Illinois license renewals

Every LicenseLedger guide for Illinois on one page: what each one covers and, where its guide gives them, when it expires or renews and the continuing education it asks for. Open a guide for its fees and how to renew.

• Illinois Plumber License Renewal (IDPH)

  Last reviewed October 2026

  Illinois plumber's and apprentice plumber's licenses from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) expire on April 30 every year. Renew online and pay before May 1, with proof of 4 hours of approved continuing education for a plumber's license. A renewal that comes in after May 1 costs an extra $100. If you do plumbing work for others for hire (not as an employee), your plumbing contractor registration is a separate yearly renewal, and IDPH must always hold a current certificate of insurance for it.

  Renews every

  Year: plumber's and apprentice plumber's licenses expire on April 30 and renew for one year from May 1

  Continuing education

  4 hours a year for a licensed plumber, in courses from sponsors IDPH has approved. None is due for the year your license was first issued

• Chicago Plumber and Plumbing Contractor License Renewal

  Last reviewed October 2026

  Chicago issues its own plumber and plumbing contractor licenses through the Board of Plumbing Examiners and the Department of Buildings, and a plumbing contractor licensed by the State of Illinois still needs the city's contractor license to work in Chicago. Both licenses last one year and are renewed online through the Department of Buildings web portal. A plumber verifies at least 4 hours of continuing education in plumbing at each renewal. The contractor license needs a $20,000 performance bond on file, and it is automatically inactivated if that bond expires or is cancelled, or if the license of the plumber associated with it expires or is suspended. Calendar-2026 renewal fees are $150 each.

  Renews every

  Year: a plumbing contractor license is valid for one year from issuance, and a plumber license for one year from issuance or renewal

  Continuing education

  As part of renewing, a licensed plumber must verify completing at least 4 hours of continuing education in plumbing. The Department of Buildings' plumbing contractor page names none for the contractor license itself

• Chicago General Contractor License Renewal

  Last reviewed October 2026

  The City of Chicago requires a general contractor license from the Department of Buildings for most building construction, alteration, repair and demolition work in the city. A license is valid for one year from issuance and is renewed by mail through Continental Testing Services, which processes renewals for the Department. There are five classes (A to E), each with its own maximum project value, demolition work and minimum general liability insurance, and the license is automatically inactivated if that insurance policy expires. Calendar-2026 renewal fees run from $300 (Class E) to $3,500 (Class A); the Department has published the trade license fee rates that apply from January 1, 2027.

  Renews every

  Year: a general contractor license is valid for one year from issuance

  Continuing education

  None listed: the Department of Buildings' general contractor license page names no continuing education requirement

• Chicago Electrical Contractor License Renewal

  Last reviewed October 2026

  The City of Chicago requires an electrical contractor license from the Department of Buildings for wiring and equipment regulated by the Chicago Electrical Code, permit or not, and every licensed electrical contractor must be owned by or employ at least one licensed supervising electrician. Both licenses last one year and are renewed online through the Department of Buildings web portal. The company license is automatically inactivated if no valid supervising electrician license is associated with it, so two dates matter, not one. Calendar-2026 renewal fees are $150 each; an expired license can only be renewed within three years.

  Renews every

  Year: an electrical contractor license is valid for one year from issuance, and a supervising electrician license for one year from issuance or renewal

  Continuing education

  None listed: the Department of Buildings' electrical contractor and supervising electrician license pages name no continuing education requirement

• Illinois Roofing Contractor License Renewal

  Last reviewed October 2026

  Every Illinois roofing contractor license from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), limited or unlimited, expires on December 31 of odd-numbered years, whenever it was issued. When you renew, you certify that you still meet the insurance and bond requirements, name your qualifying party and pay the renewal fee of $62.50 per year. Neither the Roofing Industry Licensing Act nor its rules set any continuing education. You can't work on an expired license. To restore one, you pay $50 plus all the renewal fees you missed (not to exceed $375) and send proof of insurance and bond.

  Expires

  December 31 of odd-numbered years, whenever the license was issued. Renew before that date

  Continuing education

  None: the Roofing Industry Licensing Act and its rules (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460) set no continuing education for renewal