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District of Columbialicense portability inIllinois
Moderate Portability — shares 2–3 compacts with home

Illinois

Shared Compacts
2
Universal Recognition
No
Nursing (NLC)
No
Portability
Difficult

License Portability Summary

Illinois shares 2 interstate compacts with District of Columbia: Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact. Some professions can transfer between these states through compact agreements, while others will require separate state licensing. Few compact memberships; NLC legislation has repeatedly failed.

Interstate Compact Memberships

Illinois is a member of 2 compacts: Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact. You share 2 of these with District of Columbia: Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact.

Nursing — Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)

Neither District of Columbia nor Illinois are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact. A separate state nursing license is required.

Teaching License Reciprocity

Teaching license portability from District of Columbia to Illinois: NASDTEC member; accepts out-of-state certificates with endorsement review. Most states participate in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, but specific requirements vary by state and endorsement area.

Professional Engineer (PE) Comity

Illinois supports PE license comity through NCEES. Licensed Professional Engineers from District of Columbia can apply for licensure by comity, which is a streamlined process using your NCEES Record. This typically requires verifying your education, exam passage, and experience meet Illinois's requirements.

Military Spouse License Portability

Expedited processing for military spouses; temporary license available. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), updated December 2024, all states are now required to recognize valid professional licenses from other states for military personnel and their spouses.

Recent Legislative Changes

Counseling Compact legislation failed January 2025; NLC bills introduced.

Official State Licensing Board

For the most current licensing requirements and compact participation details, visit the official Illinois licensing page at https://idfpr.illinois.gov/. Requirements and compact memberships may change as new legislation is enacted.

Illinois Licensing Board: https://idfpr.illinois.gov/
Law last updated: 2025Row last reviewed: May 9, 2026

Interstate compact memberships and universal-recognition laws are updated regularly — always confirm with the destination state's licensing board before relocating or practicing. Coverage varies by profession (nursing, psychology, PT, counseling, engineering, teaching, real estate). Data reflects laws in effect as of early 2026.