Illinois Contractor License Fees

The 20 verified whole-dollar state and local fees Illinois publishes — each one read off an official form or fee table on 2026-10-11: the IDFPR application, the IDPH forms with their printed footers, the OSFM application's own fee table, the City of Chicago's class table cross-checked against the codifier, and Cook County's registration page. Illinois prices trades and cities, not general contracting — there is no state GC fee because there is no state GC licence — and where a price simply was never printed, the row says so instead of inventing one.

Verified 2026-10-1120 published figureswhole-dollar onlythree agencies · two local regimesIndexation gate: passed

01 Fee vs bond vs insurance vs permit

LICENCE / REGISTRATION FEE≠BOND: $10,000 / $25,000 / $20,000≠INSURANCE: $250,000 → $5,000,000≠LOCAL PERMIT FEE

The fee is the small number — $125 to apply as a roofer, $150 a year to register a plumbing company, $300 to $3,500 for Chicago's ladder: what a credential costs is separate from what it requires — bonds and insurance priced in the tens and hundreds of thousands. S-IL-RF-APP
Bonds are seeded as bonds, never as fees — the roofing surety is $10,000 (Limited) or $25,000 (Unlimited), continuous and cancelled-without-hearing on termination; the sole-proprietor plumbing bond is $20,000 under 77 IAC 894.20. The price of BUYING them is a private-market premium and is not seeded. S-IL-PC-BOND
Insurance ladders rise with the licence — RF-INS at $500,000/$250,000; the sprinkler application at $500,000/$1,000,000 plus $1,000,000 property damage; Chicago's § 4-36-090 CGL from $1,000,000 (Class E) to $5,000,000 (Class A); Cook County flat at $1,000,000. S-IL-CHI-GC-APP S-IL-SFM-APP
There is no state GC fee to compare against — Illinois issues no general contractor licence, so the comparison other states make (state fee vs local fee) does not exist here: the locality charges or nothing does. S-IL-IDFPR-PROFLIST
Permit fees stay local — plumbing permits run through the local health department under 77 IAC 890 and building permits through the municipal or county department; no state permit schedule exists to publish. S-IL-DPH-PLUMBING

02 IDFPR — roofing: one application price for both licences, and a renewal nobody printed

Fee	Amount	Kind	Charged by	Source
Roofing contractor licence — application (Limited and Unlimited alike) RF application packet verbatim: 'Payment of $125.00 in the form of a U.S. check or money order made payable to IDFPR', and the checklist's 'An application fee of $125' — the SAME price for Limited and Unlimited (packet machine-read 2026-10-11). Fees are non-refundable; the application 'is active for three years from the date of receipt by the Department' and the Department asks applicants to 'allow eight business weeks'.	$125	application	Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Professional Regulation	S-IL-RF-APP
Roofing contractor licence — renewal price NOT PUBLISHED on the application (cycle verified) PRICE WITHHELD BY NAME (research §O.1): the RF packet prints the $125 application fee and the biennial term ('The license will expire on December 31st of each odd numbered year regardless of when it is issued') but NOT the renewal price, and no IDFPR page read this session published it — unofficial secondary sources circulate $150/$300 figures and NONE was verified, so this row records the duty with amount 0 = 'unpublished', never a guess. See RENEW-IL-ROOFING for the verified cycle.	not published	renewal	Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Professional Regulation	S-IL-RF-APP

One price covers BOTH licences — Limited and Unlimited are $125 to apply — and the packet never prints a renewal figure, so the renewal row reads not published rather than guessing (secondary sources circulate $150 and $300; neither was verified against an IDFPR page). What the packet DOES print is the cycle: "The license will expire on December 31st of each odd numbered year regardless of when it is issued." Fees are non-refundable and the Department asks applicants to allow eight business weeks.

03 IDPH — plumbing: the examination, the licence and the annual contractor registration

Fee	Amount	Kind	Charged by	Source
Plumber licence — fee after passing the state examination IDPH 'Retired Plumber's License Application' verbatim (read via the official page's indexed text 2026-10-11): 'apply for the plumber examination with the proper fee ($100) and successfully pass the exam. After passing the exam, the fee for a plumber license is $100.' The plumber and apprentice RENEWAL prices are not on any page read this session (research §O.4) — no renewal fee row is seeded.	$100	license	Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program	S-IL-PHL-LIC-FEE
Plumbing contractor registration — annual (initial and renewal alike) Application body verbatim: '$150 annual registration fee (Registration fees are non-refundable.)'; the IDPH page independently states that 'All plumbing contractors must register with the state and pay an annual fee'. The company registers, the named Plumber of Record carries the competency.	$150	license	Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program	S-IL-PC-APP
Plumbing contractor registration — reinstatement / late fee Form footer verbatim: 'Reinstatement/Late Fee: $100'. The form warns that a late filing suspends the registration and forces re-registration at that penalty; the footer also prints 'Returned Check Fee: $200'.	$100	miscellaneous	Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program	S-IL-PC-APP
Plumbing contractor registration — returned check fee Form footer verbatim: 'Returned Check Fee: $200'.	$200	miscellaneous	Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program	S-IL-PC-APP
Plumber state examination — application fee (Illinois apprentice route) Official IDPH examination application verbatim: 'FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. Application Fee for Illinois Licensed Apprentice Plumber: $175.' The parallel line for plumbers registered/licensed in Chicago or out of state is CUT in the retrieved snippet (research §O.3) — no second amount is asserted. Due 30 days before the examination date (225 ILCS 320/10(d)); retakes use the separate Examination Retake Form plus the applicable fee.	$175	application	Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program	S-IL-PHL-EXAM

Three of these are the department's own form lines: $175 for the examination application (Illinois apprentice route — the Chicago/out-of-state line is cut in the retrieved snippet), $100 for the licence after passing, and $150 annual for the contractor registration with the footer's $100 reinstatement/late and $200 returned-check fees. The plumber and apprentice RENEWAL prices are on no page read and are withheld. S-IL-PC-APP

04 OSFM — fire sprinklers: the $3,000 biennial licence and its late window

Fee	Amount	Kind	Charged by	Source
Fire sprinkler contractor licence — initial (2-year licence) Application fee table p. 4 verbatim: 'Initial License (2-year license) $3,000' — the most expensive Illinois state construction credential. 'Do not remit fees with application. Once your application has been reviewed and approved, you will be invoiced for the applicable fees.'	$3,000	application	Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) — Division of Fire Prevention	S-IL-SFM-APP
Fire sprinkler contractor licence — renewal on or before the expiration date Application fee table verbatim: 'Renewal of License (before or on expiration date) $3,000'. Continuing education is required for renewal (OSFM approved-provider list).	$3,000	renewal	Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) — Division of Fire Prevention	S-IL-SFM-APP
Fire sprinkler contractor licence — late renewal (up to one year after expiry) Application fee table verbatim: 'Late Renewal of License (up to a year after expiration; includes a $500 late filing fee) $3,500'. The $500 late component is printed inside the row itself — after the year, the licence is expired rather than late.	$3,500	miscellaneous	Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) — Division of Fire Prevention	S-IL-SFM-APP
Fire sprinkler contractor licence — duplicate or corrected licence Application fee table verbatim: 'Duplicate or Corrected License $50'.	$50	miscellaneous	Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) — Division of Fire Prevention	S-IL-SFM-APP

The OSFM is the only Illinois agency that prices its whole cycle on the application: $3,000 initial, $3,000 timely renewal, $3,500 late within a year (the $500 late filing fee is printed inside that row) and $50 for a duplicate — with the unusual instruction "Do not remit fees with application … you will be invoiced" once the application is approved. S-IL-SFM-APP

05 City of Chicago — the five-class value ladder (annual, with the matching insurance ladder)

Fee	Amount	Kind	Charged by	Source
Chicago general contractor licence — Class A (no value limitation), annual DOB application classification block verbatim, cross-checked against the codifier's § 4-5-010 table: '$3,500' per year. § 4-36-070: the fee 'shall be payable annually. A general contractor license shall expire one year after issuance.'	$3,500	license	City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) — Title 4 contractor licensing	S-IL-CHI-GC-APP
Chicago general contractor licence — Class B (contracts over $20,000,000), annual DOB application verbatim: '$1,800'; § 4-5-010 indexed snippet cross-check verbatim: 'General Contractor, Class B (Chapter 4-36). – $1,800.00 (1 year)'.	$1,800	license	City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) — Title 4 contractor licensing	S-IL-CHI-GC-APP
Chicago general contractor licence — Class C (contracts over $10,000,000), annual DOB application classification block verbatim: '$1,300' per year.	$1,300	license	City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) — Title 4 contractor licensing	S-IL-CHI-GC-APP
Chicago general contractor licence — Class D (contracts over $4,000,000), annual DOB application classification block verbatim: '$900' per year.	$900	license	City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) — Title 4 contractor licensing	S-IL-CHI-GC-APP
Chicago general contractor licence — Class E (contracts over $500,000), annual DOB application verbatim: '$300'; the floor of the Chicago value ladder — and the class whose § 4-36-090 insurance floor is $1,000,000 per occurrence.	$300	license	City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) — Title 4 contractor licensing	S-IL-CHI-GC-APP

The ladder prices a SINGLE contract project, so the same company can hold a different class next year: Class A carries no limitation at $3,500, Class B stops at $20,000,000 ($1,800 — cross-checked against the codifier's § 4-5-010 row), Class C at $10,000,000 ($1,300), Class D at $4,000,000 ($900) and Class E at $500,000 ($300). The § 4-36-090 liability floor rises with the class from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 per occurrence, and the fee is payable annually (§ 4-36-070). S-IL-CHI-GC-APP

06 City of Chicago — the two $150 trade licences (plumbing ch. 4-336, electrical § 4-5-140)

Fee	Amount	Kind	Charged by	Source
Chicago plumbing contractor licence — annual (MCC ch. 4-336) Codifier § 4-5-010 indexed snippet verbatim: 'Plumbing Contractor (Chapter 4-336). – $150.00 (1 year). $150.00 (1 year)'; § 4-336-040: 'The license fee shall be as set forth in Section 4-5-010 of this code.' This City fee STACKS on the $150 IDPH state registration (FEE-IL-PC-ANNUAL-001) — two $150 duties for the same Chicago plumbing business.	$150	license	City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) — Title 4 contractor licensing	S-IL-CHI-4-5-010
Chicago electrical contractor licence — annual, all classifications (MCC ch. via § 4-5-140) Codifier § 4-5-140 annual-adjustment snippet verbatim: 'Electrical Contractor, all classifications … $150.00 (1 year). $150.00 (1 year)'. The chapter number and the Electrical Supervisor / journeyman / master fees could NOT be machine-read this session (research §O.7) — flagged, never guessed.	$150	license	City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) — Title 4 contractor licensing	S-IL-CHI-4-5-010

Both city trade licences cost the same $150 a year — the plumbing row comes from § 4-5-010 ("Plumbing Contractor (Chapter 4-336). – $150.00 (1 year)") and the electrical row from § 4-5-140 ("Electrical Contractor, all classifications … $150.00 (1 year)"). The plumbing one STACKS on the $150 IDPH registration: a Chicago plumbing company pays $300 a year in registration before a single permit. The electrical chapter number and the supervisor / journeyman fees were not machine-readable and are withheld by name.

07 Cook County — unincorporated registration, priced per trade

Fee	Amount	Kind	Charged by	Source
Cook County contractor registration — initial, per trade County service page verbatim: 'The initial registration fee is $150 per trade.' Initial registration is filed IN PERSON by the owner or a corporate officer (application PDF); homeowners' 'General' registration is free of charge.	$150	application	Cook County Department of Building and Zoning (contractor registration — unincorporated Cook County)	S-IL-COOK-REG
Cook County contractor registration — annual renewal, per trade County service page verbatim: 'To keep your registration active, there is an annual fee of $75 per trade due by December 31 each year. If you have not renewed your registration in at least two years, please contact the Department…' — the two-year gap is when the registration is treated as lapsed rather than merely late.	$75	renewal	Cook County Department of Building and Zoning (contractor registration — unincorporated Cook County)	S-IL-COOK-REG

Cook County prices the REGISTRATION, not the work: $150 per trade to start, $75 per trade each year due 31 December, $1,000,000 general liability naming the County — and homeowners take the "General" lane at no charge while residing on the property. A registration untouched for two years must be re-established with the Department rather than renewed. S-IL-COOK-REG

08 Withheld on purpose — never guessed

NOT PUBLISHED as a whole-dollar figure

Roofing RENEWAL fee (and any late fee) — the RF packet prints the $125 application and the biennial cycle only; the $150/$300 figures circulating in secondary sources were never verified against an IDFPR page.
Roofing continuing education — 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460 may impose it; ilga.gov refused every connection this session, so no CE duty is asserted.
The Chicago / out-of-state examination fee line — cut in the retrieved snippet of the official IDPH PDF; only the $175 Illinois apprentice figure was read.
Plumber and apprentice RENEWAL fees — not on any official page read.
Plumbing contractor insurance minima — the four coverages are named by IDPH; the dollar amounts live in 77 IAC 894 / the certificate wording, which extracted garbled.
Irrigation contractor registration fee — the annual duty is verbatim on the IDPH page; the price is not.
Chicago Rigger, Wrecking, Sheet Metal/HVAC and Fire Suppression fees — plus the Electrical Contractor chapter number and the § 4-36-190 penalty amount: chicago.gov and the codifier refused this fetcher.
Village and city rates everywhere else — only Chicago and Cook County were read; every other municipal figure is LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED.
Bond premiums and insurance premiums — private-market prices, not state or county fees.

09 Sources

S-IL-CHI-4-5-010fee schedule

City of Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) — Title 4 contractor licensing

MCC § 4-5-010 (business licence fees) + § 4-5-140 (annual adjustment) — trade-licence fee rows: Plumbing Contractor $150/yr, Electrical Contractor $150/yr, GC Class B $1,800/yr

https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2609232