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Illinois electrician license renewal & CE requirements

When to renew, how many continuing-education hours you need, which topics are required, and where to find approved courses. Checked .

Quick answer

Renewal rules by license

Electrical contractor / supervising electrician (local)

RenewalSet locally. Chicago supervising electrician licenses and Rockford registrations renew every year. See the local table.Source: chicago.gov · as of · Rockford: rockfordil.gov
CE hours & topicsSet locally. The official pages we checked (Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, Rockford) don't list a CE requirement; ask the office.Source: chicago.gov · as of
FeesSet locally / not listedSource: chicago.gov · as of · Set by each municipality; see the local table.

Local electrician licenses (by city)

Illinois has no state electrician license. Chicago licenses supervising electricians; most other cities register electrical contractors and some test them. We checked Chicago, Aurora, Joliet and Rockford below (Naperville and others are not covered yet); anywhere else, ask the city or village building department.

Chicago

Office: City of Chicago Department of Buildings
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman license. Electricians work under a licensed Supervising Electrician, who must perform or supervise all of an electrical contractor's work
FeesExam (per exam, 2026): $150
Initial license: $150
Renewal (per year): $150
Reinstatement (per year or part expired): $100
RenewalEvery year. Valid 1 year from issuance or renewal; renew in the Department of Buildings portal. Expired 3+ years: apply for a new license
CE0 hours · No CE requirement is listed in Municipal Code ch. 4-292 or on the Department page.
NotesA licensed electrical contractor must be owned by or employ at least one licensed supervising electrician (Municipal Code of Chicago ch. 4-292).
ContactDepartment of Buildings (source)
Source: chicago.gov · as of · Exam: continentaltesting.net · Municipal Code ch. 4-292: codelibrary.amlegal.com

Aurora

Office: City of Aurora, Building & Permits (Contractor Registration)
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman license found. Electrical contractors register with the city
FeesNot confirmed
RenewalNot confirmed
CENot confirmed
NotesRegistration needs the application, required testing and a certificate of insurance naming the City of Aurora as additional insured.
Still openFees; Renewal cycle; CE
ContactCity of Aurora (311) · 311 or 630-256-4636 · devservicesadmin@aurora.il.us (source)
Source: aurora.il.us · as of

Joliet

Office: City of Joliet, Building & Inspectional Services
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman license found. Electrical contractors register before a permit is issued
FeesContractor registration: $0
RenewalNot confirmed
CENot confirmed
NotesJoliet accepts an electrical contractor license from Chicago, Deerfield, Downers Grove, Elgin, Orland Park, Ottawa, Schaumburg, Libertyville, Woodstock, Peoria or Springfield, or a CLEC Enterprises certificate, plus a certificate of insurance and a letter of intent for each project.
Still openRenewal; CE
ContactBuilding & Inspectional Services · 815-724-4000 · permitapplication@joliet.gov (source)
Source: joliet.gov · as of

Rockford

Office: City of Rockford, Construction & Development Services
Licenses journeymen?No journeyman license found. Electrical contractors register with the city
FeesElectrical contractor registration (waived with a current registration from another Illinois city, village or county): $25
RenewalEvery year. Registration expires at the end of the calendar year
CENot confirmed
Still openCE
ContactConstruction & Development Services · (779) 348-7158 · CD_licenseholder@rockfordil.gov (source)
Source: rockfordil.gov · as of

Not listed? Call your city or village building department and ask whether it registers or licenses electrical contractors.

Approved CE provider lists (official)

What we couldn't confirm yet

We only publish what we can tie to an official source. These items aren't published anywhere we could verify, so ask the office listed:

  • Naperville, Springfield, Peoria and other cities we didn't check: whether they license electricians or only register contractors.
    Ask: Your city or village building department (contact source, as of )

FAQ

How often do you renew a Chicago supervising electrician license?

A Chicago supervising electrician license is valid for 1 year and renews every year for $150; it cannot be renewed once it has been expired for 3 or more years.

Do Illinois electricians need CE to renew?

Illinois has no statewide CE rule because there is no state license, and the official Chicago, Aurora, Joliet and Rockford pages we checked don't list a CE requirement.

How often do Illinois electrical contractor registrations renew?

Most local registrations are yearly; for example, a Rockford electrical contractor registration expires at the end of each calendar year and costs $25.

Not licensed yet? See how to get an electrician license in Illinois.

Other states

Compare every state side by side: license requirements by state · renewal & CE by state.