Electrician license in Illinois: Chicago and local rules

What the state does and does not do

Illinois does not issue a general electrician or electrical contractor license. Local governments handle it. In a 2012 Illinois Commerce Commission rulemaking, commenters pointed out that local authorities already license electricians, and that some municipalities have no licensing at all. So the rules depend on the town where the job is. In one place you may need a city license and an exam. A few miles away you may need nothing beyond a permit.

The state still steps in for a few specialties. The Illinois Commerce Commission certifies companies that install EV charging stations under Section 16-128A of the Public Utilities Act. Its rules require the work to be done by a qualified person, a contractor licensed in at least one Illinois municipality working under a qualified person, or a trainee under direct supervision. The Department of Natural Resources certifies coal mine electricians, and the state licenses private alarm contractors.

How the Chicago supervising electrician license works

Chicago's Department of Buildings issues the supervising electrician license. To sit the written exam you must be at least 21 and have at least 2 years installing, altering, repairing and maintaining electrical wiring and equipment, or equivalent experience, under the direct supervision of a supervising electrician or an equivalent person. Letters from your supervisors have to verify that experience. Continental Testing Services takes applications and runs the exam for the city. There are two exams: general and low voltage.

Each exam costs $150. The first license costs $150, and renewal is $150 a year. If you fail, you wait at least 6 months before you can apply again. A license that has been expired for 3 years or more can't be renewed, so you would have to qualify for a new one. Every licensed electrical contractor in Chicago must be owned by or employ at least one supervising electrician. All of its electrical work is done by that person or under their supervision.

Chicago rules for crews on large jobs

Chicago calls some work Class 1: new work in buildings taller than 55 feet, and in assembly occupancies holding 300 or more people. On those jobs, everyone doing electrical work for the contractor has to meet one of three conditions. They hold a supervising electrician license, they have completed a Department of Labor recognized electrician apprenticeship of at least 8,000 hours, or they are enrolled in one. On all other jobs, crews work under the contractor's supervising electrician. The contractor license covers work done by the licensed business and its employees.

How suburbs and downstate cities test

Outside Chicago, many cities have used International Code Council trade exams delivered at Pearson VUE test centers. ICC bulletins written for Urbana, Normal, Downers Grove, Mount Vernon and Danville describe open-book exams. A journeyman exam had 80 questions and a 4-hour limit. A master exam had 100 questions and a 5-hour limit. Most of these exams required 70 percent to pass, and the master exam required 75 percent. In Danville, you applied to the city first, and the city then told ICC you were cleared to test.

These bulletins date from 2015 to 2017. They list older National Electrical Code editions and a $105 exam fee, so expect current versions to differ. Some towns license a master or contractor, some add a journeyman or maintenance license, and some have no exam at all. If you move into Illinois from another state, there is no state license to transfer. You qualify town by town. Chicago accepts equivalent experience, so out-of-state hours can count toward the 2-year requirement if your supervisors put them in letters.

Pay

Electricians, Illinois

$76,100–121,600

Electricians, Illinois median

$103,100

Electricians, United States

$51,200–86,900

Apprentices and trainees, Illinois

$33,000–47,000

USD a year, before tax. Ranges run from the 25th to the 75th percentile. They are based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 data, adjusted to 2026 with a wage index, and the state figures are modeled. Chicago-area union work and large commercial projects push pay toward the top of the range. Refer to the Electricians salary guide for figures from live adverts.

What you need

Age (Chicago)You must be at least 21 to sit the supervising electrician exam.
Experience (Chicago)You need at least 2 years of electrical work, or equivalent, under the direct supervision of a supervising electrician or equivalent person. Letters from your supervisors must verify it.
Written exam (Chicago)There are two exams, general and low voltage, both run by Continental Testing Services. The exam fee is $150, and after a failed attempt you wait 6 months before applying again.
License fees (Chicago)The first license costs $150 and renewal is $150 a year. A license expired for 3 years or more can't be renewed.
Apprenticeship for Class 1 jobsOn large Chicago jobs, every worker must hold a supervising license, have completed a Department of Labor recognized apprenticeship of at least 8,000 hours, or be enrolled in one.
Contractor licenseA Chicago electrical contractor license costs $150 a year, and the business must employ at least one supervising electrician.

State by state

City of Chicago	The Department of Buildings issues supervising electrician licenses, general or low voltage, after a written exam. Contractors must employ a supervising electrician.
Urbana	The ICC bulletin lists a journeyman exam (80 questions, 4 hours) and a master exam (100 questions, 5 hours), both open book.
Normal	The ICC bulletin lists a master electrician exam for the general electrical contractor license and a separate maintenance electrician exam.
Downers Grove	The village used ICC master and journeyman electrician exams, according to an ICC bulletin published in 2017.
Danville	You apply to the city first. The city then clears you with ICC to take the exam.
Coal mines (statewide)	The Illinois Department of Natural Resources certifies mine electricians. You need 1 year of experience, a 112-hour training course, an 8-hour safety class, and passing exams.

How to get there

Year 0Join an apprenticeshipLook for a Department of Labor recognized program of at least 8,000 hours. That lets you work on Chicago's large Class 1 jobs while you train.
Years 1-4Build documented experienceWork under a licensed supervising electrician, or an equivalent person elsewhere, and keep records your supervisors can turn into verification letters.
After 2+ yearsApply to testIn Chicago, apply through Continental Testing Services once you are 21 and have 2 years of experience. Elsewhere, apply to the town that licenses you.
Exam yearPass the exam and get licensedPay $150 for the exam and $150 for the license, then renew every year through the Department of Buildings.
LaterAdd towns or start a contractor businessGet licensed in the other towns where you work. A Chicago business must employ a supervising electrician to hold a contractor license.

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Questions people ask

Does Illinois have a state electrician license?

No. Cities and villages license electricians and contractors, and some towns have no licensing at all. The state certifies a few specialties, such as EV charger installation companies and coal mine electricians.

What do you need for a Chicago supervising electrician license?

You must be at least 21, have 2 years of supervised electrical experience verified by your supervisors' letters, and pass a written exam. The exam costs $150, and the license costs $150 a year.

Can apprentices work in Chicago without a license?

Yes, as employees working under the contractor's supervising electrician. On large Class 1 jobs, each worker must be enrolled in or have completed a Department of Labor recognized apprenticeship of at least 8,000 hours, or hold a supervising license.

What happens if I fail the Chicago exam?

You must wait at least 6 months before reapplying. Each exam attempt costs $150.

Will my out-of-state license transfer to Illinois?

There is no state license for it to transfer to, so you qualify with each town. Chicago accepts equivalent experience under an equivalent supervisor, so your out-of-state work can count if you can document it.

How long is a Chicago license valid?

Supervising electrician and electrical contractor licenses are both valid for one year. A supervising license expired for 3 years or more can't be renewed.

How do you get an electrician license in Illinois?