Illinois Contractor License Requirements
There is no state licence to describe, so what follows is the absence itself and what stands in its place — each confirmed on an official source, quoted at the bottom of this page.
What the state requires
- Licence
- Licensed Roofing Contractor — Limited (residential, 8 units or fewer) or Unlimited (residential, commercial and industrial). This is the only building-trade contractor licence IDFPR issues; the figures below are for it, not for general contracting.
- Issued by
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation (roofing); Illinois Department of Public Health (plumbers and plumbing contractors)Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, 225 ILCS 335; rules at 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460. Plumbing is under the Illinois Plumbing License Law, 225 ILCS 320.
- NASCLA exam
- Not acceptedIllinois does not appear on NASCLA's list of state agencies accepting the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, and has no state general contractor licence for it to substitute for.
What people get wrong
Illinois licenses NO general contractor at state level. The two construction credentials the state issues are the IDFPR roofing contractor licence (225 ILCS 335) and the IDPH plumber licence / plumbing contractor registration (225 ILCS 320) — confirmed on both agencies' own pages. General contractors are licensed or registered by municipalities (Chicago runs its own general contractor licence in classes A-E). The roofing licence is held by the business with a designated qualifying party who sits the exam; it expires December 31 of every odd-numbered year, so the cycle is two years. The CE hour count could not be verified because ilga.gov, which hosts both the Act and 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460, refused all connections (browser navigation denied, curl and WebFetch both failed).
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a contractor licence in Illinois?
- Not from the state. Illinois does not licence general contractors at the state level. There is no state exam, no state bond and no state licence to hold — the requirement is local, so which permit or registration you need depends on the city or county you are building in. Illinois licenses NO general contractor at state level. The two construction credentials the state issues are the IDFPR roofing contractor licence (225 ILCS 335) and the IDPH plumber licence / plumbing contractor registration (225 ILCS 320) — confirmed on both agencies' own pages. General contractors are licensed or registered by municipalities (Chicago runs its own general contractor licence in classes A-E). The roofing licence is held by the business with a designated qualifying party who sits the exam; it expires December 31 of every odd-numbered year, so the cycle is two years. The CE hour count could not be verified because ilga.gov, which hosts both the Act and 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460, refused all connections (browser navigation denied, curl and WebFetch both failed).
- Does Illinois accept the NASCLA exam?
- No. Illinois does not appear on NASCLA's list of state agencies accepting the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, and has no state general contractor licence for it to substitute for.
Sources
“Professions Licensed by IDFPR: Roofing Contractor, Licensed”
https://idfpr.illinois.gov/profs/roof.html“Limited Roofing License: Limited Roofing License means a license made available to contractors whose roofing business is limited to residential roofing, including residential properties consisting of 8 units or less. Unlimited Roofing License: Unlimited Roofing License means a license made available to contractors whose roofing business is unlimited in nature and includes roofing on residential, commercial and industrial properties.”
https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/renewals/apply/forms/rf.pdf“Payment of $125.00 in the form of a U.S. check or money order made payable to IDFPR or payment online by visiting: https://idfpr.illinois.gov/epay.html.”
https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/renewals/apply/forms/rf.pdf“The license will expire on December 31st of each odd numbered year regardless of when it is issued.”
https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/renewals/apply/forms/rf.pdf“I, the applicant, hold property damage insurance in at least the minimum amount of $250,000 for each occurrence of property damage; and I hold liability insurance in at least the minimum amount of $500,000 for each occurrence of personal injury or bodily harm.”
https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/renewals/apply/forms/rf.pdf“as Surety, are held and firmly bound unto the State of Illinois and to the People of the State of Illinois, in accordance with Section 3(2)(d) of the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act in the aggregate amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) ... in the aggregate amount of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00)”
https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/renewals/apply/forms/rf.pdf“EXAMINATION PROFESSION CODE TEST CODE APPLICATION FEES Residential Roofing 105 01 $226.00 Commercial and Industrial Roofing 105 02 $226.00 Residential, Commercial and Industrial Roofing 105 03 $226.00”
https://idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/renewals/apply/forms/rf-qp.pdf“Individuals who plan, inspect, install, alter, extend, repair, and maintain plumbing systems in state of Illinois must be licensed. All plumbing contractors must register with the state and pay an annual fee.”
https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/plumbing.html
Then there is the exam
Practise Illinois exam questions free, with explanations that cite the reference book and section.