Your Rights
(225 ILCS 410/1-6) (from Ch. 111, par. 1701-6)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
Sec. 1-6. Administrative Procedure Act. The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act is hereby expressly adopted and incorporated herein as if all of the provisions of that Act were included in this Act, except that the provision of subsection (d) of Section 10-65 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act that provides that at hearings the licensee has the right to show compliance with all lawful requirements for retention, continuation or renewal of the license is specifically excluded. For the purpose of this Act the notice required under Section 10-25 of the Administrative Procedure Act is deemed sufficient when mailed to the address of record, or, if not an applicant or licensee, to the last known address of a party.
(Source: P.A. 99-427, eff. 8-21-15.)
(d) Except as provided in subsection (c), no agency shall revoke, suspend, annul, withdraw, amend materially, or refuse to renew any valid license without first giving written notice to the licensee of the facts or conduct upon which the agency will rely to support its proposed action and an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with the provisions of this Act concerning contested cases. At the hearing, the licensee shall have the right to show compliance with all lawful requirements for the retention, continuation, or renewal of the license. If, however, the agency finds that the public interest, safety, or welfare imperatively requires emergency action, and if the agency incorporates a finding to that effect in its order, summary suspension of a license may be ordered pending proceedings for revocation or other action. Those proceedings shall be promptly instituted and determined.
Can they take my license?
YES, if you are guilty of any of the following provisions in the law.
The law is clear!
(225 ILCS 410/4-7) (from Ch. 111, par. 1704-7)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
Sec. 4-7. Refusal, suspension and revocation of licenses; causes; disciplinary action.
(1) The Department may refuse to issue or renew, and may suspend, revoke, place on probation, reprimand or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action as the Department may deem proper, including civil penalties not to exceed $500 for each violation, with regard to any license for any one, or any combination, of the following causes:
a. For licensees, conviction of any crime under the laws of the United States or any state or territory thereof that is (i) a felony, (ii) a misdemeanor, an essential element of which is
dishonesty, or (iii) a crime which is related to the practice of the profession and, for initial applicants, convictions set forth in Section 4-6.1 of this Act.
b. Conviction of any of the violations listed in Section 4-20.
c. Material misstatement in furnishing information to the Department.
d. Making any misrepresentation for the purpose of obtaining a license or violating any provision of this Act or its rules.
e. Aiding or assisting another person in violating any provision of this Act or its rules.
f. Failing, within 60 days, to provide information in response to a written request made by the Department.
g. Discipline by another state, territory, or country if at least one of the grounds for the discipline is the same as or substantially equivalent to those set forth in this Act.
h. Practice in the barber, nail technology, esthetics, hair braiding, or cosmetology profession, or an attempt to practice in those professions, by fraudulent misrepresentation.
i. Gross malpractice or gross incompetency.
j. Continued practice by a person knowingly having an infectious or contagious disease.
k. Solicitation of professional services by using false or misleading advertising.
l. A finding by the Department that the licensee, after having his or her license placed on probationary status, has violated the terms of probation.
m. Directly or indirectly giving to or receiving from any person, firm, corporation, partnership or association any fee, commission, rebate, or other form of compensation for any professional services not actually or personally rendered.
n. Violating any of the provisions of this Act or rules adopted pursuant to this Act.
o. Willfully making or filing false records or reports relating to a licensee’s practice, including but not limited to, false records filed with State agencies or departments.
p. Habitual or excessive use or addiction to alcohol, narcotics, stimulants, or any other chemical agent or drug that results in the inability to practice with reasonable judgment, skill or safety.
q. Engaging in dishonorable, unethical or unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public as may be defined by rules of the Department, or violating the rules of professional conduct which may be adopted by the Department.
r. Permitting any person to use for any unlawful or fraudulent purpose one’s diploma or license or certificate of registration as a cosmetologist, nail technician, esthetician, hair braider, or barber or cosmetology, nail technology, esthetics, hair braiding, or barber teacher or salon or shop or cosmetology clinic teacher.
s. Being named as a perpetrator in an indicated report by the Department of Children and Family Services under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the licensee has caused a child to be an abused child or neglected child as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
t. Operating a salon or shop without a valid registration.
u. Failure to complete required continuing education hours.
(2) In rendering an order, the Secretary shall take into consideration the facts and circumstances involving the type of acts or omissions in paragraph (1) of this Section including, but not limited to:
(a) the extent to which public confidence in the cosmetology, nail technology, esthetics, hair braiding, or barbering profession was, might have been, or may be, injured;
(b) the degree of trust and dependence among the involved parties;
(c) the character and degree of harm which did result or might have resulted;
(d) the intent or mental state of the licensee at the time of the acts or omissions.
(3) The Department may reissue the license or registration upon certification by the Board that the disciplined licensee or registrant has complied with all of the terms and conditions set forth in the final order or has been sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant the public trust.
(4) The Department shall refuse to issue or renew or suspend without hearing the license or certificate of registration of any person who fails to file a return, or to pay the tax, penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of tax, penalty or interest, as required by any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are satisfied as determined by the Department of Revenue.
(5) (Blank).
(6) All fines imposed under this Section shall be paid within 60 days after the effective date of the order imposing the fine or in accordance with the terms set forth in the order imposing the fine.
(Source: P.A. 99-427, eff. 8-21-15; 99-876, eff. 1-1-17; 100-872, eff. 8-14-18.)