Illinois Frequently Asked Questions

The Illinois Hunter Ed Course fee is $28.95.

You can enter your credit card information online with confidence on our secure server. This charge will appear on your credit card statement as “Safety Courses 18008302268.”

If you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1980, you need this certification to purchase a valid hunting license in Illinois.

Typically it takes about 4–6 hours to go through the online course, excluding any quizzes and/or exams and restudying that you may choose to do.

You may complete the course at your own pace. The course can be completed in one sitting or completed a little at a time over several days. All pay-up-front courses are available for 90 days from time of registration and payment.

There is no minimum age requirement to take this online course.

You do not have to be a resident of Illinois to take this online course.

The Illinois Hunter Ed Course is approved and accepted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

All U.S. states, provinces, and other countries that have mandatory hunter education requirements will accept the Illinois Hunter Education Certificate. Likewise, Illinois will accept Hunter Education certifications that are issued by other jurisdictions that meet official IHEA-USA requirements. (This is known as “reciprocity.”)

If you fail a unit quiz, you must restudy the unit and take the quiz again until you pass. You must score at least 80% on the unit quizzes to pass.

The Final Exam is the exam you take at the end of the online course. You must score at least 80% on the Final Exam to pass. You have 2 attempts to pass the Final Exam. If you do not pass the exam in the 2 attempts given, you will be required to repeat the entire course. If you don’t complete the exam in one session, don’t worry. When you log in later, you will be taken to the first unanswered question of the exam.

1. Study and pass the Illinois Department of Natural Resources–Approved online course.

Study and pass the $28.95 course. Throughout the Illinois Hunter Ed Course, you’ll be tested on what you’ve learned.

2. Complete your age-dependent certification requirements.

If you are 18 years or older, after successfully completing the online course, you’ll immediately print out your proof of online course completion.

If you are under 18 years of age, you’ll immediately print out your proof of online course completion, which you will need to bring with you to the Field Day. You need to locate and sign up for the Field Day. To sign up, go to https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/safety/Pages/OnlineSelfStudyCourse.aspx.

Remember: Passing the online course does not guarantee you a spot at the Field Day.

3. Get your Illinois Hunter Education Certificate.

If you are 18 years or older, you’ll print your permanent Hunter Education Certificate after successfully passing the course and paying the fee. If you wish to purchase a plastic wallet card, you may do so once you pass the course.

If you are under 18 years of age, the Hunter Education Certificate will be given to you after you complete the Field Day.

Once you have completed all 3 steps for certification, you’re ready to legally purchase a hunting license or permit where required.

Once you pass and pay for the online course, you will be able to immediately print your proof of online completion and/or request that a PDF be emailed to you.

If you are under 18 years of age, you will need to bring this document with you to your Field Day.

If you are 18 years or older, the Hunter Education Certificate is proof that you have successfully completed all the hunter education requirements and allows you to legally purchase a hunting license in Illinois.

If you are under 18 years of age, you will receive the Hunter Education Certificate from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources after you successfully complete the Field Day.

To replace a lost or destroyed proof of course completion document, log in to the course and print a new one.

To replace a lost or destroyed Hunter Education Certificate, hunters age 18 and older can log in to the course and print a new one.

Hunters under 18 years of age, when they registered for the course, who have successfully completed their online course and after attending the Field Day received their Hunter Education Certificate can order a replacement at https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/safety/Pages/Look-Up-Your-Safety-Certification.aspx.

• A computer or mobile device with Internet access
• Cookies and JavaScript enabled in browser
• A soundcard and speakers or headphones
• A printer to print your course completion document

This course is designed to work on any mobile device, such as iPhones, iPads, and Android phones and tablets, as well as your computer.

If you need to update your profile information or change your password, click on your username in the navigation bar at the top of the web page in the course. Re-submit your revised information using the form provided.

If you forget your password, you can reset it from the Forgot Your Password page. You will need to enter your username and the email from your profile, and an email containing the link to reset your password will be sent. There is also a link to the Forgot Your Password? page on the Log In page for your convenience.

When you log out, your progress is recorded so that when you log in again, you can pick up where you left off. When logging back in, you will be taken to the Course Contents page where you can see the progress you have made. You can click on a link for the last page viewed to go back to that part of the course.

You may log in and out as many times as you wish. Your progress is monitored and saved.

Our course videos should play in all browsers. If you are having trouble playing a video, you might be able to find help at Vimeo’s FAQs. (Vimeo is the video player used in the course.)

If you have not been active within the course for more than 15 minutes, you will automatically be logged out of your session. A notice stating, “Your session has expired due to inactivity” will appear at the top of the course. Log back in, and you can continue interacting with the course. Your progress will have been recorded, and you should be able to continue where you left off in the course.

If you are disconnected from the Internet, simply log back in and pick up where you left off. Your progress will be saved.

You may call us at 1-800-830-2268 to speak with a customer service representative, 9:00 a.m. to midnight EST, seven days a week.