License classes in Illinois
| Class | Scope |
|---|---|
| Plumber | The individual state plumbing license issued by IDPH. |
| Apprentice Plumber | Registered trainee working toward the plumber license. |
| Plumbing Contractor (registration) | Annual business registration with IDPH under 225 ILCS 320/13.1, requiring proof of valid plumbing licenses, a minimum of 100,000 dollars general liability insurance and a 20,000 dollars indemnification bond or letter of credit. |
| Irrigation Contractor | Separate IDPH credential for irrigation work. |
| Retired Plumber | Status for licensed plumbers who have retired from active practice. |
How to verify a contractor before work starts
- Ask for the license number and the exact registered name it is held under.
- Check that name against the company on the estimate, the invoice and the vehicle.
- Check the status is current, not expired, suspended or revoked.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance issued to your address, not a policy number read out on a call.
- For gas, sewer, water-heater or repiping work, ask which permit is being pulled and by whom.
Which plumbing code applies
Illinois Plumbing Code, 77 Ill. Adm. Code Part 890 (a state-written code, not the IPC or UPC); Chicago enforces its own Chicago Plumbing Code, Municipal Code Title 18, Chapter 18-29 Illinois writes its own plumbing code rather than adopting the International or Uniform Plumbing Code, which means requirements can differ from neighboring states in ways an out-of-state contractor may not expect. Chicago layers its own Chicago Plumbing Code on top for work inside the city, and the current amendment year of Part 890 should be confirmed with IDPH before it is relied on.
Permits
Permits are issued locally - the Chicago Department of Buildings inside the city, municipal building departments in the suburbs, and Cook County Building and Zoning for unincorporated areas - even though the license behind the work is issued by the state.
Complaints
An Illinois plumber can be checked on the IDPH plumber license verification search, and IDPH is also the agency that enforces plumbing licensing, contractor registration and the state's advertising requirements; for work inside Chicago a separate City of Chicago plumbing contractor license should be confirmed through the Department of Buildings.
PlumberIllinois is not a licensed contractor
PlumberIllinois is an independently operated referral service. PlumberIllinois is not a plumbing contractor, holds no contractor license, employs no plumbers and performs no plumbing work. Every job arranged through this site is performed by an independent, separately licensed professional who contracts directly with the homeowner.
Consumer protection
The Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513) requires a written contract for work above a statutory threshold and requires the contractor to give the homeowner the "Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights" brochure.