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LicenseReciprocity

Transfer Your Real Estate License to Illinois: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate ↗

Illinois has no blanket reciprocity agreement, but the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate evaluates out-of-state licensees for endorsement individually. Effective January 1, 2026 an Endorsement Process replaced Illinois's former reciprocal agreements with specific states. An out-of-state broker/managing broker holding an active equivalent license completes a 30-hour Illinois Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and must pass the Illinois Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law; the national/uniform exam portion is not retaken.. Application fee: $150 ($150 non-refundable endorsement application fee for the Broker profession ($175 for Managing Broker); separate from PSI endorsement-exam fees and 30-hour course tuition.).

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Illinois issues NO salesperson license; the entry-level license is Broker (Managing Broker is the supervisory tier). Effective January 1, 2026 the Endorsement Process replaced the prior state-specific reciprocal agreements, so there are no named reciprocal states (reciprocity_partners empty). Out-of-state applicants use endorsement (30-hour course + Illinois endorsement exam + $150), not the full 75-hour new-applicant pre-license course. Real estate has no interstate compact.

Illinois requirements at a glance

Out-of-state real estate license transfer requirements for Illinois, verified 2026-07-21
ExamEffective January 1, 2026 an Endorsement Process replaced Illinois's former reciprocal agreements with specific states. An out-of-state broker/managing broker holding an active equivalent license completes a 30-hour Illinois Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and must pass the Illinois Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law; the national/uniform exam portion is not retaken.
Training hours75 hours
Additional requirements
  • Hold an active license in good standing as a broker, managing broker, or its equivalent in another state or jurisdiction (managing-broker endorsement additionally requires 2 years of active managing-broker practice in the immediately preceding period)
  • Complete the 30-hour Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and provide a Uniform Real Estate Transcript from an IDFPR-approved provider
  • Pass the Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois real estate brokerage laws
  • Submit a Certification by Licensing Agency/Board (or Certification of License History) from each state in which licensed
  • Provide a Sponsor Card from an Illinois actively licensed brokerage for an active license (otherwise the license issues inactive)
Fees$150 ($150 non-refundable endorsement application fee for the Broker profession ($175 for Managing Broker); separate from PSI endorsement-exam fees and 30-hour course tuition.)
Processing timeIDFPR does not publish a stated processing time for endorsement applications

Step by step

  1. Confirm Illinois's current requirements on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate website — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate (application linked on this page).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
  4. Hold an active license in good standing as a broker, managing broker, or its equivalent in another state or jurisdiction (managing-broker endorsement additionally requires 2 years of active managing-broker practice in the immediately preceding period).
  5. Complete the 30-hour Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and provide a Uniform Real Estate Transcript from an IDFPR-approved provider.
  6. Pass the Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois real estate brokerage laws.
  7. Submit a Certification by Licensing Agency/Board (or Certification of License History) from each state in which licensed.
  8. Provide a Sponsor Card from an Illinois actively licensed brokerage for an active license (otherwise the license issues inactive).
  9. Pay the fees ($150 ($150 non-refundable endorsement application fee for the Broker profession ($175 for Managing Broker); separate from PSI endorsement-exam fees and 30-hour course tuition.)) and allow IDFPR does not publish a stated processing time for endorsement applications.

Official links

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate ↗Illinois application ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Illinois:

Alabama → IllinoisAlaska → IllinoisArizona → IllinoisArkansas → IllinoisCalifornia → IllinoisColorado → IllinoisConnecticut → IllinoisDelaware → IllinoisDistrict of Columbia → IllinoisFlorida → IllinoisGeorgia → IllinoisHawaii → IllinoisIdaho → IllinoisIndiana → IllinoisIowa → IllinoisKansas → IllinoisKentucky → IllinoisLouisiana → IllinoisMaine → IllinoisMaryland → Illinois
All 50 origin states
Massachusetts → IllinoisMichigan → IllinoisMinnesota → IllinoisMississippi → IllinoisMissouri → IllinoisMontana → IllinoisNebraska → IllinoisNevada → IllinoisNew Hampshire → IllinoisNew Jersey → IllinoisNew Mexico → IllinoisNew York → IllinoisNorth Carolina → IllinoisNorth Dakota → IllinoisOhio → IllinoisOklahoma → IllinoisOregon → IllinoisPennsylvania → IllinoisRhode Island → IllinoisSouth Carolina → IllinoisSouth Dakota → IllinoisTennessee → IllinoisTexas → IllinoisUtah → IllinoisVermont → IllinoisVirginia → IllinoisWashington → IllinoisWest Virginia → IllinoisWisconsin → IllinoisWyoming → Illinois

Frequently asked questions

Does my real estate license transfer to Illinois?

Illinois has no blanket reciprocity agreement, but the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate evaluates out-of-state licensees for endorsement individually. Effective January 1, 2026 an Endorsement Process replaced Illinois's former reciprocal agreements with specific states. An out-of-state broker/managing broker holding an active equivalent license completes a 30-hour Illinois Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and must pass the Illinois Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law; the national/uniform exam portion is not retaken.. Application fee: $150 ($150 non-refundable endorsement application fee for the Broker profession ($175 for Managing Broker); separate from PSI endorsement-exam fees and 30-hour course tuition.).

Do I have to retake real estate exams in Illinois?

Effective January 1, 2026 an Endorsement Process replaced Illinois's former reciprocal agreements with specific states. An out-of-state broker/managing broker holding an active equivalent license completes a 30-hour Illinois Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and must pass the Illinois Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law; the national/uniform exam portion is not retaken..

What does a Illinois real estate license cost an out-of-state applicant?

$150 ($150 non-refundable endorsement application fee for the Broker profession ($175 for Managing Broker); separate from PSI endorsement-exam fees and 30-hour course tuition.) ($150 non-refundable endorsement application fee for the Broker profession ($175 for Managing Broker); separate from PSI endorsement-exam fees and 30-hour course tuition.).

How long does the Illinois process take?

IDFPR does not publish a stated processing time for endorsement applications — IDFPR does not publish a stated processing time for endorsement applications.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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]