Contractor License from Vermont to Illinois: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing Program (general contractors are licensed municipally) ↗
Illinois does not offer contractor reciprocity with any state. Expect a full application to the Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing Program (general contractors are licensed municipally), including Illinois's exams.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
No reciprocity offered
Illinois recognizes no state's contractor license, so coming from Vermont changes nothing — it is a full application either way. The practical plan: identify which Illinois license class matches your work, book the business/law and trade exams, and prepare the financial statement and bond early. Nothing about your Vermont license is wasted, but none of it substitutes for Illinois's process.
What changes, Vermont → Illinois
| Vermont (current) | Illinois (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $90–$150 (Division of Fire Safety trade licenses are 3-year: Electrical Master $150, Electrical Journeyman $115, Electrical Specialist $115 per field; Plumbing Master $120, Plumbing Journeyman $90, Plumbing Specialist $50 per field. Exam fees are not included in the application. The separate OPR residential-contractor registration carries its own fee, which is published only behind OPR's online fee page and is not asserted here.) | No reciprocity/endorsement fee exists because there is no reciprocity path; standard plumber licensing fees apply and were not captured. |
| Processing time | No week range is published. Applications must be postmarked or delivered to the Division of Fire Safety two weeks before the board meeting date or they are held for a later agenda, and incomplete applications are returned. | Not applicable — no reciprocity path. |
| Licensing authority | Vermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety (electricians and plumbers); Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation (residential contractor registration) | Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing Program (general contractors are licensed municipally) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Illinois sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Illinois's initial-licensure requirements on the Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing Program (general contractors are licensed municipally) website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Illinois'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 reciprocity/endorsement fee exists because there is no reciprocity path; standard plumber licensing fees apply and were not captured.).
- Allow Not applicable — no reciprocity path..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois accept a Vermont contractor license?
Illinois does not offer contractor reciprocity with any state. Expect a full application to the Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing Program (general contractors are licensed municipally), including Illinois's exams.
What still applies even if reciprocity covers my trade?
Illinois's business and law exam, financial statement, bond, and registration — reciprocity waives the trade exam only, not these.
What does the Vermont-to-Illinois move cost and how long does it take?
No reciprocity/endorsement fee exists because there is no reciprocity path; standard plumber licensing fees apply and were not captured.; processing Not applicable — no reciprocity path..
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 Illinois is one on the Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing Program (general contractors are licensed municipally) site.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- 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)
- VT Division of Fire Safety — Electrician License Application (Master $150 / Journeyman $115 / Specialist $115; Maine and New Hampshire residents only; universal-license route) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- VT Division of Fire Safety — Instructions for Applying for a Vermont Electrical License (fees; two-week pre-meeting filing deadline) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- VT Division of Fire Safety — Plumbers License Application Instructions (Master $120 / Journeyman $90 / Specialist $50; universal-license route and hour requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- VT Secretary of State OPR — Residential Contractors, Apply or Renew ($10,000 threshold, liability insurance, written contract, registration not licensure) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]