Home Health Aide / Illinois
2026 data Illinois board official source

Illinois Home Health Aide License Requirements

Requirements, fees, and renewal timing for this license, sourced from state board records.

Provides personal care services to patients in their homes.

What the Illinois data shows for Home Health Aides

To practice as a home health aide in Illinois, the state licensing board requires 1,000 documented education or training hours, a passing score on a state-approved exam. A criminal history background check is also part of the application. The regulation sits under Illinois's professional licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Certificate/Degree".

Upfront cost is $100 on a 2-year cycle. Illinois doesn't require continuing education for this license, so upkeep costs stay confined to the renewal fee itself.

Illinois handles out-of-state credentials on a case-by-case basis instead of a standing reciprocity list.

Licensing Ease Score

D
Licensing Ease Score
47/100
Home Health Aide · Illinois

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training D
1,000 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee C-
$100
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden N/A
N/A
Renewal fee annualized over the renewal cycle
Continuing Education N/A
N/A
Continuing-education hours annualized over the renewal cycle
Experience Required N/A
N/A
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in Illinois

Education / Training Hours
Certificate/Degree
1,000 hours
Exam Requirement
Required
Initial License Fee
$100
Renewal Fee
N/A
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing Education
Not required
Criminal History Check
Required
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Illinois licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Home Health Aide in Illinois?
Illinois's requirements cover 1000 hours of education or training, a state exam, and an initial fee of $100. Applicants also go through a criminal background check.
How do I get certified as a Home Health Aide in Illinois?
Illinois licenses home health aides who complete its requirements (1000 education hours) and a passing exam. Verify the latest details with the Illinois licensing board.
Can I transfer my Home Health Aide license to Illinois from another state?
Out-of-state home health aide credentials get a case-by-case review in Illinois rather than automatic recognition. Interstate compacts exist for a number of professions and might still help. Confirm the details with the Illinois licensing board.
Does Illinois require a background check for Home Health Aide licensing?
Background screening is part of the home health aide licensing process in Illinois. The state licensing board determines which offenses disqualify an applicant and how appeals are handled.

What to do with this home health aide license

Home Health Aide in Illinois is one requirement row in a home health aide-wide, 50-state comparison.

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Illinois licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.