State rules · IL

Illinois: who may do what, and how to check a license

License lookups for the boards that cover spa and med spa treatments in Illinois, and what official sources say on five questions — each with its source and the date we checked.

4 official sources on 4 of 5 topics · 4 boards · 1 official lookup site · checked Sep 14, 2026

These are research summaries of official sources, checked on the dates shown. They are not legal advice, rules change, and the linked source controls. City and other municipal rules, including a local business license or zoning, can also apply. This page is the state board only. Confirm with the board.

How to check a license in Illinois

Ask the person treating you for their license type and number, then search the board that issued it. A title like “injector” or “specialist” isn’t a license type, so a board lookup won’t list it.

Medical board

Illinois State Medical Board (IDFPR)

Official lookup (opens the board’s site)Board’s website

When we checked on Sep 14, 2026, we couldn’t fully confirm this lookup — a page blocked our check or didn’t fully load. It may work fine; the board’s own site is where to confirm.

Checked Sep 14, 2026

Nursing board

IDFPR Board of Nursing

Official lookup (opens the board’s site)Board’s website

When we checked on Sep 14, 2026, we couldn’t fully confirm this lookup — a page blocked our check or didn’t fully load. It may work fine; the board’s own site is where to confirm.

Checked Sep 14, 2026

Cosmetology & esthetics board

Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics and Nail Technology Board (IDFPR)

Official lookup (opens the board’s site)Board’s website

When we checked on Sep 14, 2026, we couldn’t fully confirm this lookup — a page blocked our check or didn’t fully load. It may work fine; the board’s own site is where to confirm.

Checked Sep 14, 2026

State license lookup (several boards)

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) License Look Up

Official lookup (opens the board’s site)Board’s website

When we checked on Sep 14, 2026, we couldn’t fully confirm this lookup — a page blocked our check or didn’t fully load. It may work fine; the board’s own site is where to confirm.

Checked Sep 14, 2026

What to look for on the lookup

The name matches. The person treating you, spelled the way they gave it. Ask for any other name they’ve been licensed under.
The license type matches what you were told. RN and LPN are different licenses, as are physician and physician assistant, or esthetician and cosmetologist.
The status says active. Note words like expired, lapsed, inactive, suspended, restricted or probation — and what they apply to.
The expiration date hasn’t passed. Some lookups show it; some only show status. If neither is clear, the board can confirm.
Any public discipline or board orders. If the lookup lists actions, orders or conditions, open them and read what they say.

Every board’s lookup looks a little different. If something is unclear, contact the board.

Match a claimed credential to the right board in Illinois

What official sources say in Illinois

Where we found an official statement, you’ll see our plain summary, the source, how binding that kind of source is, and when we checked. Where we didn’t, you’ll see the question to ask the place instead.

We found official statements on 4 of 5 topics. Not located yet: iv hydration and drips. Not located means we have nothing official to show you — it says nothing about what is allowed.

Who may inject Botox and fillers

Official source found

IDFPR says licensed physicians may perform cosmetic procedures that affect the living layers of skin and administer drugs such as Botox, and may supervise and delegate these procedures. Delegated tasks must be within the delegating physician's own scope, training and experience and within a physician-patient relationship; delegation to an unlicensed person requires a licensed health care professional on site.

Source: IDFPR, IDPH Issue Memo Regarding Medical Spa Services

Board guidance — may not be bindingPublished or effective Oct 30, 2025Checked Sep 14, 2026

Still ask the place: “Who will inject me, what license do they hold, and which clinician examined me, ordered this and supervises them?”

Who may own a med spa

Official source found

IDFPR states that medspas must be owned and operated by physicians (and, for some services, by APRNs) because the services are medical services. A person who is not a physician or APRN cannot be a shareholder, member, officer, director or manager of such an entity, and a salon registration cannot be used to operate a medspa.

Source: IDFPR, IDPH Issue Memo Regarding Medical Spa Services

Board guidance — may not be bindingPublished or effective Oct 30, 2025Checked Sep 14, 2026

Still ask the place: “Who owns this practice, and who is its medical director?”

Who may operate lasers and IPL

Official source found

IDFPR treats lasers and light-based devices (including IPL) used for cosmetic procedures that disrupt the skin's surface as the practice of medicine. A physician may delegate ablative procedures to an LPN, RN, full-practice APRN or other person only with on-site physician supervision; non-ablative procedures may be delegated with on-site supervision or with the physician available by phone or electronically, and delegates need documented training on each device. Since January 1, 2025, an on-site physician exam before a non-ablative laser procedure is not required if a delegation protocol is followed, an APRN performs the exam, a trained RN or LPN performs the procedure, and a physician is available remotely.

Source: IDFPR, IDPH Issue Memo Regarding Medical Spa Services

Board guidance — may not be bindingPublished or effective Oct 30, 2025Checked Sep 14, 2026

Still ask the place: “Who operates the laser or IPL device, what license or certification do they hold, and who supervises them?”

IV hydration and drips

Not found yet

We haven’t found an official statement on this for Illinois yet.

That doesn’t tell you whether something is allowed or not — only that we have no official statement to show you.

Ask the place

“Who assesses me and orders what goes in the bag, and who places the IV — under which license?”

Check it with the board

“Who may order elective IV hydration or vitamin infusions, who may start and monitor the IV, and is a standing order allowed?”

Put this to the board, or search its rules and position statements for it. Its answer, with a date, is what settles it — not the place’s.

Who decides

Usually the nursing and medical boards; sometimes the pharmacy board.

On file for Illinois: Illinois State Medical Board (IDFPR), IDFPR Board of Nursing.

What estheticians may do

Official source found

Illinois cosmetologists and estheticians may not use any technique, product or practice intended to affect the living layers of the skin. IDFPR lists Botox, chemical peels other than superficial peels, collagen injections, microneedling, microblading and radio frequency among procedures outside their scope, and lasers are excluded from cosmetology and esthetics. Someone performing a physician-delegated procedure may not present it as esthetics.

Source: IDFPR, IDPH Issue Memo Regarding Medical Spa Services

Board guidance — may not be bindingPublished or effective Oct 30, 2025Checked Sep 14, 2026

Still ask the place: “What license does the person doing this hold, and does that license cover this treatment?”

Sources

The official documents above, once each. Rules change; the linked source controls, and the date is when we last opened it.

IDFPR, IDPH Issue Memo Regarding Medical Spa ServicesBoard guidance — may not be binding · checked Sep 14, 2026

Treatment guides

What the menu name doesn’t tell you, and what to ask before you book.

All treatments

Check a place in Illinois