Illinois
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in Illinois without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Admission on motion available. Licensed in highest court of any US state 3+ yrs; active continuous lawful practice 3 of preceding 5 yrs (min 80 hrs/month, 1,000 hrs/yr during 36 of 60 months); MPRE required if licensed <15 yrs (passed in IL or elsewhere); character & fitness certification; good standing in all jurisdictions; fee $1,500 total ($150 preliminary questionnaire + $1,350 application)
Does Illinois accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
Accepted by transferred UBE score deemed passing by Board; score must be from same jurisdiction/administration within 4 years preceding application; transfer valid 4 years from application; no numeric minimum score stated
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in Illinois state courts?
Local counsel: Yes. Appearance of active Illinois attorney associated in the proceeding; must participate actively. (ARDC FAQ page silent; Rule text controls) Fee: $250 per proceeding (nonrefundable; ARDC retains $75, $175 to access-to-justice) plus $121 annual ARDC registration; exemptions for public defenders, legal aid, DOJ
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- Licensed in highest court of any US state 3+ yrs; active continuous lawful practice 3 of preceding 5 yrs (min 80 hrs/month, 1,000 hrs/yr during 36 of 60 months); MPRE required if licensed <15 yrs (passed in IL or elsewhere); character & fitness certification; good standing in all jurisdictions; fee $1,500 total ($150 preliminary questionnaire + $1,350 application)
- Years of practice
- Licensed at least 3 years; active, continuous practice for 3 of 5 years (36 of 60 months) with minimum 80 hours per month and 1,000 hours per year
- Reciprocity
- No reciprocity requirement found; practice must be physically outside Illinois and in a jurisdiction where licensed (or where UPL is permitted by rule/statute)
- Reciprocity states
- Not applicable: no reciprocity
- Fee
- $1,500 total ($150 Preliminary Questionnaire + $1,350 application)
- Rule
- Ill. S. Ct. Rule 705
- UBE score transfer
- Accepted by transferred UBE score deemed passing by Board; score must be from same jurisdiction/administration within 4 years preceding application; transfer valid 4 years from application; no numeric minimum score stated
- UBE score window
- within the four years immediately preceding the date the application is properly submitted
- MPRE
- Required for applicants licensed fewer than 15 years; no passing score stated
- Other routes
- Limited admission in-house counsel (Rule 716); military spouse attorneys (Rule 719); legal services/other not checked
- Foreign attorneys
- Yes - foreign legal consultants may be licensed without examination under Rule 712
- Military spouse
- Yes - admission of military spouse attorneys from other jurisdictions under Rule 719
1 not found in the pulled documents
- UBE minimum
- Not in the pulled documents
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- Ill. S. Ct. Rule 707
- Local counsel
- Yes. Appearance of active Illinois attorney associated in the proceeding; must participate actively. (ARDC FAQ page silent; Rule text controls)
- Limits
- Max 6 Illinois proceedings per calendar year (rule: no more than five other proceedings in the calendar year)
- Fee
- $250 per proceeding (nonrefundable; ARDC retains $75, $175 to access-to-justice) plus $121 annual ARDC registration; exemptions for public defenders, legal aid, DOJ
- Procedure
- Verified Statement per proceeding filed with court and served on ARDC Administrator, Illinois counsel, client, all parties; good-standing letters from each admitting jurisdiction issued within prior 6 months; annual ARDC registration (notice mid-late Jan, register within 30 days); consent to Illinois disciplinary authority
Language from the source documents
13 quoted passages
On motion
has been licensed to practice in the highest court of law in any United States state, territory, or the District of Columbia for no fewer than three yearsilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net
On-motion rule
Admission on motion is authorized and governed by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 705.ilbaradmissions.org
UBE transfer
For all persons transferring a Uniform Bar Examination score, the transferred score is valid for four years from the date of the properly submitted application for admission with a transferred Uniform Bar Examination score.ilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net
Other routes
Article VII Rule # Rule 716 Rule Title Limited Admission of House Counsel Amended June 6, 2025, eff. January 1, 2026 Article VII Rule # Rule 717 Rule Title Limited Admission of Legal Service Program Lawyersillinoiscourts.gov
Pro hac vice rule
Rule 707. Permission for an Out-of-State Attorney to Provide Legal Services in Proceedings in Illinoisilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net
Local counsel
Upon filing pursuant to this rule of a verified Statement by an eligible out -of-state attorney and the filing of an appearance of an active status Illinois attorney associated with the attorney in the proceedingilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net
phv_limits
An out-of-state attorney can enter an appearance in a maximum of six (6) Illinois cases per calendar year.registration.iardc.org
Pro hac vice fee
There is an annual registration fee of $121. This is only paid once each calendar year. Additionally, there is a per proceeding fee of $250. This is assessed for each Verified Statement submitted.registration.iardc.org
On-motion fee
Each applicant for admission to the bar on motion under Rule 705 shall pay a total fee of $1,500, comprising a fee of $150 upon submission of an applicant’s Preliminary Questionnaireilbaradmissions.org
Years of practice
the term “active and continuous” shall mean the person devoted a minimum of 80 hours per month and no fewer than 1,000 hours per year to the practice of law during 36 of the 60 months immediately preceding the application.ilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net
UBE score window
was attained within the four years immediately preceding the date the application for admission in this state is properly submitted.ilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net
Foreign attorneys
Article VII Rule # Rule 712 Rule Title Licensing of Foreign Legal Consultants Without Examinationillinoiscourts.gov
Military spouse
Article VII Rule # Rule 719 Rule Title Admission of Military Spouse Attorneys From Other Jurisdictionsillinoiscourts.gov
Sources
ilbaradmissions.orgregistration.iardc.orgillinoiscourts.govilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.netilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net