225 ILCS 10/5.01: Licenses; permits; Department of Early Childhood.

(a) In respect to early care and education centers, the Department of Early Childhood, upon receiving application filed in proper order, shall examine the providers and persons responsible for care of children therein.

(b) In respect to early care and education homes, applications may be filed on behalf of such homes by the Department of Early Childhood.

(c) The Department of Early Childhood shall not allow any person to examine providers under a provision of this Act who has not passed an examination demonstrating that such person is familiar with this Act and with the appropriate standards and regulations of the Department of Early Childhood.

(d) Licenses issued for early care and education centers, early care and education homes, and group early care and education homes shall be valid for 3 years from the date issued, unless revoked by the Department of Early Childhood or voluntarily surrendered by the licensee. When a licensee has made timely and sufficient application for the renewal of a license or a new license with reference to any activity of a continuing nature, the existing license shall continue in full force and effect for up to 30 days until the final agency decision on the application has been made. The Department of Early Childhood may further extend the period in which such decision must be made in individual cases for up to 30 days, but such extensions shall be only upon good cause shown.

(e) The Department of Early Childhood may issue one 6-month permit to a newly established provider for early care and education to allow that provider reasonable time to become eligible for a full license. If the provider for early care and education is an early care and education home, the Department of Early Childhood may issue one 2-month permit only.

(f) The Department of Early Childhood may issue an emergency permit to an early care and education center taking in children as a result of the temporary closure for more than 2 weeks of a licensed early care and education provider's location due to a natural disaster. An emergency permit under this subsection shall be issued to a provider only if the persons providing early care and education services at the provider were employees of the temporarily closed early care and education center at the time it was closed. No investigation of an employee of an early care and education provider receiving an emergency permit under this subsection shall be required if that employee has previously been investigated at another early care and education provider. No emergency permit issued under this subsection shall be valid for more than 90 days after the date of issuance.

(g) During the hours of operation of any licensed early care and education center, early care and education home, or group early care and education home, authorized representatives of the Department of Early Childhood may without notice visit the provider's location for the purpose of determining its continuing compliance with this Act or rules adopted pursuant thereto.

(h) Early care and education centers, early care and education homes, and group early care and education homes shall be monitored at least annually by a licensing representative from the Department of Early Childhood that recommended licensure.