Section 25.400  Registration of Licenses; Fees

Section 21B-40 of the Code requires the registration of an individual's educator license (i.e., PEL, educator license with stipulations, or substitute teaching license) and establishes the amount of the registration fee to be paid for each full or partial year in the license's validity period.  An individual shall register the license immediately (i.e., before January 1 of the next fiscal year) after the date on which the license initially was issued and between April 1 and June 30 in the last year of each 5-year renewal cycle. (See Sections 21B-40(a)(4) and 21B-45(k) of the Code.)  Registration fees and requirements applicable in specified situations shall be as set forth in this Section.

a)         An individual shall pay a separate fee to register each license held (i.e., PEL, educator license with stipulations, or substitute teaching license) for the license's period of validity (i.e., the time period during which the license is valid).  An individual who does not hold an educator license but who has an approval issued pursuant to this Part is not subject to the requirements of this Section.

b)         An individual is required to register a license in each region where the individual teaches or in any county of the State, if the individual is not yet employed, but is required to pay a registration fee in only one region.  Therefore, an individual who moves from one region to another after paying a registration fee for a particular period of time:

1)         shall be required to register the license in the new region; but

2)         shall not be required to pay any additional registration fee.

c)         When a registration fee is paid, the amount due shall be the amount required to register the license for its entire period of validity.

d)         Pursuant to Section 25.450, a licensee may reinstate the license if it has lapsed (i.e., become invalid for employment due to failure to register the license) by payment of all accumulated registration fees and either payment of the penalty or completion of the coursework required under Section 21B-45 of the Code.  The amount due for each year in the renewal cycle shall be the fee that was in effect at that time, rather than the annual amount applicable at the time when the fees are paid.

e)         The provisions of subsection (d) do not apply to individuals who are ineligible to register their licenses due to the renewal requirements set forth in Section 21B-45 of the Code and Subpart J not being met by September 1 of the year in which the license expired.  A license subject to this subsection (e) shall be reinstated:

1)         upon payment of all accumulated registration fees;

2)         either payment of the penalty or completion of the coursework required under Section 21B-45 of the Code; and

3)         completion of any outstanding professional development activities required for renewal.

f)         The current annual registration fee amount shall be owed for each year, regardless of when the fee is paid.

g)         In accordance with Section 21B-45(e)(5) of the Code, a licensee working in a position that does not require a professional teaching license or an educator license with stipulations or working in a position for less than 50 percent of full-time equivalency for any particular school year is considered to be exempt and shall be required to pay only the registration fee in order to renew and maintain the validity of the license.

h)         In accordance with Section 21B-45(e)(6) of the Code, a retired teacher, even if returning to a position that requires educator licensure, shall not be required to pay registration fees.

i)          An unregistered license is invalid after September 1 for employment and performance of services in an Illinois public or State-operated school or cooperative and a charter school.

j)          The other provisions of this Section notwithstanding, no fee paid in connection with the registration of one or more licenses shall have the effect of extending the period of validity of any other license that is subject to additional renewal requirements that have not been met.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 5954, effective April 11, 2023)