Nursing License from Illinois to Florida: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Florida accept an Illinois nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from Illinois to Florida by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Florida Board of Nursing, verify your Illinois license, and meet Florida's endorsement requirements. 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.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
This direction has a silver lining. Illinois is outside the compact, so you have been carrying a single-state license — but Florida is a member. Endorse into Florida, establish it as your primary residence, meet the uniform licensure requirements, and the license you receive is multistate: one application turns into practice privileges across the whole compact.
What's different between Illinois and Florida
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Florida. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Illinois to Florida (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Florida to Illinois (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Illinois matter?
Coming from Illinois matters here: only 11 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Florida.
The others get: compact multistate — already covered (39).
- NLC membership
Illinois is not in the NLC; Florida is an NLC member state.
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
Florida lists $110 for an out-of-state applicant and Illinois lists $50–$75 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Florida and Illinois carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Florida (this 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
- Illinois (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
What changes, Illinois → Florida
| Illinois (current) | Florida (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $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) | $110 (application and licensing fee paid to the Board of Nursing; Livescan and license verification fees vary by provider) |
| Processing time | no processing range stated in IDFPR application materials | 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 |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Board of Nursing) | Florida Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Florida sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Florida's current requirements on the Florida Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Florida Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active, unencumbered RN license issued by another US state, DC, or territory.
- Electronic fingerprint background screening through an FDLE-approved Livescan provider (board ORI EDOH4420Z), with results sent to the board electronically.
- Request license verification from every state board where you have held a license (online verification that includes disciplinary actions is accepted).
- Have actively practiced nursing for at least 2 years during the 4 years immediately before applying (otherwise apply by examination and transfer your NCLEX scores).
- Have no disciplinary action in the past 5 years and no pending disciplinary proceeding or investigation in another jurisdiction.
- Never have been reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, unless the report was removed on appeal or the reported conduct would not violate Florida law or rule.
- 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 Illinois to Florida?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- IDFPR — Registered Nurse Instruction Sheet (Examination/Endorsement/Restoration), rev. 4/24 ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- IDFPR — Nurses profession page ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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