ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
TITLE 41: FIRE PROTECTION
CHAPTER I: OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL
PART 141 REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PARTICIPATION AND CERTIFICATION OF FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL
SECTION 141.390 RECERTIFICATIONS


 

Section 141.390  Recertifications

 

a)         The goal of the recertification process shall be to ensure continued demonstration of knowledge and skill proficiency in given areas of certification for Illinois fire service personnel.

 

b)         All referenced recertifications in this Section shall be specific to certifications attained from the Office.

 

c)         Any certification that requires a recertification shall remain valid if the recertification requirements are not completed, but shall not be considered current.  Certifications that are not considered current shall be ineligible to be used as a prerequisite to obtain a higher level of certification.

 

d)         Certifications that require recertification are: 

 

1)         Fire Investigator

 

2)         Fire Apparatus Engineer

 

3)         Company Fire Officer

 

4)         Fire Department Incident Safety Officer

 

5)         Fire Department Health and Safety Officer

 

6)         Advanced Fire Officer

 

7)         Chief Fire Officer

 

8)         Fire Department Safety Officer

 

9)         Fire Service Instructor I

 

10)       Fire Service Instructor II

 

11)       Fire Service Instructor III

 

12)       Training Program Manager

 

13)       Fire Inspector I

 

14)       Fire Inspector II

 

15)       Public Fire and Life Safety Educator I

 

16)       Hazardous Materials Operations

 

17)       Hazardous Materials Technician

 

18)       Confined Space Operations

 

19)       Confined Space Technician

 

20)       Trench Operations

 

21)       Trench Technician

 

22)       Structural Collapse Operations

 

23)       Structural Collapse Technician

 

24)       Common Passenger Vehicle Rescue

 

25)       Heavy Vehicle Rescue

 

26)       Rope Operations

 

27)       Fire Service Vehicle Operator

 

28)       Rope Technician

 

e)         Level-specific certifications issued on or before January 1, 2022 will no longer be considered current on December 31, 2025, except for Fire Investigator, which is referenced further within this Section.

 

f)         Certifications issued on or after January 1, 2022 will no longer be considered current 4 years after their issuance date.

 

g)         Recertification process for all levels except Fire Investigator: 

 

1)         Certifications shall remain current for 4 years after their issuance date, recertification date, or the date on which the certification is made current.  For example:

 

A)        A certification obtained for the first time on January 1, 2026 will remain current until January 1, 2030.

 

B)        If the certification is recertified prior to the end of the 90-day grace period, it will remain current until January 1, 2034.

 

C)        If the certification is not recertified prior to the end of the 90-day grace period, it is no longer current.  If the recertification requirements are subsequently completed, for example, on July 15, 2030, the certification is made current on that date and will remain current until July 15, 2034.

 

2)         Applicants for recertification must hold a current level-specific certification issued by the Office.

 

3)         Applicants for recertification must complete recertification training that follows the level-specific job performance requirements ("JPRs") in the relevant NFPA Standard within the previous 4-year certification period: 

 

A)        Documentation of successful recertification training may be demonstrated by completing the level-specific Recertification Task Book (Task Book).

 

B)        If an applicant or fire department opts not to utilize the Task Book, documentation of successful recertification training shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's training record. Training records utilized for recertification documentation, at a minimum, shall include the components listed on the Task Book Proficiency Log Sheets.

 

4)         Application for recertification: 

 

A)        If utilizing the Task Book, the Proficiency Log Sheets shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

B)        If not utilizing the Task Book, a completion report meeting the same criteria of the Proficiency Log Sheets shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

C)        In lieu of uploading either the Proficiency Log Sheets or completion report, recertification completion data shall be manually entered in the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

D)        The application for recertification cannot be submitted more than 12 months prior to the date upon which certification is no longer considered current.

 

E)        Training used in one certification cycle cannot be used towards recertification in another certification cycle.

 

5)         The Division shall send notification to the employing fire department at one year and at 90-days prior to the date that fire service personnel's certification will no longer be considered current.

 

6)         The Office shall grant each candidate a 90-day grace period to complete the recertification requirements to maintain certification in the established recertification cycle. If recertification is not completed by the end of the 90-day grace period, the candidate's certification will be considered not current. The candidate may return the status of the certification to current by completing an approved level-specific course. When the certification status is returned to current, a new recertification cycle will begin.

 

7)         When submitting for recertification, the fire chief must attest that all the requirements of this Section are met and affirms that: 

 

A)        The candidate seeking recertification is engaged as Illinois fire protection personnel.

 

B)        Training documentation for recertification shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's fire department training records and is available for review by the Division upon request.

 

C)        The submission of the application and Proficiency Log Sheets or completion report is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge.

 

8)         Fire service personnel who possess the highest level of certification within specific disciplines and who desire that certification to remain current, shall only be required to recertify at the highest level. Once recertified at the highest level, all lower level recertifications shall automatically be processed and approved.

 

h)         Recertification Process for Fire Investigator.

 

1)         Certifications shall remain current for 4 years after their issuance date, recertification date, or the date on which the certification is made current. For example:

 

A)        A certification obtained for the first time on January 1, 2026 will remain current until January 1, 2030.

 

B)        If the certification is recertified prior to the end of the 90-day grace period, it will remain current until January 1, 2034.

 

C)        If the certification is not recertified prior to the end of the 90-day grace period, it is no longer current.  If the recertification requirements are subsequently completed, for example, on July 15, 2030, the certification is made current on that date and will remain current until July 15, 2034.

 

2)         Applicants for recertification must hold a current Office level-specific certification.

 

3)         Applicants for recertification shall complete recertification training that follows the established course objectives identified in NFPA 1033, totaling 100 points over the 4-year period, based on the point system on the tally sheet used by the Division. Point dissemination shall be determined by the Division.

 

4)         Application for recertification: 

 

A)        If utilizing the Division-supplied Recertification Tally Sheet, the Tally Sheet shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

B)        If not utilizing the Division-supplied Recertification Tally Sheet, a completion report meeting the same criteria of the Tally Sheet shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

C)        In lieu of uploading either the Tally Sheet or completion report, recertification completion data shall be manually entered using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

D)        The application for recertification cannot be submitted more than 12 months prior to the date upon which certification is no longer considered current.

 

5)         The Division shall send notification to the employing fire department at one year and at 90-days prior to the date that fire service personnel's certification shall no longer be considered current.

 

6)         The Office shall grant each candidate a 90-day grace period to complete the recertification requirements to maintain certification in the established recertification cycle.  If recertification is not completed by the end of the 90-day grace period, the candidate's certification will be considered not current. The candidate may return the status of the certification to current by completing an approved Fire Investigator course.  When the certification status is returned to current, a new recertification cycle will begin.

 

7)         When submitting an application for recertification, the chief attests that all the requirements of this Section are met and affirms that: 

 

A)        The candidate seeking recertification is employed by a local governmental agency or the Office.

 

B)        Training documentation for recertification shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's department training records and available for review by the Division upon request.

 

C)        The submission of the application and Tally Sheet or completion report is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge.

 

i)          When all recertification requirements are met, a new certificate will be available on the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

j)          The Office may extend deadlines for requirements of this Section for good cause shown (e.g., military deployments, medical leaves, personal emergencies, Acts of God or natural disasters, Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, etc.).

 

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 15673, effective November 24, 2025)