Security licensing ยท Illinois
Illinois PERC card renewal: one statewide deadline, many training dates
Every Permanent Employee Registration Card in Illinois expires on the same day: May 31, every three years. The next one is May 31, 2027. Training deadlines, by contrast, run per person from the hire date.
What a PERC is and who needs one
Illinois regulates private security agencies under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004 (225 ILCS 447). "All employees of a licensed agency, other than those exempted, shall apply for a permanent employee registration card," and no agency may employ a person to perform licensed activity without a valid PERC or license (225 ILCS 447/35-30). The application can be submitted by the hiring agency or by the employee, and the holder must carry the card while on duty.
Exempt roles include ushers, ticket takers, cashiers, drivers, and reception staff without access to confidential or security information. An initial PERC costs $55 (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1240.570).
The shared expiration date
Unlike most states, Illinois does not run PERCs on individual cycles. "Every employee registration card issued under the Act shall expire on May 31 every 3 years" (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1240.550(c)). IDFPR's renewal chart lists the next PERC renewal as opening March 1, 2027, with cards good through May 31, 2027, and a $45 fee (IDFPR license renewal information).
IDFPR emails renewal notices about 90 days before expiration (IDFPR PERC instructions). Renewals are done online or by an employer's manual batch of up to 50 applications. IDFPR retired electronic batch renewal in 2021 (IDFPR security contractor page). The employer signs the renewal form, certifying that the employee completed the required training in the preceding three years (IDFPR renewal form).
A shared date means every renewal on your roster comes due at once. If you employ 80 guards, all 80 renewals land in the same three-month window, so start gathering training certifications well before March 2027.
If a PERC expires
"Practicing on an expired license or employee registration card is unlicensed practice," and not receiving a renewal notice does not excuse it (1240.550(d)). A card expired for less than one year can be restored by paying the lapsed renewal fees. After a year or more, the statute requires a new application with proof of fitness, fingerprints, and a restoration fee (225 ILCS 447/10-25).
Training requirements
| Training | Deadline |
|---|---|
| 20 hours of basic training (classroom or online, not on the job) | Within 30 days of employment |
| 8 additional hours on subjects the employer chooses | Within 6 months of employment |
| 8 hours of refresher training on subjects the employer chooses | Each calendar year, starting the year after the first employment anniversary |
Sources: 225 ILCS 447/25-20 and 1240.505. The employer certifies the training on an IDFPR form and must give the employee the original or a copy when employment ends (25-20(e)).
Firearm control cards
- The employer applies. Application for a firearm control card (FCC) is made by the employer (225 ILCS 447/35-35), and a guard who works for more than one agency needs a separate FCC for each (1240.530).
- Training. The FCC requires 48 hours: the 20-hour basic course, 8 hours of live-fire range training, and 20 hours of firearms instruction. Holders then need 8 hours of range refresher training each calendar year, firing at least 50 rounds with a score of at least 70% (225 ILCS 447/35-40).
- Expiration. An FCC expires on the date printed on the card. Renewal requires proof of refresher training within the past year, and no employer may use the holder in an armed capacity after the card expires (1240.550(e) and (f)). Renewal is $45.
Employer duties
- Hiring before the PERC arrives. A new hire may work while the application is pending only if the agency has submitted a complete application with fingerprint receipt, has IDFPR's verification that the criminal history check found no conviction, uses due diligence, and keeps a roster of pending applicants (35-30(k)). Agencies send that roster to IDFPR monthly (1240.540).
- Employee files. Each file includes a copy of the PERC or the IDFPR License Lookup page showing it, and a photo replaced every three calendar years (35-30(e)). Files, including training certifications, are kept for five years after the employee leaves (1240.535).
- When an armed guard leaves, the employer terminates the FCC in IDFPR's online system (1240.530(c)).
IDFPR may refuse to renew, suspend, or revoke a PERC, license, or FCC, and may impose a fine of up to $10,000 for each violation of the Act (225 ILCS 447/40-10). To confirm a card, use the IDFPR License Look-Up.
What to track for each Illinois guard
- Hire date, with the 30-day basic training and six-month additional training deadlines calculated from it.
- The date of the last 8-hour refresher, checked every calendar year.
- For armed guards, the FCC expiration printed on the card and the last range refresher.
- The statewide May 31, 2027 PERC expiration, with a reminder before renewal opens.
Rules change. This guide summarizes public sources and is not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation before acting on them.