[TheGuyCPA]

Does this experience have to be attained before or after passing all the exams? I already have over a year of experience, and if it means I have to attain it after, then I have another year ahead of me before I can become licensed, that would suck.

Section 1420.10 Experience

The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation-Division of Professional Regulation (Division) shall license as certified public accountants individuals who have had at least one year of full-time experience, or its equivalent, providing any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, attest, management advisory, financial advisory, tax or consulting skills that may be gained through employment in government, industry, academia, or public practice.

However,

Another website states: Full CPA license:

1 year of public or non-public accounting supervised by an active CPA licensee.

Experience may be gained through employment in government, industry, academia, or public practice, and is not required to be acquired under the supervision of a licensed CPA. You can check out Admin Code 1420.10 for exact wording, and Illinois CPA Society‘s explanation on initial licensing.

Experience must be accumulated after passing of the CPA exam.

FAR - 80
REG - 78
AUD - 88
BEC - 84

State of Illinois Licensed CPA as of September 2015