How to Get a Roofing Contractor License in Illinois (2026 IDFPR Guide)

Illinois licenses roofing contractors statewide through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The license is required for roofing work done for compensation anywhere in the state, regardless of which city or county the job sits in.

For most Illinois trades, general contracting, electrical, HVAC, the state leaves licensing to cities and counties. Roofing is one of only two trades Illinois licenses directly, plumbing through IDPH is the other: one license from one agency covers the whole state, but you cannot legally put a shingle on a roof for compensation without it. This guide covers the two license tiers, the Qualifying Party requirement that trips up most applicants, the fee and insurance figures from the state's own rule, what a compliant roofing contract has to include, and a step by step path to getting licensed.

New to licensing in Illinois generally? Start with the Illinois contractor license requirements or the broader contractor license guide.

At a glance

• Who issues it: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act (225 ILCS 335), currently authorized through January 1, 2031
• When it is required: roofing work done for compensation anywhere in the state
• Exam: Roofing Contractor Qualifying Party Examination, through Continental Testing Services
• Fee and bond: $125 application fee; surety bond of $10,000 (Limited) or $25,000 (Unlimited)
• Renewal: two year cycle, expiring December 31 of odd-numbered years

Who issues it and what it covers

The Illinois roofing contractor license is issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act (225 ILCS 335) and its administrative rules at Title 68, Part 1460 of the Illinois Administrative Code. Because it's a statewide license, it removes the "which town am I in" problem that defines most other Illinois trades. If you install, repair, alter, or waterproof roofs for compensation in Illinois, you need it.

This is a genuine, tested professional license, not a registration. It comes in two tiers:

• Limited Roofing License, authorizes roofing work on residential properties of eight units or fewer. This is the tier for contractors focused on houses, townhomes, and small multi-family buildings.
• Unlimited Roofing License, authorizes roofing work on any residential, commercial, or industrial property, with no unit cap. This is the tier for contractors who want commercial and large multi-family work.

Choosing the right tier matters: a Limited licensee who takes on a commercial or large multi-family roof is working outside the scope of their license, which is an enforcement problem in its own right.

The Qualifying Party: the requirement that defines the license

Here is the part that catches applicants off guard, and it's the most important thing on this page. An Illinois roofing contractor license is issued to a business, but the business cannot hold the license on its own. Every roofing contractor must designate a Qualifying Party, and that person is the linchpin of the entire license.

The Qualifying Party is the individual who is legally qualified to act for the business in all roofing matters, has the authority to supervise the company's roofing operations, and is actively engaged in the day-to-day roofing business. IDFPR treats this person as the human being standing behind the company's work, and the state backs it up with real machinery:

• The Qualifying Party must pass the Roofing Contractor Qualifying Party Examination, administered through Continental Testing Services, IDFPR's testing vendor. It comes in three versions: residential, commercial and industrial, and a combined residential, commercial and industrial exam.
• The Qualifying Party must be formally designated on the license via IDFPR's Qualifying Party Designation form.
• Under 225 ILCS 335/4.5, one person can serve as Qualifying Party for a second roofing licensee of the same license type only if they hold at least 25% common ownership or management interest in both businesses, or if one is a licensed subsidiary of the other. Nobody can qualify more than two companies at once.
• If the Qualifying Party leaves, retires, or stops representing the business, both the company and the Qualifying Party must notify IDFPR in writing within 30 business days, using the Qualifying Party Notification of Termination form, and the company then has 60 days to designate a replacement (225 ILCS 335/4.6). A newly designated Qualifying Party then has 7 months from IDFPR's approval to pass the exam under Section 3.5. If the Qualifying Party dies, the license goes inactive immediately.

Read that last point again, because it's where a lot of roofing companies get into trouble. The license is tethered to a specific, tested, actively-involved individual. Under 225 ILCS 335/4.6, the license becomes inoperative when that association ends, and it stays that way until a new qualified individual is designated and approved, so the business cannot legally keep roofing in the meantime.

A roofing company is only ever as licensed as its Qualifying Party. It does not have to be the business owner, only a genuine, actively involved employee who has passed the exam. This is exactly the "qualifier" concept that runs through contractor licensing nationwide: Illinois calls it a Qualifying Party, California calls it a Responsible Managing Employee or Officer, Florida calls it a Qualifying Agent, same idea, a licensed, experienced person who is genuinely part of the business and answerable for its work.

A qualifying agent QUALIFIES the roofing company as an owner or a genuine, full-time W-2 employee who supervises the roofing work, exactly as the Act requires for its Qualifying Party. See our guide to the roofing contractor qualifying agent, the broader explainer on what a qualifying agent is, how hiring a qualifying agent works, and our contractor qualifier services for Illinois roofing companies that need to fill the role.

Fees, bond, and insurance (2026 figures)

Illinois Administrative Code, Title 68, Part 1460, the rule that implements the Roofing Industry Licensing Act, sets these figures directly, and 225 ILCS 335/3 sets the bond amounts in statute:

• An application fee of $125, for either a Limited or Unlimited license.
• A continuous surety bond of $10,000 for a Limited license or $25,000 for an Unlimited license, required under 225 ILCS 335/3(2)(d) and Part 1460.
• Public liability and property damage insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence for property damage and $500,000 per occurrence for personal injury or bodily harm. This is a different, and larger, requirement than a flat general liability number, so do not let a single "$100,000 GL policy" satisfy your application, it will not meet the state's minimums.
• Workers' Compensation insurance covering the applicant's roofing employees, required separately from the liability policy.
• The Qualifying Party's exam fee, paid to Continental Testing Services rather than IDFPR ($248 per exam version, confirmed directly with Continental Testing Services; confirm the current amount before registering, since it is not fixed by state rule).

(These figures come from Title 68, Part 1460 and 225 ILCS 335/3, confirmed 2026-10-14. Rules can change, always verify current amounts directly with IDFPR before you apply.)

The bond and the insurance are the financial-responsibility backbone of the license: the bond protects the public if the contractor fails to meet obligations, and the liability and property damage insurance covers injury and property claims from the roofing work itself. Roofing is high-risk work, and Illinois prices the entry accordingly.

Illinois roofing license cost at a glance

Notes on the table:

• Liability and property damage insurance minimums: $250,000 per occurrence for property damage, $500,000 per occurrence for personal injury or bodily harm, both under Title 68, Part 1460.
• The QP exam fee covers one exam version (Residential, Commercial/Industrial, or the combined exam); Continental Testing Services does not refund testing fees.

How to get your Illinois roofing license: step by step

1. Identify or become your Qualifying Party. Every application needs one individual who will sit the exam and take on the supervisory role. This can be an owner or a genuine employee who is actively engaged in the day to day roofing business.
2. Register for and pass the Roofing Contractor Qualifying Party Examination through Continental Testing Services, IDFPR's contracted testing vendor.
3. Secure the surety bond, $10,000 for a Limited license or $25,000 for an Unlimited license, from a licensed surety.
4. Secure the required insurance: public liability and property damage insurance meeting the $250,000/$500,000 per occurrence minimums, plus Workers' Compensation insurance for any roofing employees.
5. File the application with IDFPR, including the Qualifying Party Designation form, proof of the exam pass, the bond, proof of insurance, your unemployment insurance employer account number, and the $125 application fee.
6. Wait for IDFPR review and approval. Processing times vary; do not begin roofing work for compensation until the license is issued.
7. Renew before the license expires. Illinois roofing licenses run on a two year cycle and expire December 31 of odd-numbered years, with a renewal fee calculated at $62.50 per year of the cycle. There is no continuing education requirement in the Act or Part 1460, but the continuous bond and the insurance must stay in force.

What your roofing contract has to include

Illinois does not leave roofing contracts to chance. IDFPR's own consumer guidance and 225 ILCS 335/5.5 set specific requirements for every contract a licensed roofing contractor signs:

• Every contract, bid, building permit application, and issued building permit must carry the roofing contractor's license number and name. Illinois roofing license numbers begin with the prefix 104.
• The contract must be in writing and signed by both the roofing contractor (or their designee) and the property owner before any roofing work begins, and must identify the contractor's surety and liability insurer, with contact information, where applicable.
• The contract must spell out the cancellation and deposit-refund policy, including the homeowner's right to rescind the contract and receive a full deposit refund within 72 hours of signing it.
• The contract must list a working phone number, a street address that is not a P.O. box, and an email address where the contractor can be reached.
• A contractor cannot advertise or promise to pay or rebate any part of an insurance deductible to win the job.
• If the contractor subcontracts the roofing work, the subcontractor must also hold an Illinois roofing license.
• Every roofing contract must come with the "Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights" brochure attached; for contracts over $1,000, the homeowner must also sign a Consumer Rights Acknowledgment Form confirming receipt.
• After a declared catastrophe (a flood, drought, earthquake, tornado, windstorm, or hailstorm damaging more than one residence), the homeowner can cancel a signed contract within 5 business days of being told by their insurer that all or part of the claim isn't covered, or by the 30th business day after the insurer receives a proper proof of loss. That cancellation right has to appear in the contract in at least 10 point boldface.
• A roofing contractor cannot represent a homeowner on an insurance claim or file a claim on the homeowner's behalf.

IDFPR's own consumer brochure states the baseline plainly: a roofing license belongs to the Qualifying Party who earned it, and no other business may operate under it, paid or not. That is exactly why the Qualifying Party requirement above exists, the license and the person who earned it stay together.

How to verify an Illinois roofing license

Before signing anything, confirm the contractor's license is active using IDFPR's License Look-Up tool. Illinois roofing license numbers begin with the prefix 104 and should appear on the contract, the bid, and the company's trucks and business cards alongside the company name. Ask for proof of current insurance and Workers' Compensation coverage, and for photo identification, before any work starts.

Renewal

Illinois roofing contractor licenses are not annual. Both Limited and Unlimited licenses run on the same statewide two year clock regardless of when you were first issued, so every license expires on December 31 of odd-numbered years with a renewal fee of $62.50 per year of the cycle. Neither the Act nor Part 1460 sets a continuing education requirement, but the bond and the insurance have to stay in force for the life of the license. Verify your specific renewal date directly with IDFPR so a lapse doesn't quietly take you offline.

Does Illinois offer reciprocity for out-of-state roofing licenses?

No formal, publicly documented reciprocity agreement exists between Illinois and other states for roofing contractor licensing. An out-of-state roofing contractor who wants to work in Illinois has to apply for the Illinois license and meet the same Qualifying Party, exam, bond, and insurance requirements as any other applicant, there is no shortcut for holding a license elsewhere. The Roofing Industry Licensing Act contains no endorsement provision for out-of-state roofing licenses; confirm your specific situation with IDFPR.

What about Chicago and other cities?

Because the IDFPR roofing license is statewide, it's the baseline everywhere in Illinois, including Chicago. That's different from how Illinois handles general contracting, where the City of Chicago runs its own five-class general contractor license and most other municipalities license or register GCs locally. For roofing, the state license comes first; individual municipalities may layer on their own permit or registration requirements on top of it, but they don't replace the IDFPR license.

If you're sorting out when a job needs a state license versus a local one, our explainer on the difference between a state and a local contractor license is worth a read, Illinois is the textbook example of a state that splits its trades between the two.

Why the Qualifying Party is where growth stalls, and how to fix it

A lot of capable Illinois roofing companies hit the same wall: crews, trucks, and customers to grow, maybe to move from a Limited to an Unlimited license, or to keep operating after the person who qualified the company retires or moves on, but the license doesn't run on crews and trucks. It runs on one specific, tested, actively-involved individual. Without that person, you can't hold the license, no matter how good your roofers are.

A qualifying agent fills that gap through employment: a genuine, full-time W-2 employee who serves as Qualifying Party, a real member of the company with real authority over the roofing work, precisely as the Act requires. It is never a percentage-of-revenue deal, never a flat fee to "use" someone's name, and never a per-project handshake. Illinois roofers who operate without a license face a civil penalty of up to $15,000 per offense, assessed by IDFPR after a hearing, under 225 ILCS 335/10a as amended in 2025. We break down the legal line between an employed qualifying agent and an illegal arrangement elsewhere on this site, and penalties for unlicensed contracting covers the broader enforcement risk.

If you're an Illinois roofer who needs a Qualifying Party to hold or expand your license, hiring a qualifying agent is the legal path, and a licensed roofing professional who wants to put their credential to work can also become a qualifying agent.

How much does an Illinois roofing contractor license cost?

The government side is the application fee, bond, exam fee, and insurance minimums listed in the table above, all set by Title 68, Part 1460 and 225 ILCS 335, subject to change, verify before applying. What it costs to bring a qualified individual onto the business as your Qualifying Party, when you don't already have one, isn't a fixed number: it depends on the license tier, how long you need the coverage, and the risk and volume of the work involved. Call 615-219-2110 or see how a qualifying agent works for a straight answer tailored to your situation.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a state license to do roofing in Illinois? Yes. Roofing is one of only two construction trades Illinois licenses at the state level, plumbing is the other. The IDFPR roofing contractor license is required for roofing work done for compensation anywhere in the state, in any city or county.

What's the difference between a Limited and Unlimited Illinois roofing license? A Limited Roofing License covers residential properties of eight units or fewer. An Unlimited Roofing License covers any residential, commercial, or industrial property with no unit cap.

What is a Qualifying Party on an Illinois roofing license? The individual who is legally qualified to act for the business, has authority to supervise its roofing work, and is actively engaged in the day-to-day business. They must pass the Roofing Contractor Qualifying Party Examination through Continental Testing Services and be formally designated with IDFPR. It's Illinois's version of a qualifying agent.

Can one person be the Qualifying Party for more than one roofing company? Only in narrow circumstances. Under 225 ILCS 335/4.5, one person may qualify a second licensee of the same license type if they hold at least 25% common ownership or management interest in both, or if one company is a licensed subsidiary of the other. Nobody can qualify more than two companies at once.

What happens if my roofing Qualifying Party leaves? The company and the Qualifying Party must notify IDFPR within 30 business days, and the company has 60 days to designate a new qualified individual, who then has 7 months from IDFPR's approval to pass the exam. The license is inoperative until the new Qualifying Party is approved. A properly employed W-2 qualifying agent is the way to fill that gap without lapsing.

What does a compliant Illinois roofing contract have to include? At minimum: the contractor's license number and name, a working phone number, a street address that isn't a P.O. box, and an email address. A "Know Your Consumer Rights" brochure must be attached to every contract, with a signed acknowledgment form required for contracts over $1,000, and after a declared catastrophe, cancellation rights tied to the homeowner's insurance claim must appear in at least 10 point boldface.

How much does the Illinois roofing license cost? The $125 application fee, the $10,000/$25,000 surety bond, the $250,000/$500,000 insurance minimums, and the Continental Testing exam fee, see the cost table above for the full breakdown and sources.

Does Illinois have reciprocity for roofing licenses from other states? No. The Act contains no reciprocity or endorsement provision for roofing licenses. Out-of-state contractors apply for the Illinois license and meet the same Qualifying Party, exam, bond, and insurance requirements as any other applicant.

What happens if I do roofing work in Illinois without a license? Roofing without the required license can draw a civil penalty of up to $15,000 per offense under the Roofing Industry Licensing Act (225 ILCS 335/10a), assessed by IDFPR after a hearing.

How long does an Illinois roofing license last before renewal? It runs on a two year cycle. Both Limited and Unlimited licenses expire December 31 of odd-numbered years, with a renewal fee of $62.50 per year of the cycle.

How do I check whether an Illinois roofing contractor is actually licensed? Use IDFPR's License Look-Up tool and confirm the license number, which begins with the prefix 104, matches the name on the contract.

Sources

• 225 ILCS 335/2, definitions of Limited and Unlimited roofing license (retrieved 2026-10-14 via search extraction, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• 225 ILCS 335/5, license number display on contracts, bids, and building permits (retrieved 2026-10-14 via search extraction, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• 225 ILCS 335/5.5, roofing contract requirements (retrieved 2026-10-14 via search extraction, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• 225 ILCS 335/9, subcontractor licensing requirement (retrieved 2026-10-14 via search extraction, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• 815 ILCS 513/20, Home Repair and Remodeling Act, Consumer Rights brochure and $1,000 acknowledgment threshold (retrieved 2026-10-14 via search extraction, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• IDFPR, Roofing Contractor profession page (retrieved 2026-10-14)
• IDFPR, "Find a Licensed Roofer" consumer brochure (retrieved 2026-10-14)
• IDFPR, License Look-Up (retrieved 2026-10-14)
• 225 ILCS 335/3, surety bond and license application requirements (retrieved 2026-09-23; confirmed current via search extraction 2026-10-14, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• 225 ILCS 335/4.5, Qualifying Party and multiple-licensee rule (retrieved 2026-10-14 via search extraction, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• 225 ILCS 335/4.6, Qualifying Party termination and succession (retrieved 2026-10-14 via search extraction, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• 225 ILCS 335/10a, civil penalty for unlicensed practice, as amended by P.A. 104-427 (retrieved 2026-10-14 via search extraction, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• Illinois Administrative Code, Title 68, Part 1460 (application fee, bond, insurance minimums, renewal fee and cycle) (retrieved 2026-09-23; confirmed current via search extraction 2026-10-14, ilga.gov would not render for direct fetch today)
• Continental Testing Services, Illinois roofing examinations and fee (retrieved 2026-10-14)

The Licensing Company places experienced, licensed professionals as W-2 qualifying agents so contracting firms can hold the licenses they're qualified to earn but can't staff on their own. If the Qualifying Party requirement is blocking your Illinois roofing license, see how a qualifying agent works or call 615-219-2110 to talk through your situation. Roofing is licensed statewide in Illinois, for the general contractor and plumbing sides, see our Illinois general contractor guide and Illinois plumbing license guide.