Illinois Home Service Contractor Guide

Illinois Contractor Licensing Requirements

Illinois does not have a universal statewide license for every general contractor or home remodeler. Instead, general contractor registration and licensing are commonly handled by the local city, village, or county where the work takes place.

For example, Chicago administers contractor licensing through the Chicago Department of Buildings, while other Illinois communities may require a contractor to register, show insurance, pass local requirements, or obtain a local contractor license before pulling a permit.

Certain home-service trades have statewide licensing or regulatory requirements.

Before hiring an Illinois contractor, confirm the company’s legal business name, physical address, local registration status, license number where applicable, insurance coverage, and permit history when available.

Illinois Home Repair Contracts

Illinois homeowners receive important protections under the Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513). The law applies to many residential repair, remodeling, replacement, modernization, and addition projects. Violations may be treated as violations of Illinois consumer-fraud law.

The Act generally does not apply to original construction of a new residence, multifamily residential buildings with more than six dwelling units, or routine maintenance under $500.

What the Contract Must Include

For home-repair or remodeling projects that cost more than $1,000, contractors must provide a written contract or work order before beginning work. The contract should include:

• The contractor’s official business name and physical address.
• The contractor’s residential address if the contractor uses a P.O. Box.
• The total cost of the project.
• An itemized list of parts and materials with reasonable detail.
• The payment schedule.
• Estimated project start and completion dates.
• Terms related to termination or cancellation.
• Required licensing information, including the roofing contractor license number when applicable.

Contract Cancellation Rights

Illinois homeowners usually have three business days to cancel a qualifying contract signed at their home. Homeowners age 65 or older may have up to 15 business days to cancel when an uninvited door-to-door solicitor initiated the transaction.

Illinois Contractor Insurance

Home repair and remodeling contractors covered by the Home Repair and Remodeling Act generally must carry public-liability and property-damage insurance unless they meet the statute’s net-worth exception. The law identifies minimum coverage of:

Request a current certificate of insurance before paying a deposit. For larger jobs, roofing projects, electrical work, plumbing work, demolition, and projects involving employees or subcontractors, also ask for proof of workers’ compensation coverage.

Illinois Permits

Most building permits in Illinois are issued by local governments rather than by one statewide permit office. The permit authority may be a city, village, county, township, or other local jurisdiction.

Questions to Ask the Building Department

Contact the building department before work begins and ask:

1. Does this project require a building permit?
2. Are separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, or zoning permits required?
3. Is a site plan, plat of survey, construction drawing, engineering plan, or architectural plan required?
4. Does the contractor need local registration, insurance, or a municipal license?
5. Who is authorized to pull the permit?
6. Which inspections are required before work can be covered?

Projects That Often Require Permits

Permit requirements vary, but Illinois homeowners commonly need permits for:

• Structures: Additions, garages, detached structures, sheds, decks, porches, pools, and fences.
• Structural changes: Including removing or modifying load-bearing walls.
• Interior remodeling: Basement finishing and major interior remodels.
• Roofing: Replacement or substantial roof repairs in many Illinois jurisdictions.
• Electrical: Service upgrades, panel replacements, new circuits, generators, solar installations, and EV charger installations.
• Plumbing: Plumbing additions, bathroom and kitchen remodels, water-heater installations, sewer-line work, and repiping.
• Mechanical: Furnace, air-conditioner, heat-pump, ductwork, ventilation, fireplace, chimney, and gas-piping work.
• Energy-related work: Window replacements, insulation upgrades, siding replacement, and similar work when required locally.
• Site and right-of-way work: Driveways, drainage, sidewalks, curb cuts, and public-right-of-way work.
• Special cases: Demolition, major tree work, floodplain projects, and projects involving historic districts.

Rockford, for example, states that permits are required for all roofing work and for many forms of construction, alteration, replacement, repair, maintenance, and demolition. Naperville lists permits for many residential projects, including building work, electrical work, plumbing, solar, irrigation, fences, driveways, and sidewalks.

The Illinois Inspection Process

After a permit is issued, Illinois building departments schedule inspections at specific construction stages. The required inspections depend on the project but may include:

1. Footing and foundation inspections
2. Framing inspections
3. Rough plumbing inspections
4. Rough electrical inspections
5. Rough mechanical or HVAC inspections
6. Insulation and energy-code inspections
7. Drywall or fire-separation inspections
8. Final building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical inspections

Illinois Cities and Counties

The following building department links are useful starting points for permit, inspection, contractor-registration, and code questions. Always verify the actual jurisdiction for the property address before applying.

Illinois Building Codes

Illinois building codes are a combination of statewide requirements and locally adopted building codes. Cities and counties can adopt and enforce local building, residential, electrical, mechanical, fire, zoning, and property-maintenance rules.

Illinois also has statewide code requirements in key areas, including energy conservation, plumbing, accessibility, and certain building-code provisions for areas that do not maintain locally adopted codes. The Illinois Capital Development Board provides guidance on statewide building-code requirements and updates.

Which Electrical Code Applies in Illinois?

Illinois does not apply one single electrical-code edition uniformly to every home-service project statewide. Electrical-code adoption and enforcement are commonly handled by the city, village, county, or other local authority with jurisdiction over the property.

Under Illinois’ statewide building-code framework, non-building-code jurisdictions must use the current edition of the National Electrical Code or the edition immediately preceding it for qualifying work. However, Illinois municipalities can adopt and enforce their own local electrical-code editions and amendments.

For that reason, confirm the applicable electrical code directly with the local building department before beginning work. Ask this question before hiring an electrician or pulling a permit:

“What edition of the National Electrical Code applies to my property address and permit application date?”

This is especially important for projects involving:

• Electrical-panel replacements or service upgrades
• Kitchen and bathroom remodels
• Basement finishing
• Home additions
• Generators
• Solar systems
• EV charger installations
• New outlets, circuits, or major appliance connections
• Smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm upgrades

The applicable NEC edition can affect requirements for GFCI outlets, AFCI circuit protection, panel labeling, grounding, surge protection, smoke alarms, EV charging equipment, and electrical clearances.

Illinois Weather-Related Repairs

Illinois homes are exposed to snow, ice, subfreezing temperatures, freeze-thaw cycles, heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, wind, humidity, and wide seasonal temperature changes. These conditions create recurring repair and remodeling needs across the state.

Illinois Homes and Common Upgrades

• Chicago bungalows often need attic insulation, air sealing, masonry tuckpointing, clay-pipe or aging plumbing updates, electrical modernization, roof repairs, and attic or dormer conversions.
• Greystones and two-flats may require extensive masonry work, waterproofing, electrical upgrades, fire-safety improvements, ventilation changes, and careful planning for multifamily or historic-property requirements.
• Ranch and split-level homes commonly benefit from HVAC replacement, electrical-panel upgrades, basement waterproofing, low-slope roof repair, window upgrades, and structural planning when opening kitchens or removing walls.
• Older Illinois homes should be evaluated for lead paint, asbestos-containing materials, outdated electrical systems, inadequate insulation, aging plumbing lines, poor drainage, failing caulk, and deteriorated exterior masonry before major work begins.

Illinois Homeowner FAQ