STATE LICENSE
NoneSee what applies
No Illinois statute licenses flooring installers. The state law that matters is the Home Repair and Remodeling Act — and it draws a line through the trade: 'the sale, installation, cleaning, or repair of carpets' is expressly excluded, while hardwood, tile, and other floor remodeling in kitchens, bathrooms, and basements is home repair.
That means a carpet installer has no state insurance or contract mandate under the Act, but a tile or hardwood installer on residential jobs over $1,000 owes a written contract, the consumer rights pamphlet, and statutory liability insurance. In Chicago, flooring work that needs a building permit runs under a licensed general contractor.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
No state or Chicago flooring license exists. In Chicago, permitted work runs under a licensed general contractor, and other municipalities apply their own business licensing and permit rules.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Illinois county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
The Home Repair Act excludes the sale, installation, cleaning, or repair of carpets from its definition of home repair.
Maintenance, service, or repairs under $500 are outside the Act; the written-contract rule starts above $1,000.
The Act covers residences of 6 or fewer units — not original construction or larger buildings.
A practical sequence for a new flooring contractor in Illinois. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
For covered (non-carpet) residential work, any violation is a Consumer Fraud Act violation.
Knowingly failing to insure is a Class 4 felony for owners and officers.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Whether specific flooring jobs (e.g., subfloor replacement) trigger a Chicago building permit — determined by the Chicago Construction Codes
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.