Illinois Licensing Requirements for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists

The information below is collected from state licensure boards or regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the professions of speech-language pathology and/or audiology. The information is reviewed on an annual basis. Please be advised that laws, regulations and policies may change at any time, so always check with your state for the most up-to-date information.

Initial Licensure

Audiology

Doctoral degree in audiology from a program approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Passage of an exam

Note: Audiologists may dispense hearing aids under an audiology license but must comply with the law and rules of the Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act.

Speech Language Pathology

Master's in speech-language pathology from a program approved by the Department, which includes a clinical practicum of 375 hours for speech-language pathologists
Passage of the Praxis exam
Completion of the equivalent of nine months of supervised experience ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCCs) or American Board of Audiology (ABA) certification are acceptable in lieu of the supervised professional experience requirements and the Praxis exam documentation

Exemptions

Students
Individuals appropriately certified by the Illinois State Board of Education
Council of Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation technicians
Hearing aid dealers
Department of Public Health credentialed hearing screeners
Vestibular function testing by a physician-supervised individual
Paraprofessionals providing speech-language pathology or audiology services as long as such person is directly supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist
A person licensed in the state under any other act engaging in the practice for which they are licensed

Reciprocity

A speech-language pathologist or audiologist licensed under the laws of another state or territory of the United States may receive a license if:

the requirements of the other state or territory were, at the date of licensure, substantially equal to those then in force in Illinois, or
the requirements of the other state or territory, together with educational and professional qualifications (as distinguished from practical experience) of the applicant since obtaining a license as a speech-language pathologist in such state are substantially equal to the requirements in force in Illinois at the time of application for licensure as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist.

Interim Practice

A person holding a license in another state, territory, or the District of Columbia who has made application for an Illinois license, may practice speech language pathology or audiology for 90 days from the date of application or until Department disposition, whichever is sooner, if they have their CCCs or a certificate from the ABA and providing there are no pending disciplinary matters elsewhere.
Applicants for an initial audiology license who are recent graduates of a Department-approved audiology program may practice for 60 days after the date of application or until Department disposition, whichever is sooner and providing they meet the applicable qualifications for licensure.
Speech language pathologists must obtain a temporary license prior to beginning of the supervised professional experience. Speech language pathologists who have not yet been conferred the master's degree, may apply for a temporary license and begin the supervised professional experience without the temporary license for 120 days from the date of application or Department disposition, whichever is sooner.

Continuing Education

Twenty hours of continuing education are required per biennial renewal cycle
An audiologist may not obtain more than 10 hours of CE during a licensing cycle shall have met the continuing education through programs sponsored by hearing instrument or auditory prosthetic manufacturers.
An audiologist must obtain at least 2 hours of training in ethics or legal requirements pertaining to the practice of audiology during a licensing cycle.
A speech-language pathologist must obtain 1 hour of training in ethics during a licensing cycle.

Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact

Illinois is not a member state of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. Information on the current status of the ASLP-IC can be found on the ASLP-IC website.