Section 25.450  Lapsed Licenses

a)         A lapsed license is a PEL or an educator license with stipulations endorsed for career and technical educator or chief school business official for which renewal requirements have not been completed by September 1 of the year in which it expired, or a PEL that has not been registered for a period of six or more months since the expiration of its last registration, or was not registered by January 1 of the fiscal year following its initial issuance. For purposes of this Section, the following licenses do not lapse:

1)         A substitute teaching license issued under Section 21B-20(3) of the Code.

2)         An educator license with stipulations issued under Section 21B-20(2) of the Code endorsed in an area other than career and technical educator or chief school business official.

b)         In accordance with Section 21B-45(a) of the Code, a lapsed license shall be reinstated if the individual pays any back fees, including all registration fees, that the individual owes and either:

1)         pays a $50 penalty; or

2)         provides evidence of completing nine semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the content area that most aligns with one or more of the educator's endorsement areas (Section 21B-45(b) of the Code). For the purposes of this subsection (b)(2):

A)        coursework shall be earned with a grade of C- or higher;

B)        coursework may include content or methods classes for cross-categorical special education, reading, English learners (i.e., bilingual education or English as a Second Language); and

C)        the validity period for any coursework used for license reinstatement shall expire on September 1 immediately following the fifth full year after the date of the coursework's completion.

c)         Licensees whose licenses lapsed on September 1 due to failure to complete renewal requirements must complete all outstanding professional development activities required for renewal.

d)         The penalty referenced in subsection (b)(1) cannot be paid in advance of the individual's license lapsing.  In other words, once the license expires due to failure to pay registration fees or complete license renewal requirements, the individual has the option of:

1)         if the license expired due to failure to pay registration fees and the license has not yet lapsed:

A)        waiting until the license lapses on January 1 of the next fiscal year before paying the penalty or presenting evidence of completing the coursework required under subsection (b)(2); or

B)        paying all registration fees owed; or

2)         if the license expired due to failure to complete renewal requirements and the license has not yet lapsed, completing the applicable renewal requirements or paying all registration fees owed.

e)         Licensees whose licenses are in a lapsed status are not eligible to apply for additional endorsements until they have reinstated their license by meeting the requirements of subsection (b).

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