Can a person buy an out of state license for illinois online and have it be valid even if it hasn't arrived in the mail yet? I guess what I'm asking is, is it valid even if it's not in my possession? Can I print off the submission and proof of payment? I'm looking to fish in Illinois tomorrow and there's nothing close to me where I can buy a license without going an hour out of my way. Does anyone know if I can buy an Illinois license at an Iowa Wal-Mart or something like that?