Nursing License from Illinois to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: District of Columbia Board of Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from Illinois to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Nursing, verify your Illinois license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; official verification of your original NCLEX-based licensure is submitted through Nursys.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither Illinois nor District of Columbia participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so this is a classic endorsement move: District of Columbia's board verifies the license you already hold and issues its own. Nothing about Illinois speeds it up or slows it down — the timeline below is District of Columbia's standard out-of-state queue.
What changes, Illinois → District of Columbia
| Illinois (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $50–$75 ($50 non-refundable endorsement fee, or $75 with the optional 6-month temporary permit (+$25); fingerprint fee paid separately to a licensed livescan vendor) | $280 (combined application + criminal background check fee, Visa/MasterCard only; + $30 Nursys verification fee) |
| Processing time | no processing range stated in IDFPR application materials | ~6 weeks (board asks applicants to allow 30 business days after applying before checking application status) |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Board of Nursing) | District of Columbia Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the District of Columbia Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal background check through Fieldprint (appointment scheduled after paying the application fee).
- Official verification from your original state of licensure via Nursys (email verification for non-participating boards).
- Hold a current RN license and be continuously in good standing in every jurisdiction where you hold or have held a license.
- Original licensure must have been based on passing the NCLEX-RN or the State Board Test Pool Examination.
- Upload a US government-issued photo ID and a 2x2 front-facing photo on a white background.
- Pay the fees ($280 (combined application + criminal background check fee, Visa/MasterCard only; + $30 Nursys verification fee)) and allow ~6 weeks (board asks applicants to allow 30 business days after applying before checking application status).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does District of Columbia accept a Illinois nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from Illinois to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Nursing, verify your Illinois license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; official verification of your original NCLEX-based licensure is submitted through Nursys.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Illinois to District of Columbia?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; official verification of your original NCLEX-based licensure is submitted through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
$280 (combined application + criminal background check fee, Visa/MasterCard only; + $30 Nursys verification fee) (combined application + criminal background check fee, Visa/MasterCard only; + $30 Nursys verification fee).
How long will it take?
~6 weeks (board asks applicants to allow 30 business days after applying before checking application status) — board asks applicants to allow 30 business days after applying before checking application status.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- DC Health — RN Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DC Board of Nursing — Registered Nurse Endorsement Requirements (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — Registered Nurse Instruction Sheet (Examination/Endorsement/Restoration), rev. 4/24 ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — Nurses profession page ↗ (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]