STATE LICENSE
RequiredIllinois Department of Public Health (IDP…
Illinois licenses plumbing through the Department of Public Health — not IDFPR — under the Illinois Plumbing License Law (225 ILCS 320). Two credentials stack: each individual plumber holds a license (earned after a 4-year licensed apprenticeship or an approved course, plus the state exam), and the business holds an annual plumbing contractor registration that expires the last day of September.
Plumbing licensing is expressly preempted from home-rule units (§ 42) — with one carve-out: a city of 500,000 or more may run its own equivalent board (§ 16), which is how Chicago licenses its own plumbers. A Chicago- or IDPH-licensed plumber may work anywhere in the state.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Plumbing licensing is preempted statewide, home-rule units included (225 ILCS 320/42). The sole exception is a city of 500,000+ that adopts an equivalent ordinance (§ 16) — Chicago licenses its own plumbers, and Chicago-licensed plumbers registering a contractor with IDPH must forward their Chicago license on renewal (§ 13.1(9)). Cities and counties still issue plumbing permits and inspect.
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.
Individual plumber licenses expire April 30 each year; contractor registrations expire the last day of September. Missing May 1 adds reinstatement fees.
An owner-occupant may plumb their own single-family home — but may not hire anyone except a licensed plumber to help.
At least one partner or corporate officer of every plumbing firm must be a licensed plumber; a retired plumber does not count.
A practical sequence for a new plumbing 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.
Any violation of the Act, its rules, or the State Plumbing Code is a criminal offense; each day is separate, and courts may bar use of non-compliant plumbing.
Practicing or holding out as a plumber or plumbing contractor without a license or registration draws an IDPH civil penalty after hearing.
IDPH must suspend or refuse licenses on certification that the business failed to secure workers' compensation.
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: Annual individual plumber license renewal fee amount (set by IDPH rule; not on the forms reviewed) · Apprentice plumber license fee amount (set by IDPH rule)
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.