Illinois Bar Reciprocity

Illinois’s Admission on Motion: Years of Practice and Qualifying Practice

Requirement	Illinois
Admission on Motion	Yes
Practice Requirement	3 of the past 5 years
Admission on Motion Fee	$1,500
Is the MPRE required?	Yes, if licensed for fewer than 15 years; minimum score of 80

Note: Admission requirements vary by state. Review each state’s page for additional eligibility requirements and conditions.

What Work May Qualify as Practice in Illinois?

Law teaching
Government agency
Military
In-house corporate
Judicial court of record

I’m Licensed in Illinois: Where Can I Apply for Admission on Motion?

Attorneys licensed in Illinois may qualify to apply for admission on motion in:

AL, AK, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DC, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Can Attorneys From Other States Apply for Admission on Motion in Illinois?

Yes. Attorneys licensed in any U.S. state may apply for Illinois admission on motion. It is not limited to attorneys from reciprocal jurisdictions.

Other Illinois Admission on Motion Requirements

Must I have graduated from an ABA-approved law school? Yes
Is Illinois admission on motion based on reciprocity? No
Are attorneys admitted by diploma privilege eligible? Yes
Must I be in good standing? Yes
Is character and fitness review required? Yes
Can I have recently failed the Illinois bar examination? No, applicants who failed an Illinois bar examination within the past 5 years are not eligible for admission on motion.

Illinois UBE Score Transfer Requirements

Illinois accepts qualifying Legacy UBE and NextGen UBE scores earned in other jurisdictions. This pathway is separate from the 3-of-5-year admission-on-motion pathway.

Requirement	Illinois
UBE Score Transfer	Yes
Minimum Legacy UBE Score	266
Maximum UBE Score Age	4 years
NextGen UBE	First accepted for transfer in July 2026; Illinois first administers the NextGen UBE in February 2028
Minimum NextGen Score	620

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my UBE score to Illinois?

Yes. Illinois accepts qualifying Legacy UBE scores of at least 266 and NextGen UBE scores of at least 620. A transferred score cannot be more than 4 years old.

Can I waive into the Illinois Bar?

Yes. Qualified attorneys may be admitted to the Illinois Bar without taking the bar examination if they have practiced law for at least 3 of the past 5 years and meet Illinois’s other admission requirements.

Does Illinois require reciprocity for admission on motion?

No. Illinois does not limit admission on motion to attorneys from reciprocal jurisdictions. Qualified attorneys from any U.S. state, territory, or the District of Columbia may apply.