Illinois contractor license requirements

Licenses and registrations

Roofing Contractor License - Limited

Roofing contractors doing residential roofing only (residential properties and condominium buildings of 8 units or less).

• Good to know: The business must designate a qualifying party who passes the Illinois Residential Examination (or the Residential, Commercial and Industrial Examination). Subcontractors doing roofing must also be licensed.

Roofing Contractor License - Unlimited

Roofing contractors doing residential, commercial and industrial roofing.

• Good to know: The qualifying party must pass the Illinois Residential, Commercial and Industrial Examination.

Home Repair and Remodeling Act compliance (no license)

Anyone doing home repair and remodeling on single-family homes or buildings with 6 or fewer units. Not a license, but sets contract and insurance rules.

• When it applies: Written contract required for work over $1,000. The Act excludes maintenance, service or repairs under $500.
• Good to know: Does not apply to original construction or to buildings with more than 6 units.

What you need to qualify

• Exams: Roofing: the qualifying party must pass the Illinois Residential Examination (limited license) or the Illinois Residential, Commercial and Industrial Examination (unlimited license) within three years from the date of application. No state exam exists for general contractors or remodelers.
• Insurance: Roofing license: property damage insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence and liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence for personal injury or bodily harm, plus workers' compensation. Home Repair and Remodeling Act (all home repair contractors): public liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury, $50,000 per occurrence for property damage, and $10,000 per occurrence for work that does not comply with state, county or municipal codes. The Act's insurance rules do not apply to contractors with a net worth of $1,000,000 or more, shown by a financial statement prepared within 13 months.
• Bond: Roofing: $10,000 bond for a limited license; $25,000 bond for an unlimited license.
• Financial: Home Repair and Remodeling Act: contractors with a net worth of $1,000,000 or more (financial statement prepared within 13 months) are exempt from its insurance minimums.
• Also required: Roofing contractors must display the license number and licensee name on every commercial vehicle used for roofing work. Roofing contracts must identify the surety and liability insurer and state that the contractor cannot pay, waive or rebate an insurance deductible.

Fees, renewal and continuing education

• Fees: Roofing contractor application fee $125 (non-refundable).
• Renewal: Roofing contractor licenses expire December 31 of each odd-numbered year, regardless of when issued.

Contracts and homeowner protections

Under the Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513), for work over $1,000 the contractor must give the customer a written contract or work order to sign before starting, stating the total cost (including parts, materials and any estimate charge) and the contractor's business name and address. Before signing, the contractor must give every customer the Attorney General's "Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights" pamphlet; for contracts over $1,000 the customer and contractor must sign an acknowledgment form. Violations are treated as violations of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work

The Illinois Department of Public Health licenses plumbers and requires plumbing contractors to register annually. No statewide electrical or HVAC contractor license was confirmed; these are licensed locally (for example, the City of Chicago licenses electrical contractors).

City and county rules

General contractors are licensed by local governments, not the state. Chicago requires a City general contractor license (classes A through E, with project value limits from $500,000 for Class E to unlimited for Class A, insurance from $1 million per occurrence, and annual fees from $300 to $2,000). The Roofing Industry Licensing Act does not stop municipalities or counties from adopting stricter rules or collecting local license and permit fees. Check with each city or county where you work.

Working without a license

Unlicensed roofing: civil penalty of up to $15,000 per offense after a hearing (raised from $10,000 by Public Act 104-0427, effective August 15, 2025); a first violation of the Roofing Industry Licensing Act is a Class A misdemeanor, and a second or later offense is a Class 4 felony, with each day a separate offense. Home Repair and Remodeling Act violations can lead to private lawsuits for damages and enforcement by the Attorney General or a State's Attorney under the Consumer Fraud Act.

What to confirm with the state

We couldn't confirm these on an official page when we checked. Ask the licensing office before you rely on them:

• Roofing renewal fee amount (a 2025 state sunset report says $125, but no IDFPR fee schedule was checked).
• Roofing continuing education requirements (none found).
• That no statewide electrical or HVAC license exists (not stated outright on an official page).
• Chicago general contractor license details may change; Chicago published a "General Contractor License Changes for 2026" notice that wasn't checked.

Sources

1. Roofing Contractor - IDFPR
2. Roofing License Types / Qualifying Party application instructions (PDF) - IDFPR
3. Find a Licensed Roofer brochure (PDF) - IDFPR
4. Public Act 104-0427 (Roofing Industry Licensing Act extended to January 1, 2031)
5. 225 ILCS 335/10a Unlicensed practice; civil penalties
6. 225 ILCS 335/5.1 Commercial vehicle license display
7. Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513) - Illinois General Assembly
8. Avoid Home Repair Fraud - Illinois Attorney General
9. Regulatory Sunset Act Report of Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act (2025) - GOMB
10. Plumbing - Illinois Department of Public Health
11. General Contractor License - City of Chicago