As the school year draws to a close, it’s a great time for educators to check the renewal dates for their Educator License, according to the Regional Office of Education #13.  Licenses that expire this year need to be renewed and registered by June 30, 2016 or risk having the license lapse.  Anyone holding a Professional Educator License, Educator License with Stipulations, and Substitute License can check his or her licensure account information in the ISBE’s licensure system, known as ELIS.  The entire process is conducted online.  Even though a license may not expire until June, educators can renew now.  The ELIS renewal and registration portal opened April 1^st for this year’s process.   Renewing and registering a license is a two-step process to first, verify and document that the individual has met the required professional development hours based on the kind of license and endorsements that a person has; and second, to register and pay the required fee in the appropriate county where the educator works.  If the educator is not working, he or she will register in the region in which he or she lives.  Once professional development requirements have been met, a licensee can renew their license, and then register their license by paying their fees.  The fee to register the license is $10 per year of the cycle.  Each renewal is a five-year cycle, totaling $50.  Any license that has not been renewed by entering and submitting the required amount of professional development, lapses on September 1^st.  A penalty of $500 or nine college credit hours will be assessed if the license lapses.  Completing, entering, and submitting the required professional development with the penalty fee or credit hours can reinstate it.  Any license that has not been registered once it is renewed by paying required registration fees, lapses on January 1, 2107.  Again, it can be reinstated by paying the back registration fees, plus a penalty of either $500 or nine college credit hours.  If you retire, or are retiring at the time of your license renewal, there are no fees to be paid to register for your next 5-year cycle.  It is free for retirees.