Pharmacy License from South Dakota to Illinois: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — State Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from South Dakota 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 (IDFPR) — State Board of Pharmacy, verify your South Dakota license, and meet Illinois's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Illinois requires the Illinois-specific MPJE; alternatively, a transferring pharmacist may satisfy the Illinois jurisprudence requirement by completing the Illinois Pharmacist Readiness and Orientation Program (ILPRO) in lieu of the IL MPJE. Illinois has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your South Dakota license transfers into Illinois through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — State Board of Pharmacy — but Illinois gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Illinois requires the Illinois-specific MPJE; alternatively, a transferring pharmacist may satisfy the Illinois jurisprudence requirement by completing the Illinois Pharmacist Readiness and Orientation Program (ILPRO) in lieu of the IL MPJE. Illinois has not adopted the Uniform MPJE.. Coming from South Dakota neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Illinois's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Illinois allows.
What changes, South Dakota → Illinois
| South Dakota (current) | Illinois (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $150 (South Dakota reciprocity license fee $150 (non-refundable; waived for deployed active-duty military or spouse); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate) | $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) |
| Processing time | Board does not publish a processing time; after the online application the board mails an information packet and fingerprint cards, then approves MPJE eligibility; the applicant has one year from submission to complete all requirements | IDFPR does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate for pharmacist endorsement; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days |
| Licensing authority | South Dakota Board of Pharmacy | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — State Board of Pharmacy |
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 (IDFPR) — State Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — State Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Submit the license transfer through the NABP eLTP and file the Illinois endorsement application via IDFPR Online Services.
- Provide verification of licensure from every state where you have ever held a pharmacist license.
- Pass the Illinois MPJE, or complete ILPRO in lieu of the IL MPJE.
- Pay the fees ($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)) and allow IDFPR does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate for pharmacist endorsement; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois accept a South Dakota pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from South Dakota 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 (IDFPR) — State Board of Pharmacy, verify your South Dakota license, and meet Illinois's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Illinois requires the Illinois-specific MPJE; alternatively, a transferring pharmacist may satisfy the Illinois jurisprudence requirement by completing the Illinois Pharmacist Readiness and Orientation Program (ILPRO) in lieu of the IL MPJE. Illinois has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from South Dakota to Illinois?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Illinois requires the Illinois-specific MPJE; alternatively, a transferring pharmacist may satisfy the Illinois jurisprudence requirement by completing the Illinois Pharmacist Readiness and Orientation Program (ILPRO) in lieu of the IL MPJE. Illinois has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
What will the move to Illinois cost?
$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) (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).
How long will licensing in Illinois take?
IDFPR does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate for pharmacist endorsement; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days — IDFPR does not publish a fixed processing-time estimate for pharmacist endorsement; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- South Dakota Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Licensure by Reciprocity, Initial Application Instructions (Rev 9/25) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- South Dakota Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacists licensing requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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