Illinois Roofing License Rules for Commercial Buildings
Illinois is one of the states that licenses roofers, and the rules matter more for commercial buildings than most owners realize. A license that is perfectly valid for re-roofing a house can be the wrong license for a strip center, a church or a 24-unit apartment building. This guide explains the two license types, what the 104- number tells you, and how to check a roofer yourself before you sign anything.
Elite Champaign Commercial Roofers is a free quote service, not a roofing contractor. We connect Champaign-area property owners with independent commercial roofing contractors, and we ask those contractors to confirm their IDFPR unlimited license. We do not verify or guarantee anyone's license, which is exactly why the steps below are worth five minutes of your time.
Who licenses roofers in Illinois?
Roofing contractors are licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act (225 ILCS 335). The Act applies statewide, so the same license rules cover a job in Champaign, Urbana, Rantoul or Danville. Local building departments handle permits and inspections, but they do not issue roofing licenses.
The Act was amended in 2025 (Public Act 104-0427), which extended it to 2031 and updated sections on definitions, contract contents and discipline. If you manage a public building, note that the amendment also addresses how public entities procure licensed roofers. Ask your procurement office or counsel how that applies to your project.
Limited vs unlimited roofing license
IDFPR issues two kinds of roofing contractor license. According to IDFPR's consumer brochure, the difference is the type of building the holder can work on:
| License type | What it covers (per IDFPR) | Typical buildings |
|---|---|---|
| Limited | Residential properties and condominium buildings with no more than eight units | Houses, duplexes, small condo buildings |
| Unlimited | Residential, commercial and industrial properties | Retail, offices, warehouses, schools, churches, apartment and condo buildings with 9+ units |
The practical rule for anyone reading this site: commercial and industrial roofing calls for an unlimited license. That includes the buildings people forget are "commercial" for licensing purposes, such as a condo association with 12 units, an apartment complex, a mixed-use building downtown or a church fellowship hall. If you are not sure which side of the line your building falls on, ask IDFPR rather than the roofer.
Why this comes up so often in Champaign-Urbana
Plenty of local roofing companies do mostly residential work, and some hold only a limited license. That is legitimate for houses. It is not enough for a 40,000 sq ft warehouse in north Champaign or a 30-unit apartment building near campus. Ask which license a company holds before you invite it to bid.
What does a 104- license number mean?
Illinois roofing contractor license numbers start with 104-. IDFPR tells consumers to look for that number, and under the Act a licensee is expected to put the license number and the name on the license on:
- Bids and contracts
- Building permit applications and issued permits
- Advertising for regulated roofing services, including websites, mailers and yard signs
- Commercial vehicles used in the business
Per the Act, knowingly advertising without the number, giving a false number, or letting someone else use your number are all violations. A proposal that arrives on letterhead with no 104- number on it is a reason to ask questions, not a formality.
This site is a referral service, so it does not display a license number and never should. The contractors who respond to your request are the ones whose numbers belong on their bids.
How to verify an Illinois roofing license
Checking takes a few minutes on IDFPR's website. The exact screens change from time to time, but the process looks like this:
Get the number and legal name
Ask for the 104- number and the business name exactly as licensed. Compare it to the name on the bid and the certificate of insurance.
Search the IDFPR license lookup
Go to idfpr.illinois.gov and use the license lookup to search by name or number.
Read the record, not just the match
Confirm the license type covers commercial work (unlimited), the status is active, the expiration date is after your project ends, and look for any posted discipline.
Keep a copy
Save a screenshot or printout with the date in your project file. Boards, lenders and insurers sometimes ask for it later.
License lending and storm chasers
IDFPR is blunt on this point: roofing contractors are never allowed to lend their licenses, whether or not they are paid for it. A contractor also may not accept compensation for letting an out-of-area company work under its name or license. This is the arrangement behind many post-storm crews: an out-of-state company shows up after a hailstorm, partners with a local license holder on paper, and does the work itself.
IDFPR's consumer guidance warns owners about door-to-door and out-of-state roofers who are not licensed in Illinois. After the August 2020 derecho and the March 2025 storms in Champaign County, building owners heard plenty of knocks. The test is simple: the company named on your contract should be the company named on the license, and its crews should be the ones doing the work. If the story is complicated, walk away. Our hail and wind insurance guide covers the rest of the post-storm checklist.
Bonds and insurance
The Act requires IDFPR to obtain a surety bond from each license applicant or licensee. Bond companies commonly cite $10,000 for a limited license and $25,000 for an unlimited license, but treat those as figures to confirm with IDFPR, not settled numbers. Either way, a license bond is small next to a commercial roof budget and is not a substitute for insurance or a performance bond on a large project.
For insurance, ask each bidder for a current certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers' compensation, with your entity named as certificate holder. Larger owners often require additional-insured status, specific limits and a performance or payment bond. Those are contract terms, so set them in your bid documents rather than assuming them.
Questions to ask every commercial bidder
- What is your Illinois roofing license number, and is it an unlimited license?
- Is the company on the license the same company on this contract?
- Will your own employees do the work, or subcontractors? Are the subcontractors licensed?
- Who pulls the permit, and with which building department?
- Can you send a certificate of insurance naming our entity before work starts?
- Which warranty applies: manufacturer (and what type) or workmanship only, and for how long?
Comparing bids is easier when every contractor answers the same questions. The how it works page walks through what to expect from inspection to closeout, and the commercial roof replacement guide covers scope items that should appear in a written proposal. For smaller jobs, the same license rules apply to commercial roof repair.
This is general information, not legal advice
Licensing rules are set by statute and IDFPR and can change. If a contract or license question has real money attached, check with IDFPR directly or ask an Illinois attorney.
When you are ready to collect bids, the free quote form takes a couple of minutes. Independent commercial roofing contractors reply with quotes, and you can run every one of them through the checks above.
Questions people ask
Do I need an unlimited roofing license for a commercial building in Illinois?
Yes. IDFPR describes a limited license as covering residential properties and condo buildings with no more than eight units. Commercial and industrial work, including apartment and condo buildings with nine or more units, falls under the unlimited license. Ask IDFPR if your building is a borderline case.
How do I check an Illinois roofing license?
Ask for the 104- license number and the exact licensed business name, then search them on IDFPR's license lookup at idfpr.illinois.gov. Confirm the license is unlimited, active and not expiring before the job ends, and save a dated copy for your records.
Does a roofer have to show the license number on a bid?
Under the Roofing Industry Licensing Act, licensees are expected to show their license number and licensed name on bids, contracts, permit applications and advertising. A commercial bid without a 104- number is worth questioning before you go further.
Can an out-of-state roofer work under a local contractor's license?
No. IDFPR states that roofing contractors may never lend their licenses, paid or unpaid, and may not take compensation for letting an out-of-area contractor use their name or license. The licensed company should be the one on your contract.