The Illinois 105 roofing exam is an in-person test, and the testing room surprises more first-timers than the questions do. The exam is closed-book, the answer sheet is paper-and-pencil, and there are only two locations in the state where you can take it. Knowing these details ahead of time makes a big difference on exam day.
Most guides focus on what to study and skip what the exam day is actually like. We'll do the opposite here. These five insider tips, courtesy of our expert instructors, cover the in-person Illinois 105 roofing exam so you know exactly what to expect.
The Illinois 105 roofing exam is the state-mandated licensing test administered by Continental Testing Services (CTS) in partnership with the IDFPR. The exam is offered six times a year at two locations only:
There is no online option, so every candidate takes the same paper test in person. Understanding the testing room before you walk in removes a lot of the stress. Here is the in-person exam at a glance:
| Detail | What to Expect on Exam Day |
|---|---|
| Format | Paper-and-pencil, multiple-choice answer sheet |
| Reference materials | Closed-book. No manuals, notes, or books at your desk |
| Locations | Chicago area and Springfield, IL only |
| Passing score | 70% or higher |
| Length | 80 questions / 90 minutes (Limited and Upgrade), 130 questions / 150 minutes (Unlimited) |
| Results | Sent to you afterward, not shown on a screen |
The closed-book part surprises most people, and that is where the first tip begins. A lot of candidates don't know how to adapt to the stress of the exam. If you're one of these candidates, join our classes.
We help you prep for the exam with up-to-date curriculum and in-class practice exams. Nothing will catch you by surprise if you're a student of the Illinois Roofing Institute.
These are not the usual "study hard and sleep well" tips. Each one comes from watching real candidates pass and fail the in-person Illinois 105 roofing exam, and each one is about the testing room itself.
The biggest surprise on exam day is that the Illinois 105 roofing exam is closed-book. You cannot bring the NRCA Roofing Manual, the licensing act, your notes, or your tabbed binder to the desk. The exam is designed to your concepts and memory.
This should change how you study. You should train your recall for core roofing concepts and terms. Use flashcards, write out the fall-protection numbers from memory, and have a study partner quiz you with the books closed.
Expert Tip: At the end of each study session, close every book and write down the key facts from memory. If you cannot reproduce them, you do not know the material well enough yet.
Study the topic again and try to memorize the topics through phrases. Like "Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty." It sounds childish, but it works and that's all that matters on the exam day.
Your admission notice is the document that gets you through the door. CTS mails it about three weeks before your exam date. Unfortunately, there can be mishaps where you never receive the notice.
Call Continental Testing Services at 708-354-9911, if you don't receive your notice in time. The next door problem is your ID. The name on your government-issued photo ID must match the name on your application.
A nickname on the application, a maiden name on the license, or an expired ID will stall your check-in. You should bring a current primary photo ID, and you should also pack a second form of ID such as a credit card as a backup.
Expert Tip: Take a photo of your admission notice and both IDs the night before, and set the real ones next to your keys. Arrange everything beforehand so you don't have to sift through cupboards in the morning.
The Illinois 105 roofing exam is paper-and-pencil (good old fashioned exam). You get a printed booklet and a bubble answer sheet. The last time you probably had a similar experience was probably in middle or high school.
Naturally, candidates make some very heart and gut wrenching mistakes. 1 out of 25 candidates misplace an answer on the bubble sheet, which shifts their answers down or up one line. That single mistake can lower an otherwise passing score.
Here is what to bring and how to handle the sheet:
Expert Tip: Fill in your answers in small batches rather than one at a time. Answer five questions in the booklet, then transfer all five to the sheet at once. This keeps your rows aligned and your hand from cramping over two and a half hours.
The Illinois 105 roofing exam is built from weighted sections, and knowing those weights lets you manage your time in the room. Safety and employee protection is the largest single section on the residential test, so a weak understanding of OSHAs rules means a bad grade.
You should walk in knowing where your easy points are. Here is the residential and unlimited question breakdown, so you know where to save time and where to slow down:
| Section | Limited (Residential) | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Safety and Employee Protection | 25 | 25 |
| Roofing Preparation and Materials | 12 | 20 |
| Steep-Slope Roofing Systems | 20 | 35 |
| Low-Slope Roofing Systems | 8 | 15 |
| Rules, Regulations, and Business Practices | 15 | 20 |
| Non-Residential Roofing Systems | 0 | 15 |
Expert Tip: On your first pass, answer every question you know well and lightly mark the harder ones to come back to. You only get about 60 to 70 seconds per question, so banking the easy safety and business points first protects you.
Our classes focus hardest on the heaviest sections, because we know which blocks decide pass or fail. When you join us, you will know your section strategy before you ever pick up the pencil.
With two testing sites in the state, chances are you live at least 2 hours away from the venue. Driving in from Rockford, Peoria, or southern Illinois means at least an hour of commute and stress. Plus tires can pop, radiators can leak, and things can happen that could force you to miss the exam.
Map your route to the Chicago-area or Springfield site, check the weather, allow extra time for traffic, and know where you will park before the morning of the exam. The six exam dates each year leave little room for a do-over.
Expert Tip: If your exam is in a city you do not live in, book a hotel the night before. A calm ten-minute morning drive is better than a stressful two-hour drive, and a clear head is worth more than the cost of the room on test day.
You can find the full 2026 schedule in our Illinois roofing license exam dates guide, and the study-side preparation in our complete roofing exam prep guide.
No, the Illinois 105 roofing exam is closed-book. You cannot bring the NRCA manuals, the licensing act, or any notes to your desk. Every answer has to come from memory, which is why recall-based study works better than highlighting books.
Continental Testing Services offers the Illinois 105 roofing exam at two locations: the Chicago area and Springfield. There is no online version of the test. The exam runs six times a year, so you should plan your commute to one of those two sites in advance.
You need your admission notice, a current government-issued photo ID, and a recommended second ID such as a credit card. You also need at least two sharpened black lead pencils, an eraser, and a non-programmable, non-printing calculator. You should leave the books and notes at home, since the exam is closed-book.
Continental Testing mails admission notices about three weeks before the exam date. If yours has not arrived about a week out, you should call Continental Testing Services at 708-354-9911. They can email the notice to you so you are not stuck at the door on exam day.
No, phones are not allowed as calculators and will be stowed during the Illinois 105 roofing exam. You must bring a stand-alone, non-programmable, non-printing calculator. You should practice with the same model at home so the buttons feel familiar under time pressure.
If you arrive late to the Illinois 105 roofing exam, you risk being turned away, and the fee is non-refundable. It also does not transfer to another date, so a missed sitting means registering and paying again for the next exam cycle. You should treat the commute to Chicago or Springfield as part of the test and arrive early.
The exam is closed-book and paper-and-pencil, and it is offered at only two sites six times a year. Focus on core concepts, practice, get your documents in order, and practice with bubble sheets. The reason most candidates fail is because they lack familiarity with the exam environment.
At Illinois Roofing Institute, we prepare you for every one of these in-person realities. Join our roofing classes or call (630) 222-4433 today, and get ready to ace the exam.
We help you with quizzes, concepts, and more. Join today to ace your roofing exam.
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