Nursing License from Florida to Illinois: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Illinois accept a Florida nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from Florida to Illinois by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Board of Nursing), verify your Florida license, and meet Illinois's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Moving from Florida into Illinois means leaving the compact's coverage: Illinois does not participate, so the multistate privilege that made Florida easy stops at the border. File Illinois's endorsement application as early as the board allows — this direction of the move is paperwork-first, and starting after you arrive is the classic way to lose weeks of income. Note that while your primary residence remains in Florida, your multistate license keeps working in the compact states; you only lose it when you establish residence in Illinois.
What's different between Florida and Illinois
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Illinois. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Florida to Illinois (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Illinois to Florida (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Florida matter?
Coming from Florida does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Illinois.
- NLC membership
Florida is an NLC member state; Illinois is not in the NLC.
Because they are not both active members, the NLC does not cover this move.
A multistate license issued by Florida does not cover practice in Illinois.
- Application fee
Illinois lists $50–$75 for an out-of-state applicant and Florida lists $110 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Illinois and Florida carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Illinois (this move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
- Florida (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; endorsement requires a passing national licensure exam score (transferred from NCSBN) plus license verification from every state where you have held a license
What changes, Florida → Illinois
| Florida (current) | Illinois (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $110 (application and licensing fee paid to the Board of Nursing; Livescan and license verification fees vary by provider) | $50–$75 ($50 non-refundable endorsement fee, or $75 with the optional 6-month temporary permit (+$25); fingerprint fee paid separately to a licensed livescan vendor) |
| Processing time | board allows up to 10 business days for initial review; by statute the license issues within 7 days after all documentation is received (s. 456.0145(2)(e), F.S.); Livescan results reach the board within 24-72 hours of processing | no processing range stated in IDFPR application materials |
| Licensing authority | Florida Board of Nursing | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Board of Nursing) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Illinois sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Illinois's current requirements on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Board of Nursing) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Board of Nursing) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal background check through the Illinois State Police or its designated agent.
- Hold a current license in at least one other U.S. jurisdiction.
- Request license verification through Nursys (or the CT-NUR form if your state does not participate).
- Submit proof of nursing education (ED form signed by your program director or official sealed transcripts).
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Florida to Illinois?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- IDFPR — Registered Nurse Instruction Sheet (Examination/Endorsement/Restoration), rev. 4/24 ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- IDFPR — Nurses profession page ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Florida Board of Nursing — Nursing (RN & LPN) licensure by endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Florida Statutes s. 456.0145 — licensure by endorsement (MOBILE Act) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Florida Statutes s. 464.009 — nursing licensure by endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Florida BON — Electronic Fingerprinting form (Livescan instructions, PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nursys — participating boards (Florida) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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