Pharmacy License from Illinois to Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from Illinois to Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions), verify your Illinois license, and meet Virginia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (e-Profile). Virginia requires passing the Virginia MPJE; the Board plans to transition to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) tentatively in fall 2026 (with at least 90 days notice) and will not issue a license on a UMPJE score earned elsewhere until it transitions..
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your Illinois license transfers into Virginia through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) — but Virginia gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (e-Profile). Virginia requires passing the Virginia MPJE; the Board plans to transition to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) tentatively in fall 2026 (with at least 90 days notice) and will not issue a license on a UMPJE score earned elsewhere until it transitions.. Coming from Illinois neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Virginia's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Virginia allows.
What changes, Illinois → Virginia
| Illinois (current) | Virginia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $200 (Illinois endorsement fee $200 for a pharmacist licensed in another state/territory (Ill. Admin. Code tit. 68 sec. 1330.20(b)(3), effective 6/2/2023); separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply) | $235 (Virginia pharmacist license initial application fee (18VAC110-21-20), non-refundable; active annual renewal is $120. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply.) |
| Processing time | IDFPR does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate for pharmacist endorsement; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days | Neither the Board FAQ nor the fee regulation states a processing time; add time for NABP license transfer review and MPJE scheduling |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — State Board of Pharmacy | Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Virginia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Virginia's current requirements on the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete the NABP license transfer process through your NABP e-Profile.
- Pass the Virginia MPJE (Virginia plans to move to the Uniform MPJE tentatively in fall 2026).
- Submit the online pharmacist application and pay the non-refundable fee.
- Pay the fees ($235 (Virginia pharmacist license initial application fee (18VAC110-21-20), non-refundable; active annual renewal is $120. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply.)) and allow Neither the Board FAQ nor the fee regulation states a processing time; add time for NABP license transfer review and MPJE scheduling.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Virginia accept a Illinois pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from Illinois to Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions), verify your Illinois license, and meet Virginia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (e-Profile). Virginia requires passing the Virginia MPJE; the Board plans to transition to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) tentatively in fall 2026 (with at least 90 days notice) and will not issue a license on a UMPJE score earned elsewhere until it transitions..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from Illinois to Virginia?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (e-Profile). Virginia requires passing the Virginia MPJE; the Board plans to transition to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) tentatively in fall 2026 (with at least 90 days notice) and will not issue a license on a UMPJE score earned elsewhere until it transitions..
What will the move to Virginia cost?
$235 (Virginia pharmacist license initial application fee (18VAC110-21-20), non-refundable; active annual renewal is $120. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply.) (Virginia pharmacist license initial application fee (18VAC110-21-20), non-refundable; active annual renewal is $120. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply.).
How long will licensing in Virginia take?
Neither the Board FAQ nor the fee regulation states a processing time; add time for NABP license transfer review and MPJE scheduling — Neither the Board FAQ nor the fee regulation states a processing time; add time for NABP license transfer review and MPJE scheduling.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Virginia Administrative Code 18VAC110-21-20 (Fees) — pharmacist license $235, active renewal $120 ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Virginia Board of Pharmacy — FAQ (licensure by endorsement via NABP; Virginia MPJE to UMPJE transition, fall 2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — Pharmacy (application forms; ILPRO as MPJE alternative) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois Administrative Code tit. 68 sec. 1330.20 — Fees (endorsement $200) (via Cornell LII) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]