In Illinois, RN licences come from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) and the exam application runs through its testing vendor, Continental Testing Services (CTS, US$98). You apply to IDFPR first, get an approval letter with an ID number, apply with CTS, register with Pearson VUE, and the ATT follows. Fingerprints must be taken within 60 days before you apply and the application stays alive for three years. Illinois is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact.
✓ Checked against IDFPR's official pages on October 7, 2026
At a glance
RegulatorIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Board of Nursing
ExamNCLEX-RN, through Pearson VUE (US$200); exam application through Continental Testing Services (US$98)
FingerprintsIllinois-licensed Live Scan vendor, within 60 days before applying
Application life3 years; after that a new application plus an NCLEX review course
CompactNo: single-state licences only
Licence expiryMay 31 of every even-numbered year, whatever the issue date
The steps, in order (graduates of a Illinois program)
Tick each step as you finish it; your progress is saved on this device.
8 steps
If you were educated outside the United States
The exam is the same; the path to being allowed to write it is longer. These are the extra steps.
4 steps
Documents to have ready
Fingerprint receipt with TCN from an Illinois-licensed Live Scan vendor, taken within 60 days before applying (form OOS-FP for out-of-state residents)
Certification of education (ED-NUR form signed and sealed by your dean or director) or official transcript with school seal
IDFPR Examination Approval Letter with your ID number (for the CTS application)
CTS application and US$98 fee; Pearson VUE registration and US$200 fee
Social Security number or SSN affidavit
International graduates: credentials evaluation report from an approved agency, English test certification, notarized translations
Fees
Examination application (Continental Testing Services)paid to CTS by card; non-refundable
US$98
NCLEX-RN registration (Pearson VUE)per attempt, non-refundable. US$350 from Feb 1, 2027.
US$200
Live Scan fingerprintingpaid to the licensed vendor
varies
Endorsement from another stateUS$75 with the temporary nursing permit
US$50
Temporary nursing permit (endorsement applicants)six months; not for first-time exam candidates
US$25
How long it takes
Fingerprints: within 60 days before the application date.
IDFPR review: allow 10 business days for the Examination Approval Letter.
ATT: 180 days to schedule and test (CTS instructions); the dates on your ATT govern; no extensions.
Official results: 7 to 10 days after the exam.
Retake every 46 days within the three-year application life.
Licences expire May 31 of even-numbered years.
Mistakes that cost people time or money
Order of operations matters: fingerprints, then IDFPR, then CTS with the ID number, then Pearson VUE. CTS applications without the IDFPR ID stall.
Time your fingerprints: a receipt older than 60 days on the day you apply means paying for new prints.
Illinois has no graduate permit for new graduates, so negotiate a start date after your result, not after graduation.
Passing late in an odd-numbered year means renewing within months; the May 31 even-year expiry does not move.
Questions people ask about Illinois
How do I register for the NCLEX in Illinois?
Get fingerprinted by an Illinois-licensed Live Scan vendor within 60 days before applying, apply to IDFPR for the Registered Nurse licence by examination and wait about 10 business days for the Examination Approval Letter, then apply with Continental Testing Services (US$98) using the ID number in that letter and register with Pearson VUE (US$200). Once both are in, Pearson VUE emails the Authorization to Test.
How much does an Illinois RN licence cost?
US$98 to Continental Testing Services for the exam application, US$200 to Pearson VUE and the Live Scan vendor's fee. Nurses endorsing from another state pay US$50, or US$75 with a temporary permit.
Can I work in Illinois before I pass the NCLEX-RN?
No. Illinois' temporary nursing permit (US$25, six months) is for nurses already licensed in another state who are applying by endorsement, not for first-time exam candidates.
Is Illinois a compact state?
No. Illinois issues single-state licences only; a multistate licence from another state does not allow practice in Illinois without an Illinois licence by endorsement.
How many times can I take the NCLEX-RN in Illinois?
Once every 46 days, as often as needed within three years of your original IDFPR application, paying CTS and Pearson VUE each time. After three years without a pass you reapply with a new transcript, new fingerprints and proof of an NCLEX review course.
How long is the Illinois ATT valid?
CTS's current instructions give 180 days to schedule and take the exam with no extensions (an older IDFPR packet says 90). The validity dates printed on your own ATT are the ones that count, and the three-year application life supersedes them.
Official links and sources
Rules and fees change. Everything on this page was read on IDFPR's and NCSBN's own pages on October 7, 2026; when a detail matters to you, confirm it there:
This guide explains the process; it is not legal or immigration advice. Decisions about your eligibility are made by Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
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