LICENSED VETERINARIAN License in Illinois

Illinois requires a DVM degree from an AVMA-accredited school, passage of the NAVLE, and a state-specific examination covering Illinois veterinary practice law. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation oversees veterinary licensure. The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana-Champaign is the state's AVMA-accredited program, known for its strong clinical training and research in companion animal medicine, food-animal production, and wildlife epidemiology. Illinois presents a sharply dual practice environment: the Chicago metropolitan area, one of the largest urban veterinary markets in the country, supports extensive companion-animal, specialty, and emergency practices, while downstate Illinois is heavily agricultural with corn, soybeans, hog, and cattle operations demanding large-animal veterinary services. The state's diverse demographics and large population base make it one of the top states by number of licensed veterinarians. Illinois also hosts the AVMA headquarters in Schaumburg, making it a center of veterinary policy and professional development, with frequent access to national conferences and continuing education events.