The Illinois IDFPR Registered Nurse License Application is the official document that lets the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation decide whether you can legally practice as an RN in Illinois. Every nurse who wants to work in Illinois — whether you just passed the NCLEX-RN, are moving from another state, or are coming back after a lapse — must file this application before touching a patient.
Illinois processes more than 20,000 new and renewed RN applications each year through the IDFPR Online Services portal, and roughly 1 in 4 first-time applications gets flagged for missing documents, wrong fees, or incomplete background disclosures, according to IDFPR’s own processing notes published in Title 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1300. A flagged application can stall your start date by 6–12 weeks, which is why getting every box right the first time matters.
Here is what you will learn:
- 🩺 How to choose the right application type — Examination, Endorsement, or Restoration
- 📋 Every document you must gather before you open the portal
- 🖊️ A line-by-line walkthrough of every field, box, and signature block
- 👩⚕️ Three real filer scenarios with filled-in examples
- ⚠️ The 10 mistakes that get applications rejected and how to avoid them
What the IDFPR RN Application Is and Who Must File It
The IDFPR RN License Application is the legal request you submit under the Illinois Nurse Practice Act, 225 ILCS 65/ to be granted a Registered Professional Nurse license. Without an active Illinois RN license number, you cannot accept pay for nursing work in any Illinois hospital, clinic, school, home health agency, or long-term care facility. The license is issued by IDFPR’s Division of Professional Regulation and is governed day-to-day by the rules in Title 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1300.
Three groups of nurses must file this application. First, new graduates of an approved nursing program who plan to take or have taken the NCLEX-RN through Pearson VUE. Second, RNs already licensed in another U.S. state or territory who want an Illinois license by endorsement. Third, nurses whose Illinois license has lapsed, expired, or been placed on inactive status and who need restoration to get back to work.
Illinois is not a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) as of 2026, so a multistate license from another compact state does not let you work in Illinois. You must hold a single-state Illinois license issued by IDFPR. International nurses educated outside the U.S. or Canada must also submit a CGFNS Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) Professional Report before IDFPR will review their file.
The form has a revision date printed in the lower-left corner. As of 2026, IDFPR uses the Form Rev. 01/2025 version for paper applications and a parallel online version inside the portal. Always confirm you are on the latest revision before you start; old PDFs floating around online still ask for fields IDFPR no longer accepts.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Open every document below before you log in or open the PDF. The portal times out after 30 minutes of inactivity, and a missing document is the single most common reason applications get returned. Gathering these in advance turns a 3-hour scramble into a 30-minute filing.
- Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport) — IDFPR uses this to confirm identity and match it to your fingerprint Livescan record. Missing IDs trigger a “proof of identity” hold.
- Social Security number — required by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services for child-support enforcement under 305 ILCS 5/10-17.7. No SSN means no license unless you qualify for an ITIN affidavit exception.
- Official nursing program transcript — must be sent directly from your school’s registrar to IDFPR. A transcript you carry in by hand is rejected as unofficial.
- NCLEX-RN registration confirmation from Pearson VUE — your ATT (Authorization to Test) email or your NCLEX result report.
- Fingerprint Livescan receipt — issued by an Illinois State Police-approved Livescan vendor. The receipt must show the IDFPR ORI number and the date of the scan.
- Verification of licensure from every other state — ordered through Nursys.com for endorsement filers. Nursys sends the verification directly to IDFPR.
- CGFNS CES Professional Report — required for graduates of foreign nursing programs.
- Name-change documentation — certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order if your current legal name differs from the name on your transcript.
- Application fee payment method — credit card, debit card, or e-check inside the portal; cashier’s check or money order if filing on paper.
- Military or veteran documentation (if applicable) — DD-214 to qualify for the Illinois military fee waiver under the Illinois Service Member Civil Relief Act.
If any one of these is missing the day you file, stop and gather it first. Submitting an incomplete file just creates a deficiency letter that adds 6–8 weeks of delay.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The fastest and IDFPR-preferred channel is the IDFPR Online Services portal, which walks you through the same fields the paper form uses but with built-in error checks. New users must first create a portal account using a personal email address — never a school or work email, because those addresses break when you graduate or change jobs.
The paper application packet is still available for filers who cannot use the portal, such as international applicants without a U.S. mailing address at the time of filing. Download the RN by Examination application packet or the RN by Endorsement application packet directly from the IDFPR forms page. Print the packet single-sided on standard 8.5×11 white paper; double-sided submissions are sometimes scanned incorrectly and lose pages.
If you are an RN restoring a lapsed Illinois license, use the Restoration application instead of the new-license packet. Restoration filers also complete a Continued Competency affidavit, which is a separate page IDFPR adds to the packet.
The form is free to download. The fee is paid only when you submit. Confirm the revision date in the lower-left corner of every page matches the current revision listed on the IDFPR forms page. If you start an application on an outdated PDF, IDFPR will reject the entire file and you will start over.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Illinois RN License Application Line by Line
The application is divided into a personal information section, an education section, an examination or endorsement section, a background and fitness section, the fee section, and the signature/affidavit. Each H3 below covers one field with the exact label printed on the IDFPR form.
Section 1, Box 1: Application Type
This box asks which kind of RN license you are seeking. You will see three checkboxes: Examination, Endorsement, and Restoration.
Check exactly one box. New graduates who have not yet held an RN license anywhere check Examination. Nurses already licensed in another U.S. state check Endorsement. Nurses whose Illinois license expired check Restoration.
For example, Maria Lopez, a May 2026 BSN graduate of University of Illinois Chicago, checks Examination because she has never held an RN license before.
A common edge case is the dual filer — a new graduate who also holds a foreign nursing license. That filer still checks Examination, not Endorsement, because endorsement is reserved for U.S. state-issued RN licenses.
The most common mistake is checking two boxes “to be safe.” IDFPR’s intake system reads multi-checked applications as ambiguous and routes them to manual review, adding 4–6 weeks.
A misconception is that endorsement is faster than examination. It is not always; endorsement still requires Nursys verification from every prior state, which can take 2–3 weeks per state.
Section 1, Box 2: Full Legal Name
This box asks for your full legal name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. The form prints three subfields: Last Name, First Name, Middle Name.
Type or print one letter per box if filing on paper. Do not use nicknames, initials only, or hyphenated combinations that do not appear on your SSA record. Use all capital letters if filing on paper for legibility.
For example, Maria Elena Lopez writes LOPEZ in Last Name, MARIA in First Name, and ELENA in Middle Name.
The edge case is a recent name change. If your transcript shows your maiden name but your SSA record now shows your married name, file the application under your current SSA name and attach a certified marriage certificate as a name-change document.
A common mistake is dropping a hyphen or a second last name. If your SSA card reads GARCIA-LOPEZ and you write only LOPEZ, IDFPR will return your file because the SSA cross-check fails.
A misconception is that you can use your “professional name.” Illinois only issues licenses in your legal SSA name; you can list a preferred name later, but the license itself must match SSA.
Section 1, Box 3: Other Names Used
This box asks whether you have ever been known by another name — maiden name, prior married name, or court-ordered legal change.
List every other legal name you have used since age 18. Use the format LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME MIDDLE for each prior name. Add a continuation sheet if you need more space.
For example, Janet Williams, who was previously Janet Carter, writes CARTER, JANET MARIE in this box.
The edge case is a religious or cultural name change without a court order. Illinois still wants it listed, with a brief explanation on a continuation sheet.
The mistake here is leaving the box blank “because nothing changed.” If your transcript was issued under a maiden name, the registrar’s verification will not match the application — and IDFPR will hold your file.
The misconception is that only court-ordered changes count. Any name you have legally used for school records, prior licenses, or employment must be disclosed.
Section 1, Box 4: Date of Birth
This field uses MM/DD/YYYY format with no dashes inside the boxes.
Enter your date of birth exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID. Do not use a school or work record DOB if it differs from your ID.
For example, Maria Lopez writes 03/14/2002.
The edge case is a passport that uses DD/MM/YYYY format from another country. Convert to U.S. MM/DD/YYYY before entering.
The mistake is transposing month and day. A nurse born March 14 who writes 14/03/2002 will mismatch the fingerprint background check.
The misconception is that DOB is a low-risk field. It is not; the Illinois State Police fingerprint database matches DOB to fingerprint records, and a one-digit error blocks the criminal-history return.
Section 1, Box 5: Social Security Number
This box asks for your nine-digit SSN in the format XXX-XX-XXXX.
Enter the number exactly as printed on your Social Security card. Do not enter an ITIN here; ITIN filers must complete the separate ITIN affidavit and skip this box.
For example, Marcus Johnson writes 123-45-6789.
The edge case is a recent SSN issuance — internationally educated nurses often receive their SSN within weeks of arrival. Wait for the physical card before filing; the SSA verification system needs 7–10 days after issuance to recognize a new number.
The mistake is entering a tax-ID or driver’s-license number in this box. IDFPR rejects the file outright if the number does not validate as an SSN.
The misconception is that SSN disclosure is optional. It is mandatory under 305 ILCS 5/10-17.7 unless you qualify for the ITIN exception.
Section 1, Box 6: Mailing Address
This box collects the address where IDFPR will mail your wall certificate and any deficiency letters.
Enter a U.S. street address, apartment or unit number, city, state, and ZIP+4 if known. P.O. boxes are accepted only if paired with a separate physical address on the next line.
For example, Maria Lopez writes 1234 W TAYLOR ST APT 5B, CHICAGO, IL 60607-1234.
The edge case is a filer in transition between addresses. Use the address where you will reliably receive mail for the next 90 days; a missed deficiency letter often means the application is closed.
The mistake is using a school dorm address that closes for the summer. Many May graduates lose their license certificate this way.
The misconception is that the address has to match your driver’s license. It does not, but it must be one where you will actually receive USPS mail.
Section 1, Box 7: Email Address and Phone
This field captures the email IDFPR uses for portal notifications and the phone number for urgent contacts.
Use a personal Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, or other long-term address — never a school .edu address that expires. Enter your phone with area code in the format (XXX) XXX-XXXX.
For example, Maria Lopez writes maria.e.lopez@gmail.com and (312) 555-0143.
The edge case is a shared family email. Use your own; license updates are confidential and IDFPR’s notices include personal information.
The mistake is using a workplace email at a hospital you have not yet started at. If onboarding falls through, you lose access and miss IDFPR notices.
The misconception is that IDFPR mails everything. It does not; most updates now arrive only by portal email.
Section 2, Box 8: Nursing Program Attended
This block asks for the name of the nursing program that issued your degree or diploma, the city and state, and the date your degree was conferred.
Enter the school’s official legal name as printed on your diploma. Use the date the degree was officially conferred — not the date of your last class or graduation ceremony.
For example, Maria Lopez writes University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing, Chicago, IL, Degree Conferred 05/10/2026.
The edge case is a program with multiple campuses. List the specific campus where you completed clinicals, because that is the campus the registrar will verify.
The mistake is entering the conferral date one day off. The registrar’s verification must match exactly.
The misconception is that the school’s nickname is acceptable. UIC is not the legal name; University of Illinois Chicago is.
Section 2, Box 9: Degree or Diploma Type
This field asks which credential you earned: Diploma, Associate Degree (ADN), Bachelor’s Degree (BSN), or Master’s Entry (MSN).
Check exactly one box. The credential must match what your registrar will report on the official transcript.
For example, Marcus Johnson, who graduated from Triton College with an ADN, checks Associate Degree (ADN).
The edge case is a direct-entry MSN. Check Master’s Entry and attach a brief explanation if your program is non-traditional.
The mistake is checking BSN when the actual degree is a BS in Nursing Sciences (a non-licensure degree). Verify the exact title on your diploma.
The misconception is that any nursing-related degree qualifies. Only programs approved by the Illinois Board of Nursing or another state board qualify.
Section 3, Box 10: NCLEX-RN Examination
This block asks whether you have registered for or taken the NCLEX-RN, and the date and state of your testing.
Examination applicants check Yes — registered through Pearson VUE and enter the ATT date. If you have already passed, enter the test date and state. Endorsement filers enter the date and state where they originally passed.
For example, Maria Lopez writes Registered with Pearson VUE on 05/15/2026, scheduled test date 06/12/2026, Illinois.
The edge case is a repeat tester who failed on a first attempt in another state. List both attempts; IDFPR has access to Pearson VUE’s national database.
The mistake is filing the IDFPR application before registering with Pearson VUE. Illinois requires the IDFPR application first, then Pearson VUE registration, then ATT issuance.
The misconception is that passing NCLEX automatically grants a license. It does not; IDFPR must still verify all other documents.
Section 4, Box 11: Endorsement States
Endorsement filers list every U.S. state or territory where they have ever held a nursing license, with license numbers and issue dates.
Enter every state, even if the license is now expired or inactive. Order Nursys verifications for each state at Nursys.com the same day you submit the application.
For example, Janet Williams writes Florida RN9876543, issued 06/01/2018, active; and Georgia RN1122334, issued 09/15/2015, lapsed 09/14/2017.
The edge case is a compact multistate license from a former NLC home state. List the home state and note “multistate privilege” in the margin.
The mistake is omitting a lapsed license. IDFPR’s national lookup will find it, and undisclosed licenses trigger a fitness-to-practice review.
The misconception is that only active licenses must be reported. Every license, active or not, must be listed.
Section 5, Box 12: Background and Fitness Disclosures
This is the most consequential block on the form. It asks a series of yes/no questions about criminal history, prior discipline, substance use treatment, and fitness to practice.
Read each question slowly. Check Yes for any conviction, plea of guilty or no-contest, or pending charge — even if the record was later sealed, expunged, or set aside. Attach a written explanation, certified court documents, and a personal statement for every Yes.
For example, Marcus Johnson, who pled guilty to a misdemeanor DUI in 2019, checks Yes on the criminal-history question and attaches the certified disposition from Cook County Circuit Court plus a one-page personal explanation.
The edge case is a juvenile adjudication. Most juvenile records do not need to be disclosed, but read the question carefully — some questions specifically include juvenile findings.
The mistake is checking No because the record was expunged. Illinois requires disclosure regardless of expungement under 225 ILCS 65/70-5; failing to disclose is itself grounds to deny the license.
The misconception is that minor offenses do not matter. They matter; what matters more is honesty. IDFPR rarely denies for old minor offenses but routinely denies for non-disclosure.
Section 6, Box 13: Fingerprint Livescan
This box collects the Transaction Control Number (TCN) and date from your Illinois State Police-approved Livescan vendor.
Get fingerprinted at an ISP-approved Livescan vendor within 60 days before you submit the application. Enter the TCN from your receipt and the date of the scan.
For example, Maria Lopez writes TCN 2026A1B2C3D4E5, scanned 05/20/2026 at Accurate Biometrics, 500 W Madison, Chicago.
The edge case is an out-of-state filer who cannot easily reach an Illinois Livescan vendor. IDFPR will accept an FD-258 fingerprint card from a local law-enforcement agency for endorsement filers only — not for examination filers.
The mistake is using a non-approved vendor. Only ISP-approved vendors transmit results electronically to IDFPR.
The misconception is that fingerprints are valid forever. The Livescan is valid only 60 days; expired scans require a re-print and a new fee.
Section 7, Box 14: Application Fee
This block lists the fee due and accepts your payment method.
The fee for RN by Examination is $75, and RN by Endorsement is $50 as set in Title 68 Ill. Adm. Code §1300.50. Pay by credit/debit card or e-check inside the portal, or by cashier’s check or money order made payable to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on paper.
For example, Maria Lopez pays $75 by Visa inside the portal at the time of submission.
The edge case is a returned e-check. IDFPR adds a $25 returned-payment fee and may close the file if the bounced fee is not cured within 30 days.
The mistake is paying the Pearson VUE NCLEX fee ($200) and assuming it covers IDFPR. It does not; the two fees are separate.
The misconception is that veterans pay nothing. Veterans qualify for the military fee waiver, but they must still attach a DD-214; the waiver is not automatic.
Section 8, Box 15: Affidavit and Signature
This is the sworn statement at the end of the application certifying that everything you wrote is true.
Read the affidavit text fully before signing. Sign and date in blue or black ink on paper, or by typed e-signature in the portal. The portal requires re-entry of your password as the e-signature.
For example, Maria Lopez signs Maria Elena Lopez and dates 05/22/2026.
The edge case is a power-of-attorney signature. Illinois does not accept POA signatures on professional license applications; the applicant must sign personally.
The mistake is signing in pencil or with a digital scribble image. Both are rejected.
The misconception is that the affidavit is a formality. It is not; signing a false affidavit is perjury under 720 ILCS 5/32-2 and grounds for permanent license denial.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Below are three named filers walking through the application end-to-end. Each table follows the form section by section.
Scenario 1 — Maria Lopez, May 2026 BSN Graduate, Examination Filer
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Application Type | Examination |
| Full Legal Name | LOPEZ, MARIA ELENA |
| Other Names Used | None |
| Date of Birth | 03/14/2002 |
| SSN | 123-45-6789 |
| Mailing Address | 1234 W TAYLOR ST APT 5B, CHICAGO, IL 60607 |
| Nursing Program | University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing, BSN, conferred 05/10/2026 |
| NCLEX-RN | Registered with Pearson VUE 05/15/2026, scheduled 06/12/2026 |
| Background Disclosures | No to all |
| Fingerprint TCN | 2026A1B2C3D4E5, scanned 05/20/2026 |
| Fee Paid | $75 by Visa |
| Signature | Maria Elena Lopez, 05/22/2026 |
Scenario 2 — Janet Williams, Florida RN of 8 Years, Endorsement Filer
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Application Type | Endorsement |
| Full Legal Name | WILLIAMS, JANET MARIE |
| Other Names Used | CARTER, JANET MARIE (maiden) |
| Date of Birth | 11/02/1985 |
| SSN | 987-65-4321 |
| Mailing Address | 742 N LAKE ST, OAK PARK, IL 60301 |
| Nursing Program | University of Florida College of Nursing, BSN, conferred 05/04/2018 |
| Endorsement States | Florida RN9876543, active; Georgia RN1122334, lapsed |
| Background Disclosures | No to all |
| Nursys Verification | Ordered 05/22/2026 from FL and GA |
| Fee Paid | $50 by e-check |
| Signature | Janet Marie Williams, 05/22/2026 |
Scenario 3 — Aisha Mensah, Ghana-Educated Nurse, Examination Filer with CGFNS
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| Application Type | Examination |
| Full Legal Name | MENSAH, AISHA AKOSUA |
| Other Names Used | None |
| Date of Birth | 07/19/1994 |
| SSN | 555-44-3333 (issued 04/2026) |
| Mailing Address | 5500 S CORNELL AVE APT 12, CHICAGO, IL 60637 |
| Nursing Program | University of Ghana School of Nursing, BSc Nursing, conferred 06/30/2017 |
| CGFNS CES Report | Sent directly from CGFNS to IDFPR 05/01/2026 |
| English Proficiency | TOEFL iBT 102, sent 04/15/2026 |
| Background Disclosures | No to all |
| Fingerprint TCN | 2026Z9Y8X7W6V5, scanned 05/18/2026 |
| Fee Paid | $75 by Mastercard |
| Signature | Aisha Akosua Mensah, 05/22/2026 |
How to File the Completed Form
You can file the Illinois RN application through three channels: online, by mail, or in person at a designated IDFPR office. The fastest channel is online by a wide margin.
Online portal. Submit through online-dfpr.micropact.com. Pay $75 (Examination) or $50 (Endorsement) by credit/debit card or e-check. Processing time is currently 4–6 weeks for clean files. Your proof of filing is the on-screen confirmation page and the email receipt — save both as PDFs.
By mail. Send the printed packet, certified attachments, and a cashier’s check or money order to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, 320 W Washington St, 3rd Floor, Springfield, IL 62786. Use USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt; the green card is your proof of filing. Processing time is currently 8–12 weeks.
In person. IDFPR’s Chicago office at 555 W Monroe St, 5th Floor accepts paper applications at the public counter. Bring a cashier’s check or money order; the counter does not take cash. Get the date-stamped receipt and keep it as your proof of filing.
Whichever channel you choose, save every confirmation, receipt, and tracking number for at least one full renewal cycle. If a document goes missing inside IDFPR’s system, your proof-of-filing is what gets the file reopened without restarting from zero.
What Happens After You File
IDFPR runs three parallel verifications: an internal completeness review, a fingerprint criminal-history check through the Illinois State Police and the FBI, and document verification with your school’s registrar, Nursys, and CGFNS as applicable. The portal status will show Application Received, then Under Review, then either Deficiency or Approved Pending Exam Result.
If your file is complete, examination filers receive their ATT from Pearson VUE within 5–10 business days of IDFPR approval. After you pass NCLEX, IDFPR posts your license number to the License Lookup page within 3–5 business days. Endorsement filers receive their license number once Nursys verifications and the criminal-history check are complete, which usually means 4–8 weeks total.
If IDFPR finds a deficiency, you will receive a letter or portal email listing every missing item. You have 60 days to cure the deficiency or the file is closed and the fee is forfeited. Curing a deficiency through the portal is faster than mail; uploads typically post within 48 hours.
The first license is issued for the period ending May 31 of the next renewal cycle. Illinois RN licenses renew every 2 years on May 31 of even-numbered years and require 20 hours of continuing education per renewal.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Checking two application-type boxes — IDFPR routes to manual review and adds 4–6 weeks.
- Using a school .edu email — the address expires and you miss every IDFPR notice.
- Entering a nickname instead of legal SSA name — SSA cross-check fails and the file is held.
- Omitting a maiden or prior name — registrar verification will not match and the file is held.
- Skipping a Yes on background disclosures — non-disclosure is itself grounds to deny under 225 ILCS 65/70-5.
- Using a non-approved Livescan vendor — fingerprints never reach IDFPR and the file is closed.
- Letting the Livescan expire past 60 days — you must re-print and re-pay.
- Paying only the Pearson VUE fee — you also owe IDFPR’s $75 or $50 fee separately.
- Carrying an unofficial transcript by hand — only registrar-sealed transcripts are accepted.
- Filing on an outdated form revision — IDFPR rejects the entire packet.
- Forgetting to order Nursys for endorsement — the file stalls until verifications arrive.
- Signing the affidavit with a digital scribble image — IDFPR rejects non-original signatures.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Do confirm your form revision date matches the current revision listed on IDFPR’s forms page.
- Do use a personal email you will keep for the next 5 years.
- Do disclose every name, license, and conviction, even sealed ones, to avoid non-disclosure findings.
- Do save every confirmation page and certified-mail receipt as your proof of filing.
- Do order Nursys verification the same day you file your endorsement application.
- Do check the portal weekly — deficiency notices give you only 60 days.
- Don’t file on a school dorm address that closes for summer.
- Don’t check two application-type boxes “to be safe.”
- Don’t use Wite-Out or pencil on the paper packet.
- Don’t submit a Livescan older than 60 days.
- Don’t assume NCLEX registration replaces the IDFPR application — it does not.
- Don’t ignore a deficiency letter; you have 60 days before the file closes and the fee is lost.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Most filers complete this application without a lawyer or service. A small group — primarily filers with criminal history, foreign credentials, or prior discipline — benefit from professional help.
Pros of filing on your own. You save the $300–$1,500 a license-application service charges. You learn the system, which helps later at renewal. You control the timeline directly. You avoid handing your SSN and DOB to a third party. You can ask IDFPR’s call center directly at the licensure phone line.
Cons of filing on your own. You may miss a nuance on background disclosures. You may underestimate Nursys timing. You may submit on the wrong revision. You may not know about the military or veteran fee waiver. You may not catch a registrar’s typo before it triggers a hold.
Pros of filing with a licensure attorney or service. They know the field-level pitfalls cold. They draft the personal-history statement that accompanies a Yes disclosure. They follow up with IDFPR weekly. They know when to escalate to the Illinois Board of Nursing. They protect you if a fitness-to-practice review opens.
Cons of filing with help. It costs money. Some services are out-of-state mills that do not know Illinois quirks. Document hand-offs add their own delays. Your private records pass through more hands. You still sign personally, so you still own every answer.
RN by Examination vs. RN by Endorsement at a Glance
| Feature | Examination vs. Endorsement |
|---|---|
| Filer type | New graduate (Examination) vs. RN already licensed elsewhere (Endorsement) |
| Fee | $75 (Examination) vs. $50 (Endorsement) |
| Pearson VUE NCLEX | Required (Examination) vs. Not required again (Endorsement) |
| Nursys verification | Not required (Examination) vs. Required from every prior state (Endorsement) |
| CGFNS CES | Required if foreign-educated (Examination) vs. Not required if endorsing from another U.S. state (Endorsement) |
| Typical processing time | 4–6 weeks plus NCLEX (Examination) vs. 4–8 weeks total (Endorsement) |
| Temporary practice permit | Not available pre-NCLEX (Examination) vs. Available for up to 3 months under 225 ILCS 65/55-15 (Endorsement) |
FAQs
Is the IDFPR RN application different from NCLEX registration?
Yes. The IDFPR application is your license request to Illinois. NCLEX registration with Pearson VUE is the test booking. You file IDFPR first, then Pearson VUE, then receive your ATT.
Can I work in Illinois on a multistate compact license?
No. Illinois is not an NLC member as of 2026. You must hold a single-state Illinois RN license issued by IDFPR before working in Illinois.
Do I write my maiden name or married name in the Full Legal Name box?
Yes — write the name currently on your Social Security card. Put your maiden name in the Other Names Used box and attach a certified marriage certificate.
Must I disclose an expunged misdemeanor in Box 12?
Yes. Illinois requires disclosure of every conviction, plea, or pending charge regardless of expungement, sealing, or set-aside, under the Nurse Practice Act.
Does the Livescan fingerprint expire?
Yes. The Livescan is valid for only 60 days before submission. After that, you must re-print at an ISP-approved vendor and pay the vendor fee again.
Is the Pearson VUE $200 NCLEX fee included in the $75 IDFPR fee?
No. The two fees are separate. You pay IDFPR $75 directly and Pearson VUE $200 separately when you register for NCLEX.
Can I use a P.O. Box in the Mailing Address box?
Yes, if you also list a physical street address on the next line. IDFPR uses the physical address to confirm Illinois residency for fee-waiver eligibility.
Do I need to send my transcript myself?
No. Your school’s registrar must send the official sealed transcript directly to IDFPR. A transcript you carry in person is treated as unofficial and rejected.
Can I sign the affidavit electronically in the portal?
Yes. The portal accepts a typed-name e-signature confirmed by re-entry of your account password. Paper filers must sign in blue or black ink only.
Is the IDFPR fee waived for veterans?
Yes, for veterans within the eligibility window. Attach a DD-214 and complete the military fee waiver request; the waiver is not applied automatically.
Can my employer file the application for me?
No. The applicant must file personally. Illinois does not accept power-of-attorney signatures on professional license applications.
How long does the license stay valid?
Yes, it is time-limited — Illinois RN licenses are valid until May 31 of the next even-numbered year and require 20 hours of continuing education to renew.
Do I list a license that lapsed 10 years ago in another state?
Yes. Every prior license, active or lapsed, must be listed in the endorsement section. IDFPR’s national lookup will find it, and undisclosed licenses trigger fitness review.
Can I start working before my license number is posted?
No for examination filers. Endorsement filers may apply for a temporary practice permit valid up to 3 months under 225 ILCS 65/55-15.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out Illinois IDFPR APRN License Application (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois IDFPR LCSW License Application (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois IDFPR LPN License Application (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois IDFPR Medical License Application + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois IDFPR Pharmacist License Application + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois IDFPR Veterinarian License Application + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Florida Medical License Application (MD) (w/Examples) + FAQs