Illinois Roofing License Requirements (2026)

Regulatory Body

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, 225 ILCS 335; 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1460. IDFPR issues and renews the statewide Limited and Unlimited Roofing Contractor licenses and administers the Roofing Industry Licensing Act.

• Official portal: https://idfpr.illinois.gov/

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Check the current application for identification and tax-number requirements. The rules require business-entity documentation. A foreign corporation applying for a license must provide its Illinois Secretary of State certificate of authority to transact business; use the current IDFPR application for the requirements that apply to the entity type.

Good moral character

The license holder is subject to the Act and IDFPR enforcement provisions. Use the current application and Act for any required disclosures rather than relying on a generic fitness standard.

Background investigation

Part 1460 does not state a separate statewide roofing fingerprint requirement. Follow the current IDFPR application disclosures.

Experience and Education

Rather than a set number of years, the cited materials define eligibility through Part 1460 does not set a general number of years of roofing experience for a new applicant. The business must designate a qualifying party who has passed the examination appropriate to its license class..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

• IDFPR Roofing Contractor application
• Qualifying-party designation and examination documentation
• Business-entity documents required by Part 1460 and the current application

Education substitution

No education-for-experience substitution is stated because Part 1460 does not impose a general new-applicant experience threshold.

Exam Requirements

There is no statewide written trade test for this credential in the cited record; the controlling process is: IDFPR or its designated testing service

Examination fee: The applicant pays the designated testing fee; Part 1460 does not set a fixed examination amount.

Retake policy: An applicant who does not appear for a scheduled examination forfeits the examination fee. Complete the examination process within three years of application or reapply under the rules then in effect.

Insurance and Bonds

A $10,000 surety bond, in the form prescribed by the IDFPR, must be posted as a condition of licensure.

General liability

Maintain public-liability and property-damage insurance of at least $250,000 for each occurrence of property damage and $500,000 for each occurrence of personal injury or bodily harm. The policy must require at least 30 days’ written notice to IDFPR before cancellation.

Workers' compensation

For an Unlimited license, provide workers’ compensation insurance or approved self-insurance, unless the sole proprietorship or partnership has no employees. Maintain workers’ compensation coverage whenever Illinois law requires it.

Additional financial requirements

A Limited license requires a continuous $10,000 surety bond. An Unlimited license requires a continuous $25,000 surety bond. The bond must be issued by an insurer authorized to transact fidelity and surety business in Illinois and requires 60 days’ written notice to IDFPR before cancellation.

Fee Schedule

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Illinois roofing.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Illinois Limited or Unlimited Roofing Contractor License runs on a 2 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $125. Renew before December 31 of odd-numbered years. Submit the fee, certify ongoing insurance and bonding compliance, and identify the designated qualifying party.

Continuing education: Part 1460’s renewal section does not state a statewide continuing-education hour requirement.

Reciprocity

For this classification, Illinois does not recognize the NASCLA Accredited Examination.

The Act and Part 1460 do not identify an interstate reciprocity program for a new roofing license. Apply directly to IDFPR and designate a qualifying party who meets the applicable examination requirement.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Roofing license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Roofing Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Illinois's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

• Indiana Roofing License Requirements — Indiana Roofing — Local Contractor Licensing and State Contract Rules
• Iowa Roofing License Requirements — Iowa Construction Contractor Registration (Roofing Work)
• Kentucky Roofing License Requirements — Kentucky — No State Roofing License (Municipal Registration Only)
• Missouri Roofing License Requirements — Missouri Roofing Contractor Requirements — Local Permits and RSMo 407.725
• Wisconsin Roofing License Requirements — Wisconsin Residential Roofing — Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier Credentials

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

1. Choose the license scope. Select Limited for residential properties of eight units or fewer, or Unlimited for residential, commercial, and industrial roofing.
2. Establish the applicant business. Assemble the current IDFPR entity documentation. A foreign corporation needs its Illinois certificate of authority to transact business.
3. Designate the qualifying party. The qualifying party must be a compensated employee under the applicant’s supervision and control and must pass the appropriate examination.
4. Arrange insurance and the continuous bond. Meet Part 1460 liability-insurance requirements and obtain the $10,000 Limited or $25,000 Unlimited bond on an acceptable form.
5. Complete workforce documents that apply. An Unlimited applicant provides workers’ compensation proof or the permitted no-employee certification, plus Illinois unemployment-account documentation as required by Part 1460.
6. File the application and fee. Submit the current IDFPR application, supporting materials, and $125 application fee. The examination fee is separate and set by the testing process.
7. Pass the appropriate examination. Use the examination aligned with the applicant’s selected license scope and complete the examination process within three years of the application.
8. Meet project-level local requirements. Before work, obtain permits, inspections, and any municipal registrations or approvals required by the authority having jurisdiction.
9. Renew before the odd-year deadline. Licenses expire December 31 of odd-numbered years. Renew with the fee, continued insurance-and-bonding certification, and designated qualifying-party information.

Application Checklist

Before submitting to IDFPR, the applicant should have each of the following ready:

• Choose Limited or Unlimited scope
• Current IDFPR Roofing Contractor application
• Qualifying party who meets the employment and examination requirements
• $250,000 property-damage / $500,000 personal-injury-or-bodily-harm liability insurance
• $10,000 Limited or $25,000 Unlimited continuous surety bond
• Workers’ compensation and unemployment-account documentation when required for the selected applicant
• $125 application fee plus testing fee
• Project-specific municipal permits, inspections, and registrations

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your application is in flight.

Common Filing Mistakes

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost Illinois Roofing applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Using the Limited license beyond its scope

Limited means residential properties of eight units or fewer. Use the Unlimited license for commercial or industrial roofing.

Posting the wrong bond amount

The continuous bond is $10,000 for Limited and $25,000 for Unlimited—not one $10,000 amount for both classes.

Treating the testing fee as a fixed state fee

Part 1460 requires payment of the testing cost but does not set one fixed amount. Confirm the current designated-testing instructions.

Renewing on the wrong cycle

The license expires December 31 of odd-numbered years, not on an even-year June deadline.

Assuming the state license is the final local approval

Local permits, inspections, and municipal registration requirements may still apply to a specific project.

Study and Reference Materials

The list below collects the board's cited references and the materials applicants typically study from. CLR is not paid to recommend any of them.

• Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act (225 ILCS 335) — Illinois General Assembly. State license scope, qualifying-party, insurance, and bond requirements.
• 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1460 — Illinois General Assembly / JCAR. Application, examination, insurance, bonding, fees, and renewal rules.
• IDFPR Roofing Contractor application materials — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Use the current packet and associated bond and insurance forms when applying.
• Local permit and building-code materials — Authority having jurisdiction. The state license does not replace local project approvals.

Other Illinois Trade Licenses

Looking at a different trade? CLR also publishes these Illinois licensing guides:

• Illinois Plumber License Requirements
• Illinois HVAC Technician License Requirements
• Illinois Masonry Contractor License Requirements
• Illinois Concrete Contractor License Requirements
• Illinois Solar Installer License Requirements
• Illinois Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements
• Illinois Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
• Illinois Home Inspector License Requirements
• Illinois Pool Contractor License Requirements
• Illinois Handyman License Requirements
• Illinois Pest Control License Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Illinois require a roofing license?

Yes. IDFPR issues statewide Limited and Unlimited Roofing Contractor licenses under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act.

What can a Limited Roofing Contractor do?

The Limited license is for roofing on residential properties of eight units or fewer. The Unlimited license covers residential, commercial, and industrial roofing.

What bond is required?

A Limited applicant maintains a continuous $10,000 surety bond; an Unlimited applicant maintains a continuous $25,000 surety bond.

What insurance is required?

Part 1460 requires at least $250,000 per occurrence of property-damage coverage and $500,000 per occurrence of personal-injury-or-bodily-harm coverage, with the required cancellation notice to IDFPR.

When does an Illinois roofing license renew?

It expires December 31 of each odd-numbered year. Renew before that date with the required fee, certification of continuing insurance and bonding compliance, and qualifying-party information.

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