Illinois fluorescent ban: what changes January 1, 2027
Fluorescent tubes and pin-base CFLs can no longer be sold in Illinois starting January 1, 2027. Here's what the law covers, what it doesn't, and how to switch to LED before replacement lamps run out.
A plain-language summary for general information, current as of October 2026. Laws, incentives and prices can change. Check the law itself and confirm details with the right agency, utility or supplier before acting.
What's banned and when
| Lamp type | Where you see it | No new sales after |
|---|---|---|
| Screw-base and bayonet-base CFLs | Spiral bulbs in table lamps, older downlights | Jan 1, 2026 In effect |
| Pin-base CFLs | Commercial downlights and wall sconces (the plug-in "PL" lamps) | Jan 1, 2027 Next |
| Linear fluorescent tubes | Troffers, strips, wraps and fluorescent high bays (T8, T5, T12) | Jan 1, 2027 Next |
The law prohibits selling, offering to sell or distributing these lamps in Illinois as new manufactured products. It was passed as HB 2363.
What the law doesn't do
- It doesn't make you remove anything. Lamps and fixtures already installed can stay in service. The ban is on selling new lamps.
- It doesn't touch LED. LED tubes, lamps and fixtures aren't affected.
- It exempts specialty lamps, including lamps for medical and veterinary use, germicidal and other high-UV uses, image capture and projection, spectroscopy, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and academic research.
- It has a short exception for odd sizes. A fluorescent lamp with no LED replacement available can still be sold through January 1, 2028.
- It keeps utility programs in place. Utility efficiency, rebate and lamp recycling programs approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission are not limited by the law.
Who this affects
Any Illinois building still running fluorescent troffers, strips, wraps or pin-base CFL downlights. That's a lot of them: nearly half of installed commercial lighting in the US was still linear fluorescent in 2020.
Nothing has to come down on January 1. The issue is what happens when a tube burns out. Once distributor stock sells through, replacement tubes and pin-base CFLs will get harder to find and more expensive, and you'll be stuck re-lamping fixtures one failure at a time. Planning the switch now lets you do it on your schedule, with incentives, instead of in a hurry.
Your LED options
Type B LED tubes
Per 2-lamp fixture. The ballast is removed and the tube runs on line voltage. Lowest material cost and one less part to fail. Needs a quick rewire, usually with new non-shunted sockets.
New LED fixture
3-lamp T8 troffer to an LED flat panel. The best choice for T12 fixtures, yellowed lenses or failing housings. You get a new fixture and warranty.
LED pin lamps for CFL downlights
Per 2-lamp downlight. Plug-in LED lamps with the same pin base, wired to bypass the CFL ballast. No ceiling work.
Add controls while you're up there
Less runtime from occupancy sensors, daylight sensors or networked controls. Utilities pay extra for them.
Wattages are typical system watts and vary by product. Plug-and-play (Type A) LED tubes also work on the existing ballast, but you keep paying for that ballast when it fails.
What Illinois utilities pay
Ameren Illinois (2026 program year)
- LED: $0.50 per watt reduced, interior and exterior ($0.20 per watt when replacing T12).
- Occupancy sensors: $0.20 per watt controlled. Occupancy plus daylight: $0.25.
- Networked controls: $0.50 to $1.50 per watt, up to $75 per fixture.
- Instant incentives on some products through participating distributors.
Ameren Illinois business incentives →
ComEd
- The 2025 guide paid $6 per TLED lamp, $20 to $350 per interior DLC fixture and $25 to $375 per exterior fixture, depending on wattage.
- Instant discounts at participating distributors.
- 2026 amounts weren't published when we checked, so confirm current rates with ComEd.
Checked October 2026. Incentives change and many require approval before you buy. Always confirm with the program first.
Recycle the old lamps
Fluorescent lamps contain mercury. Illinois businesses manage spent lamps under the Universal Waste Rule (or full hazardous waste rules). Under the Universal Waste Rule, that means:
- Label containers "Universal Waste Lamps," "Waste Lamps" or "Used Lamps," and date them.
- Keep lamps from breaking, and clean up broken ones right away.
- Ship them to a lamp recycler within a year. Don't crush or dispose of them yourself.
Get ahead of it
- Count what you have. Fixture type, number of lamps and how many of each.
- Run your numbers. The calculator shows yearly savings, payback and your utility's incentives in about two minutes.
- Line up incentives first. Some programs need approval before you order.
- Order before stock gets thin. In-stock LED product ships fast. Fluorescent replacements won't be restocked.
Other states with fluorescent bans
| State | Screw-base CFL | Pin-base CFL and tubes |
|---|---|---|
| California | Jan 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| Colorado | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| Hawaii | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2026 |
| Illinois | Jan 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 |
| Maine | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2026 |
| Minnesota | Jan 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2026 |
| Oregon | Jan 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| Rhode Island | Jan 1, 2024 | Jan 1, 2025 |
| Vermont | Feb 17, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 (4-ft tubes only) |
| Washington | Jul 1, 2029 | Jul 1, 2029 |
Source: Appliance Standards Awareness Project.
Common questions
Can I keep using the fluorescent lights I have?
Yes. The law only stops sales of new lamps. You can run what you have until it fails. Replacements just get harder to find.
Can I stock up on tubes before January 1?
You can buy them before the deadline, but stockpiling only delays the switch. LED uses about half the energy, so the money spent on spare tubes usually goes further toward LED.
Are U-bent or odd-size tubes covered?
Check with your supplier. A fluorescent lamp with no LED replacement available can still be sold through January 1, 2028.
Do LED tubes work in my existing fixtures?
Usually. Type B tubes are wired directly to line voltage with the ballast removed. Type A tubes plug into the existing ballast. Fixtures in poor shape are better off replaced.
Does Missouri have a ban?
Not as of October 2026. Ten states have passed bans so far (see the table above), and more have proposed them.
Sources
- Illinois Public Act 103-0799 (HB 2363)
- Appliance Standards Awareness Project: state fluorescent phase-outs
- Ameren Illinois business incentives
- ComEd lighting incentives
- Illinois EPA: fluorescent lamps
This page explains the law in plain language and isn't legal advice. Information may change after the date below, and the reader is responsible for verifying it. Updated October 2026. Full disclaimer