Licensed Roofer in Illinois: How to Verify Before You Hire

Illinois is one of a handful of states with a dedicated statewide roofing contractor license. If you are hiring a roofer in Illinois, you can verify their license through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — the same agency that licenses doctors, lawyers, and dozens of other professions in the state.

Illinois made roofing contractor licensing mandatory because of widespread fraud following severe storms. The IDFPR license requirement, combined with a mandatory $10,000 surety bond, gives Illinois homeowners real legal protection that most states do not provide. This guide explains how to verify an Illinois roofing license and what to do if the contractor you are considering does not have one.

Does Illinois require roofers to be licensed?

Yes. Illinois requires roofing contractors to hold a Roofing Contractor license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). This is a statewide requirement enforced under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act. Any contractor performing roofing work on residential or commercial property in Illinois must hold an active IDFPR roofing license. The license database is searchable at idfpr.illinois.gov.

Illinois adopted mandatory roofing contractor licensing specifically because roofing fraud is one of the most common contractor complaints in the state. Storm chasers, unlicensed out-of-state contractors, and fraud operators specifically target Illinois homeowners after hail and wind events. The IDFPR license requirement means you have a quick, free way to screen any roofer before you commit to a contract.

What does the Illinois IDFPR roofing contractor license require?

To obtain an Illinois Roofing Contractor license, an applicant must submit a complete application to IDFPR, pay the licensing fee, provide proof of a $10,000 surety bond, and carry general liability insurance. No formal exam is currently required for the roofing license itself, but the applicant must demonstrate they are legally operating as a business entity in Illinois. The license must be renewed biennially (every two years).

The Illinois roofing license requirements include:

• $10,000 surety bond: Required for all licensed roofing contractors in Illinois. This provides financial recourse for homeowners if the contractor fails to complete contracted work.
• General liability insurance: Must be maintained throughout the license period. The minimum coverage requirement is set by IDFPR.
• Biennial renewal: The license must be renewed every two years. An expired license means the contractor is no longer in compliance — even if they were licensed in the past.
• Business entity in good standing: The contractor's business must be registered and active with the Illinois Secretary of State.

The $10,000 surety bond is smaller than what some other states require (Pennsylvania requires $50,000 under HICPA), but it provides a real avenue for claims. The more important protections are the license verification system itself and the ability to file complaints with IDFPR against licensed contractors who perform substandard work.

How do you look up a roofing contractor's license in Illinois?

Go to idfpr.illinois.gov and use the License Lookup tool. Select "Roofing Contractor" as the license type and search by the contractor's name or license number. The results show the license number, current status (Active or Expired), the license holder's name, and the city of record. Confirm the license status is Active before signing any roofing contract.

The IDFPR license lookup is one of the easier state licensing databases to use. Here is the process:

• Go to idfpr.illinois.gov and click "License Lookup"
• Select Roofing Contractor from the license type options
• Search by the company name, individual name, or license number
• Confirm the license status is Active (not Expired, Inactive, or Revoked)
• Note the license expiration date to confirm renewal is current
• Verify the name on the license matches the business name you were given

If the contractor does not appear under the business name, ask for their license number and search by that. Some Illinois roofing companies operate under a trade name that differs from the legal entity on file with IDFPR. A license number search is definitive.

What do different IDFPR license statuses mean for roofing contractors?

An Active status means the license is current, the bond is on file, and the contractor is in good standing with IDFPR. An Expired status means the contractor previously held a license but has not renewed — they are not currently authorized to perform roofing work in Illinois. A Revoked or Suspended status means IDFPR took disciplinary action against the contractor, which is a serious red flag. Only hire roofers with an Active IDFPR license.

Illinois roofing license statuses to know:

• Active: License is current. The contractor is legally authorized to perform roofing work in Illinois.
• Expired: The license was not renewed. The contractor is not currently authorized to work — even if they used to be licensed. Do not hire.
• Inactive: The license has been placed in inactive status by the holder or IDFPR. Not authorized to work.
• Revoked: IDFPR took action to permanently end the license due to violations or fraud. Do not hire under any circumstances.
• Suspended: The license has been temporarily suspended by IDFPR, typically due to complaints, bond lapse, or other violations.

What are the risks of hiring an unlicensed roofer in Illinois?

Hiring an unlicensed roofer in Illinois violates the Roofing Industry Licensing Act and exposes you to significant financial risk. Your homeowner's insurance may deny claims for damage caused by unlicensed work. You have no IDFPR complaint process to pursue. The FTC estimates home improvement fraud costs American consumers over $3 billion annually, and roofing fraud accounts for a disproportionate share of those losses.

Illinois takes unlicensed roofing contractor violations seriously. Under the Roofing Industry Licensing Act, unlicensed contracting in Illinois can result in civil penalties and stop-work orders. But those penalties are collected by the state — not by you. Once an unlicensed contractor has your money and has done poor work or disappeared, recovery is through civil court only, and finding an unlicensed operator is much harder than filing a complaint against a licensed one.

The IDFPR also accepts complaints against licensed roofing contractors — meaning that if you hire a licensed roofer and they do substandard work or violate the contract, you have a regulatory body with enforcement authority to escalate to. That recourse disappears entirely with an unlicensed contractor.

What else should you verify when hiring an Illinois roofer?

Beyond the IDFPR license, verify that the roofer carries workers' compensation insurance for their employees, general liability insurance of at least $1 million, and that they will pull any required building permits through your local municipality. In Chicago, roofers may also need to comply with city-specific permit and contractor registration requirements through the Chicago Department of Buildings.

Additional verification steps for Illinois roofing contractors:

• Workers' compensation: Verify through the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or ask for a certificate
• General liability insurance: Request a certificate of insurance showing at least $1 million per occurrence; call the insurer to confirm it is active
• Building permits: Required for most roof replacements; confirm the contractor will pull the permit
• Chicago registration: If the project is in Chicago, verify any additional city contractor registration requirements at chicago.gov/buildings
• Manufacturer certifications: Optional but valuable — GAF Master Elite, Owens Corning Preferred, or similar indicate factory-trained installation

Illinois makes roofing contractor verification straightforward because IDFPR maintains a single, searchable statewide database. You can verify the license yourself for free at idfpr.illinois.gov — or use CheckLicensed.com for a $0.99 instant report that combines IDFPR license status, bond information, insurance, and any complaints into a single result. Either way, verify before you sign.