ILLINOIS — In a national first, Illinois has adopted new continuing education (CE) requirements for Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs), aligning with a model regulation developed by NASAA and officially going into effect on January 1, 2026.
The new rule positions Illinois at the forefront of financial oversight, requiring IARs to complete 12 credits annually regardless of their firm’s registration status — a major regulatory step that advocates say will strengthen client protection and ethical standards in the financial advisory industry.
What Illinois IARs Need to Know About the New CE Rule
Under the new regulation, IARs must complete:
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6 credits in Products and Practices
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6 credits in Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Failure to comply will result in an IAR’s registration being marked “inactive” in their FinPro account until all prior-year CE obligations are fulfilled.
The policy follows the NASAA IAR CE model rule, which was created to close a long-standing regulatory gap: unlike broker-dealer agents and insurance professionals, IARs historically had no formal CE mandate — despite handling client investments and retirement planning.
Why Illinois Moved First and What It Means
Illinois joins 24 other states that have adopted the model rule, but it’s the first to officially implement it with a 2026 start date. According to Quest CE, many states are currently in various stages of adoption or consideration.
The state’s move is being praised by both regulators and compliance professionals as a long-overdue modernization of adviser oversight.
Compliance Support Now Available for Individuals and Firms
To help firms and individuals comply with the new standards, services like Quest CE offer specialized tools. Their IAR CE Express Setup simplifies compliance for firms with fewer than 50 reps, while larger organizations can access enterprise-level CE management solutions.
Illinois IARs are encouraged to begin preparing early to avoid last-minute credential issues once the rule becomes active.
Are you a financial adviser in Illinois? Start your IAR CE planning now and explore tools at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
