An Illinois Roofing License costs $350 to $450 in direct fees. These fees include application, examination, and mailing fees. Indirect costs include insurance payments, surety bond, and study materials.
New roofers often fail to understand or overlook some hidden costs. It leaves them unprepared for the pre- and post-licensing journey. In this guide, we explain every apparent and hidden Illinois roofing license cost.
Here's a quick overview of the direct and indirect costs of an Illinois roofing license:
Direct costs of both Limited and Unlimited roofing licenses are similar. Indirect costs scale according to the types of roofing licenses. For example, an Unlimited License requires more insurance coverage, bringing up its maintenance cost.
You're probably asking, "But Dante, what about the mental cost of filing all those papers?" Unfortunately for us, the IDFPR doesn't account for mental toll. It is what it is!
The direct costs of an Illinois roofing license include registration, application, and examination fees. Here's a breakdown of the expenses that you have to pay for an Illinois roofing contractor's license:
Every roofer or contractor must pay a $125 non-refundable application fee. You or any qualifying party cannot get a roofing license without this fee. You must pay the application fee to the state of Illinois (IDFPR).
This fee remains the same for both Limited and Unlimited licenses. Fortunately, your application with the IDFPR stays active for 3 years. You can attempt the 105 Roofing Exam multiple times during this period.
You must pay a $248 examination fee for both the Limited and Unlimited roofing licenses. The Continental Testing Services (CTS) charges you this non-refundable fee for arranging the exam, monitoring, and results.
The Illinois roofing exam is hard, and a majority of roofers fail their exam on the first attempt. It means that most novice roofers have to pay twice for the examination. They might have to repay the fee 3+ times if they don't have the right resources or exam knowledge.
We offer extensive roofing exam prep courses. Our courses prepare you for the exam and guarantee a pass on the first attempt. Join our roofing classes today and say goodbye to double fees.
Applications can typically be submitted by mail to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. There are no exact estimates of the mailing fees. Nevertheless, you'll pay around $10 for each round of mail.
The costs could mount up to $50 if you resubmit forms or fail the exam. While not a major cost, it's still something that you should budget for.
There are three paths that each roofer can take, which include:
The third scenario requires you to pass a roofing exam twice (1 for Limited and 1 Upgrade). Naturally, you have to pay the same fees twice. This scenario costs roofers twice the standard license fee.
Indirect roofing license costs include insurance and surety bond fees. You might find yourself underwater quite quickly if you don't manage these properly. Here's a quick rundown of how much each one costs:
According to the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, you must get a certificate of insurance to get your license. You'll need:
Roofing insurance costs can cost $1,000 to $100,000 per year. The insurance costs also scale according to the type of roofing project you take on. For example, commercial roofing companies often require more extensive license coverage.
Extensive projects require vehicular and property damage insurance. Commercial roofing projects have higher insurance costs compared to residential property projects.
Surety bonds provide a guarantee that a roofer will not abandon the project. According to the Licensing Act, surety bonds are a mandatory license requirement. You will need:
Surety bonds look daunting, but you only need to pay a small monthly payment. While the rates vary, you usually pay 0.5% to 10% of the surety bond amount per year. You'll pay $100 per year for a Limited License surety bond at a rate of 1%.
We have partnerships with multiple Illinois vendors, who can help you get affordable insurance. We've helped countless roofing businesses save on insurance costs.
The Illinois roofing exam is hard, and passing it requires diligent study. Unfortunately, the resources required to pass the exam are expensive. Most of these books cost more than $1000.
You can reduce these costs by borrowing books from your local library. Alternatively, you can find books through different Facebook groups. You can buy the books from the NRCA website if you have the finances.
An Illinois roofing license expires after 2 years. You must renew your license before the expiry date by paying a fee of $62.50 per year. This is an ongoing cost that you cannot circumvent.
You must pay an additional reactivation fee if you fail to renew your license before the expiry date. You'll also have to pay a reinstatement fee if your license is suspended or revoked because of a violation.
Some general rules that you should follow:
The two main factors that affect the cost of a roofing license are:
At Illinois Roofing Institute, we help you get your Illinois Roofing License without the extra hoops. Here's how we do it:
Pass the roofing exam on your first attempt and kickstart your career. Save hundreds of dollars on study materials, insurance costs, and examination fees. Join our Limited or Unlimited license roofing classes today!
A roofing license has a direct cost of $370 in Illinois, which includes $125 application fee and $248 examination fee. Ongoing costs for insurance and surety bonds, which can increase the monthly license maintenance cost to $400 for new roofers.
Yes, roofers must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). A roofing contractor license is required for any business or individual performing roof construction, repair, or maintenance.
The risks of unlicensed roofing in Illinois include hefty penalties of up to $1,500 per violation, jail time, and lawsuits. The IDFPR has increased the penalties for unlicensed roofing through the 104th General Assembly Senate Bill 2503.
An Illinois roofing license costs $350 to $450 in application and examination fees. Mailing costs $10 to $50, while study resources can cost over $1000. Indirect costs for insurance and surety bonds are variable.
These costs can double or triple if you fail the licensing exam. Unfortunately, a majority of first-time candidates fail the exam. 30 to 40% of the qualified candidates lose their minds managing the bundle of paperwork and mail.
At Illinois Roofing Institute, we help you start a roofing career without the added stress. We prepare you for the exam, help you meet the requirements, and fill out the paperwork. Join our roofing classes today and progress your career.
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