Electrician License Requirements in Illinois
- Training hours
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- Upfront cost
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- Exam
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- Renewal cycle
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- Issuing board
- No state licensing authority for individual electricians — the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) does not include 'electrician' anywhere on its list of state-regulated professions; individual journeyman and master electrician credentials are issued only by local municipalities (e.g. Chicago's Department of Buildings), each with its own exam and requirements.
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. No statewide age, education, or background-check prerequisite is published for individual electricians because Illinois does not license this occupation at the state level. Requirements for a local municipal license (age, experience, exam) are set independently by each city or county licensing body. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete the required training. Illinois has no statewide journeyman/individual electrician license, so there is no state-specified training-hour requirement. Municipalities that license electricians (e.g. Chicago, Aurora, Peoria) set their own apprenticeship-hour and experience prerequisites independently, and these are not standardized statewide. Contact the city or county licensing office where you intend to work. [1]
- 3
Submit your application
Submit your application to No state licensing authority for individual electricians — the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) does not include 'electrician' anywhere on its list of state-regulated professions; individual journeyman and master electrician credentials are issued only by local municipalities (e.g. Chicago's Department of Buildings), each with its own exam and requirements.. [1]
- 4
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, No state licensing authority for individual electricians — the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) does not include 'electrician' anywhere on its list of state-regulated professions; individual journeyman and master electrician credentials are issued only by local municipalities (e.g. Chicago's Department of Buildings), each with its own exam and requirements. issues your No statewide license — regulated at the city/county level for Illinois.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | None specified |
| License fee [1] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [1] | None specified |
No statewide application, license, or renewal fee applies to individual electricians because Illinois does not license this occupation at the state level; IDFPR's list of regulated professions does not include electricians. Fees for a local municipal electrician license are set independently by each city or county.
Renewal & continuing education
Renewal cycle not specified.
No statewide renewal cycle or continuing-education requirement applies to individual electricians because Illinois does not license them at the state level. Local jurisdictions that issue an electrician license set their own renewal cycles and CE requirements independently.
Reciprocity
No reciprocity or endorsement route was found.
No statewide reciprocity/endorsement process exists for individual electricians because there is no state-issued individual license to endorse into. Any reciprocity between municipal electrician licenses (if offered at all) would be negotiated between individual cities/counties, not administered by IDFPR.
10 state-approved training providers in Illinois — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois issue a state electrician license?
No. IDFPR's official list of regulated professions does not include 'electrician.' Illinois is one of a small number of states that leaves electrician licensing entirely to individual cities and counties rather than running a statewide program.
Does Illinois license anything related to electrical work at the state level?
The state's Electrical Contractor Licensing Act (225 ILCS 320) requires business entities performing electrical contracting work for compensation to hold a state-issued electrical contractor license from IDFPR, but this is a business-level license — it does not license individual journeyman or master electricians.
Where do I get an individual electrician credential in Illinois?
Apply directly with the municipality where you plan to work — for example, Chicago's Department of Buildings issues its own journeyman and master electrician licenses. Requirements, exams, and fees vary by city or county.
What experience do most Illinois municipalities require?
Requirements vary, but most municipal programs (e.g. Chicago, Aurora, Peoria) expect roughly 4-6 years of supervised on-the-job apprenticeship training plus a passing score on a local technical proficiency exam based on the National Electrical Code.
Is there reciprocity between Illinois municipalities?
Not automatically. Each municipal licensing authority sets its own rules, so an electrician license issued by one Illinois city or county does not necessarily transfer to another; check with the specific jurisdiction where you intend to work.
Sources
- [1] idfpr.illinois.gov/profs/proflist.html — accessed 2026-07-11