Illinois roofing license rules and weekly leads from new homeowners in the Chicago area

Under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, offering roofing work without a license from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is unlawful. Only licensed contractors or credentialed qualifying parties may do roofing work, and employees of a licensed roofing contractor need no license of their own. A general contractor may subcontract roofing only to a licensed roofer. Roofing your own property, or roofing work done for no pay, needs no license.

Illinois has two license types. A limited roofing license covers residential properties of 8 units or less. An unlimited roofing license covers residential, commercial and industrial properties. A municipality or county that issues building permits must see a current state license before issuing a building permit to a roofer. Local governments may charge their own fees and set stricter rules.

The license number and your name as it appears on the license must go on every advertisement, contract and bid. HelloSuey reads a postcard mailed to new homeowners as an advertisement under the act, though the act doesn't mention mail. Knowingly leaving either the license number or the name off an ad is a Class A misdemeanor with a $1,000 fine, and each day an ad runs counts as a separate offense. A work vehicle without the license number and name brings a civil penalty of $250 to $1,000.