The distinction between Limited and Unlimited Roofing lies in the scope of work you can perform. A Limited Roofing License enables you to work on residential Roofing properties of a maximum of 8 units. An Unlimited Roofing License lets you work on residential, commercial, and industrial projects.
Choosing which state roofing license you should get requires careful consideration of a list of factors. This guide gives you a detailed comparison of a Limited vs Unlimited Illinois Roofing License. By the end of this guide, you should be able to choose between the two licenses.
Before diving head-first into the details, here’s a quick comparison of Limited vs Unlimited Roofing License.
| Features | Limited Roofing License | Unlimited Roofing License |
| Purpose | Residential | Residential, Commercial, & Industrial |
| General Licensing Requirements | Age 18+, Work Experience | Age 18+, Work Experience |
| Insurance Requirements | General Liability and Workers' Compensation | General Liability and Workers' Compensation |
| Surety Bonds | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Prep Difficulty | Easy to Moderate | Hard |
| Exam Codes | 105 Test Code 1 | 105 Test Code 2, 105 Test Code 3 |
| Application Fee | $125 | $125 |
| Examination Fee | $248 | $248 |
| License Duration | License Expires After 2 Years | License Expires After 2 Years |
| License Renewal Fee | $62.50 Per Year | $62.50 Per Year |
According to the state of Illinois law, you will need either of these licenses for your potential roofing work. Both of these are obtainable through the Illinois 105 Roofing Exam. We'll look at the details of these two licenses to remove confusion about your choices.
The Limited Roofing License is ideal for contractors focused on residential roofing projects that are 8 units or fewer. Simply put, the Limited Roofing contractor license is for contractors aiming to work on smaller-scale residential roofing projects. For example:
The unlimited roofing contractor license is for residential, commercial, and industrial roofing work. According to the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, an Unlimited License holder can work on a property of any size. Some of the properties that you can perform roofing on are:
The IDFPR and its subsidiary, the Registrar of Contractors, manage these licenses. According to Illinois Law, even if you're a General Contractor, you'll need a valid roofing license to take on projects.
You should get a Limited Roofing license if you plan to work on residential roofing projects. However, you should get an unlimited roofing license if you’re open to a broader scope of work and plan to undertake larger projects, such as office buildings, hospitals, schools, and others.
Conclusively, an unlimited license opens up more options for you. It’s better to get an unlimited roofing license in Illinois if you want to work on commercial, industrial, & and residential projects.
According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), the price of a Limited and Unlimited Roofing License Application is $125. Both exams have a $248 examination fee, which brings the total to around $400.
One notable difference in cost is the acquisition of surety bonds. Unlimited Licensees must acquire a surety bond of $25000, while Limited Licensees only need a surety bond of $10000. Another difference is that industrial properties and projects require more extensive insurance than small-scale residential projects.
The Limited Roofing License in Illinois is cheaper because it has lower surety requirements. The official cost for application and examination is similar for both licenses. Here’s a cost breakdown of both licenses:
| Cost Points | Limited License | Unlimited License |
| Application Fee | $125 | $125 |
| Examination Fee | $248 | $248 |
| Surety Bonds | $10000 | $25000 |
| Insurance Requirements | General Liability and Workers' Compensation | General Liability, Workers' Compensation, and/or Auto |
The surety bonds and insurance policies are a basic roofing license requirement. You cannot undertake any roofing project without these insurances. However, the good news is you can get most insurance policies through a local lender or agency.
Unlimited Licenses and commercial projects require extensive insurance policies because of the scope of the work. Residential projects are usually isolated and have lower costs. You can find more information about the insurance policies from licensed roofing contractors on different forums like Reddit and Roofing Talk.
Both Limited and Unlimited licenses require roofing exams, but the Unlimited License has two possible exam paths. You can only get the Limited License through the Illinois 105 Roofing Exam Code 1. However, you can obtain the Unlimited License through the 105 Roofing Exam Code 2 and 3.
There is one caveat to Exam Code 2, because it's an upgrade exam. You can only attempt exam code 2 when you've had the Limited License for at least one year. Furthermore, the fees for all exams and applications are similar, so you pay twice the amount if you give Exam 1 and 2 to get the Unlimited License.
Here are the three options you can take:
| Scenarios | Requires Exam Code 1 | Requires Exam Code 2 | Requires Exam Code 3 | Overall Costs |
| Stay a Residential Roofer | Yes | No | No | Standard Costs |
| Upgrade From Residential License | Yes | Yes | No | Double Costs |
| Get an Unlimited License From Get-Go | No | No | Yes | Standard Costs |
Note: To attempt the upgrade exam, a roofing contractor must pass the residential exam first.
Limited License exams are centred around residential projects, which means you have to study fewer topics. It reduces the preparation time significantly. Unlimited Licenses have topics around multiple safety protocols, laws, and roofing concepts.
You can get all the study materials from the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) website. On average, you'll need 45 to 60 days to prepare for the Limited License exam. The Unlimited License exam requires more than 60 days for complete preparation.
You must follow the right prep methods to pass these roofing exams. Go through the study materials, attempt practice exams, and acquire hands-on experience.
The Unlimited Roofing License needs more prep time due to its larger scope of work. It requires a higher degree of roofing knowledge and local requirements. The Limited License exams only include topics about residential properties and safety laws.
Here's a breakdown of the exam and included topics:
| Exam Structure | Limited License (Residential Roofing) | Upgrade Exam (Commercial, Industrial) | Unlimited License (Residential, Commercial, Industrial) |
| Exam Test Code | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Safety & Employee Protection Questions | 25 | 15 | 25 |
| Roofing Preparation & Materials | 12 | 10 | 30 |
| Steep-Slope Roofing Systems Questions | 20 | 15 | 25 |
| Low-Slope Roofing Systems Questions | 8 | 10 | 15 |
|
Rules, Regulations, and Business Practices Questions |
15 | 15 | 20 |
| Non-Residential Roofing Systems Questions | None | 15 | 15 |
| Total Questions | 80 | 80 | 130 |
The study requirements for roofing exams have a clear difference. The Unlimited Roofing Exam has more topics and requires more study. The Limited license and the upgrade exams are much easier because they have a limited number of questions.
The Limited and Unlimited roofing licenses are hard to obtain because of their unique scopes of work. While the Limited Roofing license focuses primarily on residential projects, the unlimited one covers a broader range of projects. Naturally, the Unlimited License is more difficult to obtain.
In the Unlimited License Exam (Code 3), roofing contractors must answer 130 questions in 150 minutes. While the time per question is still the same, the overwhelming number of questions carries a mental burden. The Limited License is much easier to obtain because of its limited study and easy exam format.
If you're worried about the difficulty, join the Illinois Roofing Institute. We help novices become roofing professionals through our dedicated courses.
Start by applying for the License exam via IDFPR. Download and fill out the IDFPR application form and specify the type of license you plan to get. Before getting started, you must meet the basic requirements:
Following that, here’s a brief tutorial on how to get a limited or an unlimited roofing license in Illinois:
Here's how you get a roofing license for residential projects:
When the license is issued, you can start looking for residential roofing jobs in Illinois. Remember, this license only allows you to perform roofing work on residential projects that are 8 or fewer units.
Here's the brief step-by-step guide to get the Unlimited License:
After you've passed the exam, you will need to arrange a surety bond of $25000 and the relevant insurance plans. After you get your license, you can start taking residential and commercial roofing jobs.
Here's how you get the Unlimited License through the upgrade exam:
You need an Unlimited Roofing License in Illinois for commercial roofing projects. You can obtain the commercial license by passing the Illinois 105 roofing exam, test code 3. The Unlimited Roofing License allows you to work on any type of residential, commercial, or industrial roofing project.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IFDPR) gives you the Illinois roofing license. You can apply for your Limited or Unlimited Roofing exam online via the Continental Testing Service website. You'll get your state license when you pass the exam with at least 70% marks.
According to the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, you need a Limited or Unlimited Roofing License to undertake residential roofing projects in Illinois. You can get these licenses from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).
The Limited Roofing License primarily focuses on residential projects. If you plan to specifically work on residential roofing projects, then a Limited Roofing License is better. However, if you plan to work on a broader scope, i.e., residential and commercial projects, then an Unlimited Roofing License is better.
This depends on the type of Roofing License you’re applying for. The Limited Roofing License requires a lesser exam prep, and the Unlimited Roofing Exam requires more extensive preparation. In both cases, ensure reviewing key roofing knowledge, understanding the local building codes, and practicing exam-style questions.
The unlimited Roofing contractor license is harder to get. It requires more extensive study, insurance coverage, and a harder exam format. The Unlimited License requires more extensive study, but it also enables you to offer more roofing services.
Choosing between the Limited and Unlimited Roofing Illinois roofing contractor license depends on your long-term goals and the work you want to do. If you want to work on residential roofing projects that are 8 units or less, get a Limited Roofing License, which has an easier exam.
The Unlimited Roofing License paves the way for a broader scope of work and flexibility, i.e., both residential and commercial projects. On the downside, the Unlimited License exam requires more preparation and costly surety bonds.
Both licenses require thorough study and a fair amount of preparation. At Illinois Roofing Institute, we help you prepare for both license examinations. Join our Illinois roofing classes today and get your Unlimited or Limited roofing license.
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