IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

Accelerate Illinois’ Modernization: Your Business License, Now Digitized

Digital licenses ware made available to over 1 million licensees, who can now view and print a license wherever and whenever needed, including displaying it on a mobile device.

Editor's note: This 30-day blog focused on Illinois' IT modernization was originally published on LinkedIn, and is republished here with permission.

It is time to celebrate a success. 

Previously we have talked about innovation coming out of agencies that then need to be scaled enterprise-wide to make quick, high-value, customer-centric transformation. Today, I would like to share an example of that.

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations (IDFPR) regulates over 250 different professions and 1.2 million illinois licenses. IDFRP Secretary Bryan Schneider was tapped by Gov. Bruce Rauner last year to lead the department's team of 450. Bryan has a long and distinguished career in the private sector, most recently as the Divisional Vice President – Health Law for Walgreens, Inc. Under Secretary Schneider's leadership IDFPR achieved a major customer-centric milestone last week.

Schneider announced a paperless initiative for IDFPR.

Paperless licensing and renewals were implemented for the professions licensed and regulated by the Divisions of Real Estate and Professional Regulation.  The transition away from paper-based renewals and licenses means that regulated professionals will now be able to renew their license quickly and easily online, and be provided proof of licensure through email and IDFPR’s License Lookup application.  The move to paperless technology is part of the IDFPR's ongoing efforts to modernize the state’s regulatory agency and will save the state nearly $3 million in postage, paper and printing costs over the next five years.

Last week, IDFPR took one more step toward automation. Digital licenses ware made available to over 1 million IDFPR licensees. A Licensee can view and print a license wherever/whenever needed, including display it on a mobile device.

One key thing to note is that 100 percent credit for this automation goes to IDFPR: to Schneider, CIO Sunil Thomas, Chief of Staff Brandon Purcell and the IDFPR leadership team. This was envisioned and executed 100 percent by the agency. We will now look to scale it enterprise–wide. As we continue the technology-infused transformation at the state, we are looking to expedite these type of innovations in one agency and copy/paste them throughout the enterprise.

Let's congratulate IDFPR for successful progress towards automation and an Illinois Business licensee for having it slightly easier to do business in the state of Illinois.