a Class 4 felony.

Stricter rules for MFT licenses

A business cannot offer marriage and family therapy unless all people who provide those services are licensed. Firms that practice or hold out MFT services must use the proper professional corporation or PLLC structures. You may not use MFT titles or initials without a current license. The Department can fine up to $10,000 per violation and up to $10,000 per offense for unlicensed practice, payable within 60 days. The Department also refuses or suspends licenses for unpaid or unfiled state taxes until resolved.

Tougher penalties for unlicensed practice

Practicing without a license can lead to civil fines up to $10,000 per offense, due in 60 days, and criminal charges (Class A misdemeanor first, Class 4 felony after). The Department can ask a court to stop violations and get temporary restraining orders without notice or bond. It can issue show‑cause orders, then a cease‑and‑desist if you do not answer in seven days. The state can also seek injunctions and subpoenas in massage cases, and the Department can subpoena records and witnesses.

Psychology licensing, permits, and renewals

You must be licensed to call yourself a psychologist or offer clinical psychological services in Illinois. To get licensed, you must be at least 21, hold a qualifying doctoral degree, complete two years of supervised experience (about 3,500 hours with one internship year and one postdoctoral year), and pass an exam. You have three years to finish the process and one year after you pass to apply. The Department may license you by endorsement if your other state or country had similar standards. Out‑of‑state psychologists can get a temporary permit to work in Illinois up to 10 days a year; court‑testimony time does not count, and you cannot list an Illinois office. Trainees may work under the direct supervision and full responsibility of a licensed clinical psychologist and count that work toward licensure. You can renew in the 90 days before expiration and must meet continuing‑education rules; you may place your license on inactive status to stop renewal fees, but you cannot practice until you restore it. Original applications must include your SSN or ITIN; the Department assigns a customer ID for renewals. The law creates an 11‑member Clinical Psychologists Licensing and Disciplinary Board.

Stricter discipline and hearing rules

The Department can refuse, suspend, or revoke licenses and fine up to $10,000 per violation; fines are due in 60 days. It can suspend licenses for unpaid taxes or certified child‑support delinquency. The Department can order mental or physical exams and require treatment; refusing an exam or a treatment agreement can trigger immediate suspension. If your license is suspended or revoked, you must surrender it; the Department can seize it. Before discipline, the Department must give at least 30 days’ written notice and you have 20 days to file a sworn answer. After a hearing, you have 20 days to request rehearing.

Crackdown on unlicensed health care

People may not diagnose, treat, prescribe, or use protected titles without a valid license. The Department can issue a quick show‑cause order and stop orders. Midwifery requires a specific license; unlicensed midwifery is prohibited.

Team‑based care rules for physicians

Doctors may delegate patient‑care tasks to licensed nurses and other clinicians, and certain tasks to trained unlicensed staff in an office if a licensed professional is on site. For non‑ablative laser hair removal, no on‑site exam is required if protocols, training, and phone availability are in place. International medical graduates who show required education, exams, and a clean foreign license may provide supervised treatment with records kept. Doctors may also collaborate with APRNs and delegate to PAs under set caps and special anesthesia rules. Collaborating doctors must have access to patient records.

Tighter rules for prescribing psychologists

Each collaborating physician may sign no more than three collaborative agreements with prescribing psychologists. Any delegation for Schedule III–V drugs must name the exact drug. No injections, no Schedule II drugs, and no narcotics may be delegated. Prescribing a controlled substance without authority can bring discipline and a fine up to $50 per prescription.

Limits on prescribing psychologists' authority

Prescribing psychologists work under written collaboration with physicians. A physician may delegate only medications for mental‑health conditions they generally treat and cannot delegate care for patients under 17 or over 65, pregnant patients, patients with serious medical conditions or developmental/intellectual disabilities, or benzodiazepine Schedule III drugs.

Standards for sex‑offender treatment providers

To be licensed as a sex‑offender evaluator or treatment provider, you must hold an eligible professional license. You need at least 400 supervised hours in the past 4 years, with at least 200 hours face‑to‑face, plus at least 40 hours of specialty training. Evaluators must also have completed at least 10 supervised sex‑offender evaluations in the past 4 years. Associate providers need a relevant master’s degree or must be a psychiatrist.

Professional licensing fees and caps

Key fees apply: license $500 (after July 1, 2018), renewal $181 per year (from Jan 1, 2020), reinstatement $230 plus lapsed renewal fees capped at $1,400, and a 3‑year temporary license $230. Name or address change is $20; license record is $20. Exam fees are nonrefundable; missing an exam forfeits the fee. A returned payment adds a $50 fine, and the Department may end a license if not cured within 30 days.

Stricter marketing and referral‑fee rules

Licensees may not split fees or pay for referrals, marketing, paid placement on preferred lists, network fees, fee negotiation, or patient‑incentive programs. Limited sharing is allowed inside certain licensed entities or when split is proportional and disclosed; hospitals and some school‑affiliated nonprofits have carve‑outs. These fee‑splitting limits end on January 1, 2027. Ads must be factual and may not claim superior care or compare fees. Every ad must show your license title or approved initials.

Combat sports: licenses and safety suspensions

Promoters, professional and amateur contestants, and key officials in contests must be licensed. After a bout, medical suspensions apply: at least 30 days after a referee stoppage or TKO, 45 days after a knockout with loss of consciousness, and 7 days for other injuries. Suspensions start the day after the bout and may require a medical exam to lift. Suspensions from other states also apply. A positive test for a banned substance leads to immediate suspension of a contestant license.

Permits, fees, and bonds for fight promoters

Promoters must hold a Department permit to run pro or amateur contests. Since January 1, 2023, amateur full‑contact martial arts also require Department permits, and sanctioning bodies are no longer approved. Permits are not transferable. The Department sets nonrefundable fees. You must post a $5,000 surety bond and a $10,000 performance bond, both payable to the Department.

Rules for sex‑offender evaluators and businesses

Only people licensed under this Act may act as sex‑offender evaluators, treatment providers, or associates for the named laws. Evaluations or treatment by other professionals do not count for those cases. Any business offering sex‑offender evaluation services must be organized as a professional corporation, a medical corporation, or a professional LLC.

Stronger tax checks for fight promoters

The Department can audit your books if ticket reports are missing or unsatisfactory. If taxes are due, you get 20 days’ notice to pay. If you do not pay, you can be disqualified from new permits. The Attorney General can sue your bond to recover taxes and penalties.

Faster discipline, honest filings, fairer reviews

The Secretary can suspend a license right away if your practice is an imminent danger; a hearing follows within 30 days. Temporary permits can be canceled without a hearing for imminent danger, with fines up to $10,000 payable in 60 days. Knowingly filing false affidavits is punished as perjury. Applicants and licensees now have 60 days to answer Department information requests. The Department cannot discipline you solely for lawful care in Illinois or only because another state disciplined you for conduct that is not illegal here.

New rules for prescribing psychologists

Prescribing psychologists must have a written collaborative agreement with a physician. The agreement must spell out duties, drug authority, a monthly in‑person review, and the physician’s ongoing availability. When a physician files notice delegating nonnarcotic Schedule III–V drugs, the psychologist may register for a mid‑level controlled‑substance license. Psychologists licensed in another state or trained through the DoD program can apply by endorsement and may skip the Illinois prescribing exam if they meet all education, test, fee, and experience rules. All applicants must first hold an Illinois clinical psychologist license.

Doctor training, standards, and deadlines

The law sets education and postgraduate training rules for medical licensure. Many applicants need at least 12 months of clinical training, and some must have 24 months beginning January 1, 1988. Medical license applicants must finish the application within 3 years or it expires and fees are forfeited. The Department may issue a 3‑year temporary training license, without an exam, to people with or eligible for MD, DO, or DC degrees who start approved training in Illinois. It only allows acts tied to the training program and sunsets January 1, 2027.

License renewal, lapses, and reinstatement

You can renew up to 90 days after expiration by paying the renewal plus a late fee; the Department tries to email you 60 days before. You may choose inactive status to stop paying renewal fees, but you cannot practice until you reinstate and show recent continuing education. If your license lapsed, you can apply to reinstate with proof of fitness; military and certain federal service members can reinstate without lapsed fees within two years of honorable discharge. A returned payment adds a $50 fine and you have 30 days to pay by certified funds or your license ends or your application is denied. A court‑ordered involuntary mental‑health admission triggers an automatic suspension until a court lifts it. Keep your mailing and email address current and update changes within 14 days.

Massage licensing, renewal, and reciprocity

Massage therapists must be licensed. You must be at least 18, have good moral character, complete an approved program (minimum 500 hours; 600 hours for applicants on or after January 1, 2014), and pass a competency exam. All applications must include your SSN or ITIN. If you already hold a similar license from another state, the Department may license you by endorsement; you have three years to finish an endorsement application or the fee is forfeited. You can renew during the 90 days before expiration and must meet continuing‑education rules. If your license expired during federal service, you can renew or restore without lapsed fees within two years after honorable termination. You may put your license on inactive status to stop paying renewal fees, but you cannot practice until you restore it.

Therapist training, hearings, and license restoration

Marriage and family therapy students, interns, and postdocs may assist in care under a licensed therapist’s direct supervision to earn required experience. After probation, suspension, or revocation, the Department may restore a license on a Board recommendation and may require an exam. If a court orders your involuntary or judicial admission, your license is automatically suspended. To restore it, a court must find you are no longer subject to involuntary admission and the Board must recommend restoration. In discipline cases, the Department must give at least 30 days’ written notice of a hearing, and you must file a sworn answer within 20 days; notice can be by email or mail to your address of record.

Combat sports safety and penalties

The Department can refuse, suspend, or revoke combat‑sport licenses and fine up to $10,000 per violation. Bouts are limited to 12 rounds, 3‑minute rounds, at least a 1‑minute break, and no more than one contest every 7 days for a professional boxer. State‑appointed inspectors supervise events to enforce the law.

Optometry: scope expands, compliance tightens

Optometrists may examine, diagnose, and treat the visual system, use eye medicines, and provide vision therapy; no surgery or lasers. Those certified by an approved school may perform advanced procedures (no lasers) if training rules are met; this has applied since January 1, 2018. Practices must display licenses, keep records, and report any new practice location before working there. Ads must be truthful and cannot claim superior care, and referral fee‑splitting is tightly restricted. The Department can fine up to $10,000 per violation and discipline licenses. Fees fund licensing costs and, if appropriated, an optometry scholarship program.

Insurance and medical staff required at fights

Promoters must apply at least 30 days before an event, unless the Department waives it. You must carry at least $50,000 insurance per contestant and pay the deductible. The Department may assign officials, and you must pay them. Every event must have a physician, an EMT, a paramedic, and an ambulance dedicated to contestants, and be held where neurosurgical care is immediately available. Physicians examine fighters before and after each bout and can stop fights.

New rules for salons and electrology

Salons and barber shops must get a state registration certificate in addition to local permits. Unlicensed owners must employ at least one licensed manager, post names and license numbers, get a certificate for each location, and report moves or ownership or manager changes. Students in approved programs, federal employees on duty, and people licensed under other Acts may perform their licensed services under supervision. An electrologist assisting a physician may do delegated tasks but cannot call those tasks electrology. Registered salons may use “electrology” when offering services under the Act.

Medical licensing board and reporting rules

The law creates a 17‑member Illinois State Medical Board to advise on licensing and enforcement. Hospitals, training programs, liability insurers, and prosecutors must report certain adverse actions within 60 days; not reporting can be a Class A misdemeanor. The Secretary can summarily suspend a license that poses an imminent danger, with a hearing in 30 days. Out‑of‑state physicians can get a temporary permit for two years (one renewal) with a $75 application and $45 renewal, limited to listed locations and a sponsoring facility. Licensed chiropractors may sit for the medical licensure exam and receive a full medical license if they meet strict training and coursework; this pathway ends 2027‑01‑01. Fees go to the State Medical Disciplinary Fund for board and enforcement costs. Quality or discipline committee members in hospitals and associations are immune from civil damages except for willful or wanton misconduct. These changes take effect when the Act becomes law.

Client privacy and hypnosis limits

Clinical psychologists must keep client information confidential, with narrow exceptions like certain court cases or the client’s consent. People may offer hypnosis without a psychology license if they do not practice medicine or clinical psychology and do not claim that title.

Stronger due process in license cases

Before denying or disciplining a license, the Department must investigate and give you 30 days’ written notice. You have 20 days to file a sworn answer; buying the transcript starts that 20‑day clock on delivery. Hearings are recorded at the Department’s expense, and transcripts are available for a fee. The hearing officer or Board issues a report the Secretary generally follows, with firm deadlines for Board and Secretary action. You can seek court review in the county where you live (Sangamon County if you live out of state).

Short-term permits for visiting doctors

The Department issues visiting professor permits to qualified out‑of‑state faculty for up to 2 years, limited to their faculty role. It issues temporary visiting physician permits for specific invited activities at approved sites, valid up to 180 days total in any 365‑day period. Trainees can get a visiting resident permit to complete a portion of an out‑of‑state program in Illinois, for up to 180 days. Short visiting rotations up to 90 days are allowed when the Illinois clinic or program files required notice naming the trainee and supervisor. Applications use Department forms and require nonrefundable fees.

Short‑term practice for out‑of‑state MFTs

An out‑of‑state marriage and family therapist may practice in Illinois up to 10 calendar days a year. Any part of a day counts; court‑testimony time does not. You cannot open an Illinois office or list an Illinois address or phone. The Secretary may also let an out‑of‑state MFT practice temporarily if they applied for an Illinois license because of a natural disaster where they are licensed; this ends when the Illinois license is issued or denied.

Broader service mix in pro firms

Professional corporations and PLLCs can combine more licensed services under one firm, including mental‑health and sex‑offender services, and barber, cosmetology, massage, and electrology. Each service must be provided by someone licensed for that service. All managers and members in a PLLC must be licensed in at least one of the offered services.

Contact sports events need state OK

You cannot hold a contact sports contest in Illinois without Department authorization. Many amateur and school events are exempt if they meet listed conditions. The Department decides which contests need authorization.

Doctors must keep records longer

Doctors must keep adult patient records for at least 6 years after the last visit. Records for minors must be kept for at least 6 years or until age 21, whichever is longer.

Update info and $50 returned‑payment fine

All applicants and licensees must provide a valid address and email and update changes within 14 days. Every application must include your SSN or ITIN. If a payment to the Department is returned, you owe a $50 fine and must pay by certified funds within 30 days. If you do not, your license or application is ended; restoration needs a new application with all fees and fines. The Secretary may waive fines in individual cases.

Section removed in sex‑offender provider law

Section 70 of the Sex Offender Evaluation and Treatment Provider Act is repealed. Affected providers should review the updated statute to see how rights or procedures changed.

New checks and CE for massage therapists

Massage license applicants must submit electronic fingerprints for state and FBI checks. The State Police may charge up to actual cost, and the Department may also charge a fee. The law exempts some people from licensure, such as certain licensed health professionals, unpaid students in training, and approved out‑of‑state therapists working in Illinois up to 30 days a year. Renewal and restoration require 24 hours of continuing education, down from 25. To restore a license expired or inactive more than 5 years, you must apply, show fitness, pay the restoration fee, and you may need an exam.

Short-term practice paths for physical therapists

You must be licensed to practice physical therapy in Illinois. An out‑of‑state licensed physical therapist may practice here up to 6 months for emergencies or special projects if qualified. A therapist who filed for licensure by endorsement may practice up to one year or until the decision. Students may practice under supervision as allowed by law.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Bob Morgan
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Suzy Glowiak Hilton
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Tom Weber
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Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 298 • No: 17

House vote • 6/1/2026

Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 House Concurs

Yes: 116 • No: 0

House vote • 5/31/2026

Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Recommends Be Adopted Health Care Licenses Committee;

Yes: 14 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/30/2026

Third Reading - Passed;

Yes: 57 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/30/2026

Do Pass as Amended Licensed Activities;

Yes: 9 • No: 0

House vote • 4/9/2026

Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed

Yes: 88 • No: 17

House vote • 3/25/2026

Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Health Care Licenses Committee;