Illinois Nursing License Renewal: 3 Steps
Is it time to renew your Illinois nursing license? Renewal processes in Illinois are similar to other states, with some key differentiators. To make sure you stay in good professional standing and are legally qualified to practice, it’s important that you get started on your renewal with time to spare.
If you’re a nurse in Illinois, you’re part of an impressive healthcare system that serves more than 12.7 million people. Illinois is also home to colleges and universities with some of the nation’s leading nursing programs, such as University of Illinois – Chicago, Rush University, and Loyola University Chicago.
Read on to learn what steps to take, as well as some useful information about the nursing profession in Illinois. To learn about general nursing regulations in this state, check out our article on the Illinois Nurse Practice Act.
Illinois Nursing Facts
If you’re thinking about moving to Illinois to either pursue a nursing career or advance your education with an additional healthcare degree, here are some valuable facts to know about the state.
Is Illinois part of the nursing licensure compact (NLC)?
No.
How much do nurses in Illinois earn?
- The average CNA salary in Illinois is $43,950 per year.
- The average LPN salary in Illinois is $68,450 per year.
- The average RN salary in Illinois is $91,130 per year.
- The average NP salary in Illinois is $128,880 per year.
How can I contact the Illinois Board of Nursing?
Illinois Board of Nursing Contact Number: 888-473-4858
Website: https://www.idfpr.com/profs/nursing.asp
Illinois Board of Nursing – Chicago
555 West Monroe Street, 5th Floor
Chicago, IL 60661
Springfield physical address:
320 W. Washington Street, 3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62786
Mailing address:
IDFPR/Nursing Unit
320 W. Washington Street, 3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62786
How to Complete Your IL Nursing License Renewal
The steps below outline the process to renew a nursing license in Illinois. Registered nurse license renewal, LPN renewal, and APRN renewals are dictated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). CNA registry status is managed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
If you’re licensed in another state, or you’re not yet licensed, you’ll need to obtain an Illinois RN license or LPN license by way of examination or endorsement to work in Illinois. Review this RN application checklist or LPN application checklist provided by the IDFPR.
Step 1: Determine the Deadline for Renewal
The first step to renew a nursing license in Illinois is knowing when your renewal application is due:
- RNs: May 31 of even-numbered years
- LPNs: January 31 of odd-numbered years
The date when your next renewal is due should be displayed on your nursing license. You’ll be able to renew about two to three months before the deadline.
You can also check to see if your license is up for renewals by visiting the IDFPR’s online license renewal page. Note that if you visit the IDFPR site outside of the renewal period, you won’t see a link with your license on the site. If this is your first time renewing in Illinois, check out this handy explainer for setting up an individual account on the IDFPR online portal.
Looking for info on Illinois CNA renewal? Certified nursing assistants must maintain their spot on the healthcare worker registry. Here, your employers will be able to update your work history, and as long as you meet the work requirement, there is no renewal process for CNAs.
Step 2: Satisfy Illinois Nursing License Renewal Requirements
Your nursing education is ongoing. To ensure you’re up to date on the latest developments in healthcare and patient issues, you must complete state-specific continuing education requirements.
In order to renew a nursing license in Illinois, the following requirements must be met during each licensing period:
- RN and LPN license renewal: Illinois requires 20 hours of approved continuing education per two-year license renewal cycle.
- APRN license renewal: Illinois requires 80 hours of approved continuing education per two-year license renewal cycle.
To keep your CNA certification active, you must work at least one eight-hour shift in 24 months. You must be paid for providing nursing-related services under the supervision of a licensed nurse. If your registry status has lapsed, you can also recertify.
Need to earn more contact hours to satisfy your continuing competency requirements for Illinois license renewal? You can access a variety of courses at IntelyEdu, which is accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Step 3: File Your Renewal Application
Go to the IDFPR site within the renewal period and find the link for nursing renewals in order to submit your application. Remember, if you visit the site during a time that is not within the renewal period, there will be no nursing renewal links visible on the site. Alongside your renewal application, you’ll need to submit a fee specific to your license type.
To verify that your Illinois nursing license renewal has been completed, check your status by visiting the IDFPR online services portal. It will take approximately two to four days for your information to be added to the system. You should also be able to find your public Illinois nursing license. Look up your credentials on the Illinois License Search page to do so.
And that’s it! After your renewal is processed, you can begin looking for nursing jobs by title:
Spotlight on Chicago Nursing Jobs
The Chicago metropolitan area is the third-largest in the country for employment of registered nurses. It’s also among the top cities to live in as a nurse. But Chicago isn’t the only city that needs nurses in Illinois. Search for nursing roles in these other cities and suburbs:
Illinois Employers Are Hiring Now
Looking for a specific facility or employer? Check out roles in the following healthcare facilities in Illinois:
- Ascension
- Advocate Aurora Health
- Endeavor Health
- Loyola University Health System (part of Trinity Health)
- Northwestern Medical Group
- OSF HealthCare
- Rush University Medical Center
- UChicago Medicine
- State of Illinois
Find Your Next Nursing Job in Illinois
Now that you know all about Illinois nursing license renewal, it’s time to seek out great job opportunities. We can help you find nursing positions in Illinois and beyond. Get started right now.
Latest Jobs
Error: Failed to parse RSS: String could not be parsed as XML