Start with the credential that applies to the work and the place where it will happen. In Illinois, the business name, credential type and project scope matter as much as the status label. This guide helps you make those checks; it does not determine eligibility for a specific contract.
What to check in Illinois
Illinois uses different authorities for different trades. IDFPR administers roofing licenses, while IDPH licenses plumbers and registers plumbing contractors. Chicago also has its own building-department credentials.
Our Illinois source coverage is not a complete description of Illinois law. A Chicago general-contractor record does not establish authority in every other municipality, and plumbing is not exclusively a municipal licensing system.
IDFPR roofing — Roofing licensing authority.
IDPH plumbing — Plumber licensing and annual plumbing-contractor registration.
Chicago general-contractor class limits — Municipal Code 4-36-030: A-E limits, activity restrictions and permit-splitting prohibition.
Use the job location and trade to choose the Illinois check
- For roofing, start with IDFPR. For plumbing, check IDPH’s plumber licensing and plumbing-contractor registration. Do not use a Chicago general-contractor entry as a substitute for these state trade records.
- For a Chicago general contractor, the linked code lists A with no project-value cap, B up to $20 million, C up to $10 million, D up to $4 million and E up to $500,000 for regulated activity at one site. It also restricts demolition by class; E excludes demolition and excavation. Confirm the current provision with the city for the proposed work.
- For work outside Chicago, contact that municipality’s building department about the scope. Our selected Chicago records do not establish that another Illinois municipality has the same requirements.
Example: for a Chicago project whose value exceeds the holder’s class limit, ask the city to clarify the required class before accepting the bid. Splitting permits to evade the class limits is prohibited by the municipal provision linked below.
Check the business, credential and work together
Open IDFPR / Chicago Building License Lookup. For a trade or locality outside that service's coverage, use the authority identified above. Search the exact credential number when you have it, then compare the holder and business name with the written proposal. Use a name search as a cross-check; similar names can belong to different businesses.
Record the credential type, current status, expiration date and classification or endorsement where the authority publishes them. Check the business–qualifier relationship when applicable. If a field is absent, ask the authority; do not treat a blank as confirmation.
Example: If a roofing company also offers plumbing, verify the roofing record with IDFPR and the plumbing credentials with IDPH rather than assuming one covers both.
Resolve a mismatch before committing
Ask the contractor to explain a different business name, missing classification or unclear status and supply the relevant record. Confirm the explanation with the issuing authority rather than editing the name in your notes until it matches.
No result in ContractorRoster is not a finding that a business is unlicensed. Our coverage, source timing, spelling and search limits can affect results. Search the appropriate official service and contact it if the answer remains unclear. A portal error is not a negative license finding.
What a registry check does not settle
Check local permits and the scope of any subcontracted trades separately. Request current insurance evidence and confirm coverage questions with the insurer; a license status does not decide whether a particular loss is covered. Ask for references for comparable work and agree on a written scope, payment schedule and change process.
Read any available disciplinary orders for their actual findings and dates. An allegation is not a finding, and the absence of a public complaint is not proof of a clean history. If you are evaluating a legal claim or recovery program, check its specific eligibility rules instead of assuming a license guarantees compensation.
Applying or working across state lines
Use the authority's current category-specific instructions. Our licensing budget guide separates fees from bond and insurance costs; our reciprocity checklist explains what to ask the receiving board. Neither an application nor an exam waiver is an issued license.
Using the roster for research or outreach
Our Illinois data comes from the covered sources identified as IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings; its recorded refresh date is 2026-07-07. A roster row is not necessarily a unique company, and our coverage is not a census of everyone working in the state. License, registration and name-inferred categories must be interpreted separately.
Browse the Illinois roster to review available trades and territories. Contact fields are supplied where available and are separate from licensing evidence. Before hiring, return to the official record for current status. Original scope guidance was reviewed 2026-09-23; supplemental authority guidance was reviewed 2026-09-27. The data refresh date is a different fact.