How to start a private practice in Illinois

Use "Licensed Professional Counselor" or "Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor" as your license reads.

• Advertising or displaying a sign or card suggesting you're an LPC or LCPC without an active license is a violation, as is using the titles while inactive.
• Only an LCPC may practice clinical counseling independently.
• Claim or imply only professional credentials you hold.

Not yet confirmed: We found no rule requiring your title or license number in ads. Check with IDFPR.

225 ILCS 107/160 and 107/18, Rule 1375.225(c)(6)

Keep advertising from being deceptive, misleading or false.

• Claim or imply only credentials you hold, and correct others' misrepresentations of them.
• Soliciting services through false or misleading advertising is grounds for discipline, with fines up to $10,000 per violation.
• Don't work beyond your competence. If you use techniques without an empirical or scientific foundation, call them "unproven" or "developing" and explain risks.
• The rule also incorporates the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics.

Not yet confirmed: The rule text we read doesn't address testimonials or "specialist." Check with IDFPR.

Rule 1375.225(c)(1), (3), (6) and (f), 225 ILCS 107/80(a)(19)

Use "Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist" (LMFT) or "Associate Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist," and don't misrepresent your credentials.

• If your license is nonrenewed or inactive, you may not practice, use the title or advertise as an LMFT or ALMFT.
• Don't misrepresent credentials, degrees, professional associations or competencies in spoken or written materials.

Not yet confirmed: The Act and rules we read don't require ads to show your title or a license number. Check with IDFPR.

225 ILCS 55/45(f) and Rule 1283.100(a)

Don't misrepresent your credentials, degrees, associations or competencies, and correct any misrepresentation right away, including by third parties.

• False or misleading advertising is grounds for discipline.
• Don't claim to provide services beyond your scope.
• Disclose a trainee or intern's status and supervisor's name.

Not yet confirmed: The rule incorporates the January 2015 AAMFT Code of Ethics, and we couldn't open it to confirm what it says on testimonials or specialties. Check with IDFPR.

225 ILCS 55/85 and Rule 1283.100(a)-(b), (s)

Show your title as it appears on your license, or the initials the Act authorizes, in every ad.

• For clinical work, use "Licensed Clinical Social Worker" (LCSW).
• An LSW may not hold out as a clinical social worker or practice clinical social work independently.
• The Act doesn't say to show a license number.

225 ILCS 20/17(B) and Rule 1470.97(a), (d)

Keep ads true and not misleading, and include your license title or initials.

• Saying social work services are provided by unlicensed people is false and misleading.
• No gross or deliberate misrepresentations about your qualifications or the value of your treatments. No practicing beyond your competency. No fee splitting or kickbacks for referrals.
• The rule incorporates the NASW Code of Ethics (2021) and the Clinical Social Work Association Code (2016). The NASW Code limits testimonials from vulnerable people.

Not yet confirmed: The text read doesn't mention testimonials or "specialist." Check with IDFPR.

225 ILCS 20/17(A)–(B), 20/19 and Rule 1470.96(a)(1), (3), (6), (b)

Show your title as it appears on your license, or the initials the Act authorizes, in every ad for services.

• Representing yourself as a clinical psychologist without a license is unlawful.
• The Act doesn't say to show a license number in ads.

Not yet confirmed: The advertising section was added by P.A. 104-796, effective August 7, 2026. Read the current text.

225 ILCS 15/26.5 and 15/26

Include your license title in every ad, and don't make misleading claims about your qualifications or your treatments.

• No gross or deliberate misrepresentations about your qualifications or the efficacy or value of your treatments, or another practitioner's.
• Don't practice beyond your competency or split fees.
• Violating the APA Ethics Code is unprofessional conduct. Its Standard 5 covers advertising and bars soliciting testimonials from current therapy clients or others vulnerable to undue influence.

Not yet confirmed: The testimonial point comes from the APA Code (5.05), which we didn't re-open. Check with IDFPR.

225 ILCS 15/26.5, Rule 1400.50(a), (c), (f), (k)

Before services, give the client all pertinent facts about the services.

• Cover purposes, goals, techniques, procedures, limitations, risks and benefits, your qualifications, credentials and experience, and what happens to services if you become incapacitated or die.
• Cover the meaning of any diagnosis, how tests and reports will be used, billing, length of treatment and use of consultants.
• At the start, explain limits of confidentiality: legal mandates, protecting clients or others from serious and foreseeable harm, and when you're a defendant in an action about the counseling.
• Explain the benefits and limits of technology in counseling and billing. A client signature is strongly encouraged, not required.

Rule 1375.225(a)(9), (b)(1) and (c)(5)

Keep client records and case notes at least 7 years.

• For a minor, keep them 7 years after the client turns 18.
• Tell clients about the difficulty of keeping electronically transmitted communication confidential.
• Failing to keep records is unprofessional conduct.

Rule 1375.225(c)(4)

Your board doesn't require a complaint notice that we could find.

Not yet confirmed: IDFPR takes complaints at idfpr.illinois.gov/admin/complaints.html. Check with IDFPR if you want to be sure.

Give clients all the facts about services before treatment, such as fees, length of treatment and use of consultants.

• Encourage the client to sign for receipt.
• Explain the limits of confidentiality: legal mandates, preventing clear and immediate danger to others, when you're a defendant in a civil, criminal or disciplinary action about the therapy, and written waivers. Releasing a minor's information needs a parent or guardian's signature.
• Tell clients about conflicts of interest, values, attitudes or biases that could impair the relationship.
• When an intern or trainee treats the client, disclose their status and supervisor's name and get a signed client waiver of liability.

Not yet confirmed: Telehealth must follow the Telehealth Act (Rule 1283.125), which we didn't review.

Rule 1283.100(b), (i), (m), (p) and 225 ILCS 150

Store records securely so no one unauthorized can access them, and follow all relevant state laws on their content and disposition.

Not yet confirmed: We found no required retention length or content list. Ask IDFPR, your malpractice carrier and payers.

Rule 1283.100(q)-(r)

Your board doesn't require a complaint notice that we could find.

• IDFPR takes complaints at https://idfpr.illinois.gov/admin/complaints.html.

Not yet confirmed: We found no statute or rule on telling clients how to file a complaint. Check with IDFPR.

Get written consent before releasing client information, and make sure the client understands how it may be used.

• Disclose conflicts of interest, dual relationships and obligations that might affect the client's decision to start or continue.
• Disclose an intern's status and the supervisor's name.
• The Act incorporates the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act.

Not yet confirmed: No rule lists required contents of a general informed consent or disclosure statement. Check with IDFPR.

Rule 1470.96(a)(2), (11), (13) and 740 ILCS 110

Your board doesn't set a record retention period that we could find.

• Store records with security that prevents unauthorized access.
• Make sure the content and disposition of records follow State laws and rules.

Not yet confirmed: Ask IDFPR, your malpractice carrier and payers.

Rule 1470.96(a)(16)

Your board doesn't require a complaint notice that we could find.

• IDFPR takes complaints at idfpr.illinois.gov/admin/complaints.html.

Not yet confirmed: Check with IDFPR.

Before releasing client information, get written consent and make sure the client understands the possible uses or distribution.

• APA Standards 3.10 and 10.01 apply. Explain the nature and course of therapy, fees, third-party involvement and limits of confidentiality, and give the client a chance to ask questions.

Not yet confirmed: We found no separate list of required disclosure statement contents. Check with IDFPR.

Rule 1400.50(b) and (k)

Illinois has no retention period for psychologists that we could find. Follow the APA Ethics Code on record keeping.

• APA Standard 6 requires you to create, maintain and dispose of records in line with law and the Code.
• The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act controls disclosure.

Not yet confirmed: Ask IDFPR, your malpractice carrier and payers.

740 ILCS 110

Your board doesn't require a complaint notice that we could find.

Not yet confirmed: IDFPR takes complaints at idfpr.illinois.gov/admin/complaints.html. Check with IDFPR if you want to be sure.