Navigating the Illinois Roofing License Application Process: Every Form Explained

The Illinois roofing license application is a packet of forms, and each form goes to a different office. This is precisely why navigating the process is so difficult and confusing for some people.

This guide decodes every form in the packet, who must complete each one, and where each one is mailed. By the end, you will know exactly what a complete Illinois roofing contractor application looks like in 2026. The quick points are:

• The RF-QP form (IL486-1921) is the exam application, filed with Continental Testing Services, never with the IDFPR.
• The RF form (DPR-RF) is the Application for Licensure as a Roofing Contractor, filed with the IDFPR with a $125 fee.
• The RF-INS form is the only proof of liability and property damage insurance the IDFPR accepts.
• Your bonding company completes the BD-LRF form for a Limited License or the BD-URF form for an Unlimited License.
• Corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and sole proprietors each attach different ownership documents to the RF form.
• Businesses with employees must also attach workers' compensation proof and an IDES Statement of Account.
• The IDFPR asks applicants to allow eight business weeks before making a status inquiry.

RF-QP vs RF Form: Two Applications, Two Offices

The most common filing mistake in the Illinois roofing license application process is confusing the RF-QP form with the RF form. The two documents share similar names but serve completely different purposes and travel to different addresses.

The RF-QP form is the Application for the Roofing Contractors Qualifying Party Examination. The qualifying party, meaning the individual who supervises the roofing work, files this form with Continental Testing Services to sit for the state exam.

The RF form is the Application for Licensure as a Roofing Contractor, which the business files with the IDFPR to receive the actual license.

RF-QP Form: Your Exam Application With Continental Testing

The RF-QP form carries the document number IL486-1921 and registers the qualifying party for one of three separate examinations. Part II of the form asks you to check one exam type, then enter your chosen date and location.

Mailed RF-QP applications go to Continental Testing Services, Inc., P.O. Box 100, La Grange, Illinois, with the fee paid by certified check or money order. You can skip the paper route entirely and register online at continentaltesting.net.

CTS enforces its filing deadlines strictly, the test fee never transfers from one exam date to another, and the office asks for three weeks before any status inquiry at 708-354-9911.

The RF-QP form itself is short, but several boxes trip up first time filers. Our box by box walkthrough of the application form covers each field, including the background questions in Part 4.

RF Form: Application for Licensure as a Roofing Contractor

The RF form, packet code DPR-RF, is the document the IDFPR keeps in its database under profession code 104.

• Part I asks you to select the Limited or Unlimited license type.
• Part II captures the business name exactly as it will appear on the license, the FEIN or SSN, headquarters address, and the designated qualifying party.

Item 8 asks one question that controls the rest of your packet:

Does this roofing business have employees?

Answering yes triggers two extra proofs, which we cover in the employee proofs section below. Item 10 names the qualifying party, who must pass the exam within three years of the application date or the fee is forfeited.

Mail the completed RF form, the $125 fee, the BD and RF-INS forms, and your ownership documents to the IDFPR, Attn: Division of Professional Regulation, P.O. Box 7007, Springfield, Illinois 62791.

A few packet rules from the official instructions are worth memorizing:

• Type or print legibly in black ink only, because the IDFPR returns incomplete or illegible applications.
• The $125 fee is nonrefundable, whether paid by U.S. check, money order, or online through the IDFPR epay portal.
• The application stays active for three years from the date the Department receives it.
• Allow eight business weeks after mailing before contacting the IDFPR at 800-560-6420 about status.
• Complete and return the DPR-RF application checklist page with your packet.

Supporting Forms: RF-INS, BD-LRF, and BD-URF

Three supporting forms travel with the RF form, and you complete none of them yourself. These supporting forms are:

1. RF-INS Form

The Certificate of Insurance, completed by your insurance company, and the official instructions state it is the only proof of liability and property damage insurance the Department accepts. A standard ACORD certificate or policy declaration page will not work.

The RF-INS form also contains a designation checkbox for Limited or Unlimited roofing, and that box must match the license type on your RF form. A mismatch between the two documents sends the whole packet back.

2. BD Forms

The BD form is your surety bond document, completed by a bonding company licensed to do business in Illinois. There are two types of BD forms, which are:

• BD-LRF is the limited version for residential only contractors.
• BD-URF is the unlimited version covering residential and commercial work.

The IDFPR instructions warn applicants directly: do not change the language on the BD form you use, because altered bond forms are rejected.

Ownership Documents That Must Accompany the RF Form

Your business structure determines the final attachments in the packet. The DPR-RF checklist splits these requirements by entity type, and Illinois Secretary of State (IL SOS) filings must already be approved and stamped before you copy them.

One detail rejects more corporate and LLC applications than any other. The purposes section of your IL SOS filing must contain one of two exact phrases: "To provide limited roofing services, pursuant to the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act" or the unlimited version of the same sentence. Generic purpose language, such as "any lawful business," does not satisfy the roofing application requirement.

Employee Proofs: Workers' Compensation and the IDES Statement of Account

Answering yes to the employee question on the RF form adds two documents to your Illinois roofing license application.

1. Workers' Compensation Proof: It must be supplied as a Certificate of Insurance from your provider. Self insured businesses instead attach a Certificate of Approval as a Self Insurer from the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.
2. Statement of Account from the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES): This statement must show your unemployment insurance account number and confirm you are not delinquent on any amount due under the Unemployment Insurance Act. Out of state businesses substitute proof of unemployment insurance payments in their home state.

Out of state workers' compensation policies face one extra test. The form must contain an all state endorsement clause, or a clause stating the policy covers Illinois accidents and pays benefits under the Illinois benefits schedule.

Other Filings: Third Party Authorization and Applying Without an SSN

The IDFPR added a Third Party Authorization form for licensure applicants. This optional document authorizes another person or company, such as a school or attorney, to contact the IDFPR about your application on your behalf. Without it, the Department only discusses your file with you.

Disclosure of a Social Security number or ITIN is mandatory on the RF form under 5 ILCS 100/10-65, if you have one. Applicants without an SSN can still file by first obtaining an ITIN through the federal W7 application, then entering that number on the RF form.

Illinois Roofing Institute walks applicants through the W7 and ITIN paperwork as part of class, so call (630) 222-4433 for help with this filing path.

FAQs About Illinois Roofing License Application Forms

What is the difference between the RF-QP and RF forms?

The RF-QP form (IL486-1921) registers the qualifying party for the roofing exam through Continental Testing Services. The RF form (DPR-RF) is the Application for Licensure as a Roofing Contractor, filed by the business with the IDFPR. The exam fee goes to CTS, while the $125 license fee goes to the IDFPR.

Where do I mail the RF form?

Mail the RF form to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Attn: Division of Professional Regulation, P.O. Box 7007, Springfield, Illinois 62791. Include the $125 fee, the BD and RF-INS forms, and your ownership documents. The RF-QP exam application goes separately to Continental Testing Services in La Grange or online at continentaltesting.net.

Who completes the RF-INS form?

Your insurance company completes the RF-INS form. The IDFPR instructions name it as the only acceptable proof of liability and property damage insurance, so a standard certificate of insurance will not substitute. Check that the Limited or Unlimited designation box matches your RF form before mailing.

Can I change the wording on the BD bond form?

No, the IDFPR instructions state applicants must not change the language on the BD form. An Illinois licensed bonding company completes the BD-LRF for a Limited License or the BD-URF for an Unlimited License. Altered or substituted bond forms cause the packet to be returned.

How long does the IDFPR take to process the roofing application?

The IDFPR asks applicants to allow eight business weeks before making a status inquiry. Complete, legible packets often clear faster, while missing attachments restart the clock. You can reach the Department at 800-560-6420 after the eight week window passes.

What must the Secretary of State purposes section say for a roofing LLC?

The purposes section must read "To provide limited roofing services, pursuant to the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act," or the unlimited equivalent. The IDFPR checks your filed IL SOS documents for this exact language. Generic purpose clauses force an amendment before the license application can proceed.

What happens if my application is incomplete or illegible?

The IDFPR returns incomplete or illegible applications, and the $125 fee is nonrefundable. The instructions require typed entries or legible black ink printing. Completing the DPR-RF checklist page before mailing catches most missing documents.

Bottom Line on Illinois Roofing License Application Forms

A complete Illinois roofing license application is really five or more documents working together. The RF-QP form earns the qualifying party a seat at the exam through Continental Testing, while the RF form, the RF-INS insurance form, the correct BD bond form, and your ownership attachments earn the business its license from the IDFPR.

Illinois Roofing Institute prepares this entire packet with you during class, from the RF-QP filing through the RF-INS and BD forms, so nothing gets returned. Contact our team or call (630) 222-4433 to get your Illinois roofing license application filed right the first time.