Contractor Licensing Requirements in Illinois

Illinois trips up a lot of contractors because there’s no single state license to search for. General contracting is regulated city by city and county by county, while a handful of specific trades — most notably roofing — are licensed at the state level. This page explains the actual patchwork so you know exactly whose rules apply to your job.

Illinois’s Contractor Licensing System

There is no statewide general contractor license in Illinois; cities and counties, such as Chicago’s Department of Buildings, set their own registration and permitting rules for general contractors. The major exception is roofing, which the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) licenses statewide under the Roofing Industry Licensing Act, and plumbing, which the Illinois Department of Public Health licenses statewide.

License & Registration Types in Illinois

• General contractor — local registration/license only, requirements set by each city or county
• Roofing Contractor, Limited — statewide IDFPR license for residential roofing on buildings of 8 units or fewer
• Roofing Contractor, Unlimited — statewide IDFPR license covering residential, commercial, and industrial roofing
• Plumbing Contractor — statewide license through the Illinois Department of Public Health, separate from IDFPR

Exam & Experience Requirements

For roofing, IDFPR requires applicants to pass a trade exam through a third-party testing vendor and demonstrate qualifying experience under a licensed qualifying party. General contractors face whatever exam or experience rules the local jurisdiction sets — some cities require none beyond a registration form and insurance proof, others require a competency test.

NASCLA Reciprocity

Illinois does not participate in NASCLA reciprocity, and since general contracting has no statewide exam to begin with, the practical effect is that roofing contractors moving from another state must still sit for Illinois’s own roofing exam.

Bonding & Insurance to Get Licensed

Roofing contractors must carry a $10,000 surety bond for a Limited license or a $25,000 bond for an Unlimited license, plus general liability insurance. General contractors’ bonding and insurance requirements are set locally and vary significantly by city.

For exact GL and workers’ comp dollar minimums required to get licensed, see Insurance Minimums to Get Licensed.

Reciprocity with Other States

Illinois currently has no reciprocity agreements for its roofing license, so out-of-state roofing contractors must apply and test under Illinois’s own requirements; general contracting has no state-level reciprocity question since it isn’t state-licensed.

Illinois Licensing Fees & Timeline

Penalties for Unlicensed Contracting

Operating as a roofing contractor without an IDFPR license is a violation subject to state disciplinary fines and cease-and-desist action, while general contractors risk local citations, stop-work orders, and permit denial for working unregistered in a jurisdiction that requires it.

Resources: IDFPR Roofing License Information, City of Chicago Department of Buildings, IDFPR Roofing Contractor Application

Frequently Asked Questions

Licensing rules vary by city and county in Illinois and change over time; verify current requirements with your local building department and with IDFPR before applying.