Contractor License from Illinois to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Kansas Office of the Attorney General — Roofing Contractor Registration (no state contractor/electrical/plumbing licensing board) ↗
Kansas does not offer contractor reciprocity with any state. Expect a full application to the Kansas Office of the Attorney General — Roofing Contractor Registration (no state contractor/electrical/plumbing licensing board), including Kansas's exams.
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Verdict
No reciprocity offered
Kansas recognizes no state's contractor license, so coming from Illinois changes nothing — it is a full application either way. The practical plan: identify which Kansas license class matches your work, book the business/law and trade exams, and prepare the financial statement and bond early. Nothing about your Illinois license is wasted, but none of it substitutes for Kansas's process.
What changes, Illinois → Kansas
| Illinois (current) | Kansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | No reciprocity/endorsement fee exists because there is no reciprocity path; standard plumber licensing fees apply and were not captured. | No statewide trade-license fee; local jurisdictions set their own fees, and the AG roofing registration fee was not captured. |
| Processing time | Not applicable — no reciprocity path. | Varies entirely by local jurisdiction. |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing Program (general contractors are licensed municipally) | Kansas Office of the Attorney General — Roofing Contractor Registration (no state contractor/electrical/plumbing licensing board) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kansas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Kansas's initial-licensure requirements on the Kansas Office of the Attorney General — Roofing Contractor Registration (no state contractor/electrical/plumbing licensing board) website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Kansas's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees (No statewide trade-license fee; local jurisdictions set their own fees, and the AG roofing registration fee was not captured.).
- Allow Varies entirely by local jurisdiction..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kansas accept a Illinois contractor license?
Kansas does not offer contractor reciprocity with any state. Expect a full application to the Kansas Office of the Attorney General — Roofing Contractor Registration (no state contractor/electrical/plumbing licensing board), including Kansas's exams.
What still applies even if reciprocity covers my trade?
Kansas's business and law exam, financial statement, bond, and registration — reciprocity waives the trade exam only, not these.
What does the Illinois-to-Kansas move cost and how long does it take?
No statewide trade-license fee; local jurisdictions set their own fees, and the AG roofing registration fee was not captured.; processing Varies entirely by local jurisdiction..
Would the NASCLA exam help for this move?
If you do commercial general-building work, possibly — about 15 states accept the NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building exam toward licensure. Check whether Kansas is one on the Kansas Office of the Attorney General — Roofing Contractor Registration (no state contractor/electrical/plumbing licensing board) site.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Kansas Office of the Attorney General — Roofing Registration (only statewide construction-trade program) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing (licensing, forms; reciprocity form is Chicago-only) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois IDFPR — Roofing Contractors (no reciprocity provision) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]