Section 1450.540  Managing Broker Continuing Education

a)         Continuing Education Hour Requirements

1)         As set forth in Section 5-70 of the Act, each managing broker, except as otherwise provided in Section 5-70(b), is required to complete 12 CE hours during the current term of the license.  The total of 12 CE hours of courses approved by the Division may be taken at any time during the current term of the license.

2)         In addition to the CE required in subsection (a)(1), all renewing managing brokers must complete a 12-hour broker management CE course, the content of which shall be recommended by the Board and approved by the Division. This 12-hour broker management CE course must be completed in the classroom, by interactive webinar, or by online distance education format. In order to promote uniformity and consistency, the Division, following the recommendation of the Board, may provide a standardized curriculum to be utilized by all licensed education providers.

3)         Pursuant to Section 5-70(l) of the Act, a managing broker renewing their license for the first time may use the 45-hour managing broker pre-license brokerage administration and management course to satisfy the 12-hour broker management CE requirement.

4)         If the current term of the managing broker license ends within the 90 days after the initial managing broker license is issued, a licensee is not required to complete CE for that managing broker license term but shall complete all CE requirements before the next managing broker renewal deadline.

5)         Managing brokers licensed in Illinois but residing and practicing in other states shall comply with the CE requirements set forth in this Section, unless they are exempt under Section 5-70(b) of the Act.

6)         The Division shall conduct audits to verify compliance with this Section.

b)         Approved Continuing Education

1)         CE credit may be earned for verified attendance at, participation in, or completion of a licensed course offered by a licensed education provider that is approved pursuant to Sections 1450.1100 and 1450.1105.

2)         CE credit, except broker management excluded pursuant to Section 5-70(b) of the Act, may be earned by passing a proctored exam for a correspondence or home study course offered and verified by a licensed education provider (see Section 1450.1155).

3)         As set forth in Section 5-70 of the Act, CE credit shall be obtained through completion of a single core curriculum, an elective curriculum, and a 12-hour broker management CE curriculum recommended by the Board and approved by the Division. CE requirements shall be deemed satisfied upon successful completion of the following:

A)        Core Curriculum. A minimum of 4 CE credit hours per license term in a core curriculum course recommended by the Board and approved by the Division, which, pursuant to Section 5-70, may cover subjects including but not limited to advertising, agency, agency disclosures, property disclosures, escrow, fair housing, residential leasing agent management, and license law.

B)        Elective Curriculum. No fewer than 8 CE credit hours per license term in elective curriculum courses approved by the Division, which may cover subjects including but not limited to license law, escrow, antitrust, fair housing, agency, appraisal, property management, residential brokerage, farm property management, transaction management rights and duties of parties in a transaction, commercial brokerage and leasing, real estate financing, disclosures, residential leasing agent management, advertising, broker supervision and designated managing broker responsibility, professional conduct, use of technology, and any training required by law (e.g., sexual harassment prevention training (see 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5)) may be credited toward elective hours.

C)        The 12-hour broker management CE course.

4)           As set forth in Section 5-70(g) of the Act, CE credit may be earned by a licensed instructor for teaching a licensed CE course. Credit for teaching a licensed CE course may only be earned once for that course during a license term. One hour of instruction is equal to one CE hour.

5)           As set forth in Section 5-75 of the Act, if licensees earn CE credit hours in another state or territory for which they will claim credit toward compliance in Illinois, the licensee shall submit an application and a $25 fee within 90 days after completing the CE course and prior to expiration of the license. The Division shall review and approve the CE course if the education provider, CE course, and delivery method of assessing participation and comprehension are substantially equivalent to those licensed in Illinois. In determining whether the education provider and CE course are substantially equivalent, the Division shall use the criteria in Sections 5-70 through 5-80 of the Act and this Section.

6)           CE credit shall only be given for CE courses offered by education providers licensed by the Department.

7)           Pursuant to Section 5-70(j) of the Act, no more than 12 hours of CE credit may be taken in one calendar day.  If a proctored final exam is required for a licensee to receive credit for the CE course or courses, the exam may be given either at the end of each individual course or group of courses.

8)           CE credit shall not be given for pre-license and post-license education courses, except as set forth in Section 5-70(1) of the Act.

c)         Certification of Compliance with CE Requirements

1)         Each licensee shall certify on the renewal application full compliance with the CE requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b).

2)         The Division may, for purposes of compliance audits, require additional evidence demonstrating compliance with the CE requirements.  Each licensee shall retain proof of CE completed.

3)         For purposes of a compliance audit, the Division shall accept verification submitted directly from a licensed education provider on behalf of a licensee as proof of CE compliance.

4)         Failure to comply with CE requirements is a violation of the Act and may subject a licensee to a citation or other discipline as set forth in the Act or this Part.

d)         The Division shall conduct audits to verify compliance with this Section (see Section 1450.960). 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 2851, effective February 23, 2021)