Contractor License from Wisconsin 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.
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Verdict
No reciprocity offered
Illinois recognizes no state's contractor license, so coming from Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin license is wasted, but none of it substitutes for Illinois's process.
What changes, Wisconsin → Illinois
| Wisconsin (current) | Illinois (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $100–$200 (DSPS trades credential fees on a 4-year cycle: Journeyman Electrician $100, Master Electrician $200. The exact initial fee for a reciprocity application is calculated in the LicensE portal and is not published as a flat figure. For context, the non-reciprocal Dwelling Contractor certification is $25, Dwelling Contractor Qualifier $30, and HVAC Contractor $160.) | No reciprocity/endorsement fee exists because there is no reciprocity path; standard plumber licensing fees apply and were not captured. |
| Processing time | DSPS reviews the application and then makes the applicant eligible; no processing-time range is published. Requested documents must be uploaded within three months or the application and fees must be resubmitted. | Not applicable — no reciprocity path. |
| Licensing authority | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credential Processing | 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin-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)
- WI DSPS — Form #3106, Journeyman Electrician License Application Information, rev. 12/04/2025 (Category B reciprocity: Iowa Journeyman A and New Hampshire) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WI DSPS — Form #3107, Master Electrician License Application Information, rev. 12/04/2025 (reciprocity limited to Iowa Master A) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WI DSPS — Trades Renewal Dates and Fees (Journeyman Electrician $100, Master Electrician $200, Dwelling Contractor $25, Dwelling Contractor Qualifier $30, HVAC Contractor $160) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WI DSPS — Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (12-hour approved initial qualifier course requirement) ↗ (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]