Illinois roofing contract rules
What an Illinois roofing contract must say, how long you can back out, how much a roofer may ask up front, when a lien can follow and what a roofer may do about your insurance claim. Each rule is quoted from the statute or agency rule. Checked 2026-10-09.
Short answer: An Illinois consumer can cancel a home sale of $25 or more by notifying the seller within 3 full business days after the contract was signed or the sale was made (3 business days, 815 ILCS 505/2B). The federal rule adds 3 business days for sales made at your home (16 CFR 429). An Illinois homeowner told by the insurer that part of the claim is not covered can cancel the repair contract by written notice within 5 business days of that notice, with a 30-business-day outer limit after the proof of loss (815 ILCS 513/20(c)). An Illinois contractor must sue or record a claim for lien within 4 months after completion to enforce the lien against other creditors and buyers (770 ILCS 60/7(a)). 14 rules on this page are quoted from official statutes, agency rules or regulator pages; 9 more are marked not confirmed.
State cancel period
3 business days
815 ILCS 505/2B
Deposit rule
not confirmed
No deposit rule confirmed
Lien filing deadline
4 months
770 ILCS 60/7(a)
Written contract
Rule quoted
815 ILCS 513/15
Find your last day to cancel
Only the signing date is needed for the cancel dates. Add the other dates when they happen and the rules that start from them get a calendar day too. Counting starts the day after the date you enter.
Enter the signing date to see your dates.
Days are counted the way each rule defines them: federal “business days” skip Sundays and federal holidays and count Saturdays; where a state rule defines business days as Monday to Friday we skip Saturdays and Sundays; where a rule says business days without defining them, or just says “days”, we count every calendar day and show the earliest possible date. State holidays are not subtracted, so a real deadline can fall a day or two later than shown. If the last day lands on a weekend, do not wait for it. General information from public rules, not legal advice.
Illinois against the other states
Calendar-day equivalents are used for the bars only (business days scaled by 7/5, months by 30, years by 365); the exact unit is in the tables.
Before you sign: Illinois checklist
Every line below comes from a rule on this page. Tick a line as you check it.
Illinois: written contract
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| An Illinois home repair contractor must give you a written contract or work order to sign, stating the total cost and listed parts and materials, before starting work over $1,000. | 815 ILCS 513/15 Covers: Home repair and remodeling work over $1,000 on a residence of 6 or fewer dwelling units; the Act does not cover original construction. | |
| An Illinois home repair contract must also show the business name and address, and the contractor's residence address if the business uses a post office box or mail agent. | 815 ILCS 513/15 Covers: Written contracts for home repair and remodeling work over $1,000. | |
| The Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act expressly covers roofs, and it covers work on a house or small apartment building of 6 or fewer units. The same section excludes original construction of residences. |
815 ILCS 513/10 Covers: Work on a residence, meaning a single-family home or a building with 6 or fewer dwelling units; maintenance, service or repairs under $500 are outside the definition. |
Illinois: right to cancel
The federal rule (16 CFR §429.1(a)) gives 3 business days for a sale made at your home. Rules of Illinois below are added to it.
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| An Illinois consumer can cancel a home sale of $25 or more by notifying the seller within 3 full business days after the contract was signed or the sale was made. The statute says business days without defining them; the calculator counts every weekday and shows the earliest possible date, so confirm the real last day with the seller in writing. |
3 business days counted from the day you sign |
815 ILCS 505/2B Covers: Sales of merchandise involving $25 or more by a seller physically present at the consumer's residence; exceptions include a consumer-initiated emergency with a separate handwritten, dated and signed waiver, and a visit the consumer requested to repair or maintain personal property. |
| The Illinois 3-day cancel period does not start until the seller gives you a Notice of Cancellation and the address where you can send it. | 815 ILCS 505/2B Covers: Sales covered by the door-to-door cancel right in section 2B. | |
| A seller who receives a valid Illinois cancellation notice must refund your payments within 10 business days or commit an unlawful practice. The statute says business days without defining them; the calculator counts every weekday and shows the earliest possible date, so confirm the real last day with the seller in writing. |
10 business days counted from the day the notice is given |
815 ILCS 505/2B(f) Covers: Sales covered by the door-to-door cancel right in section 2B. |
| An Illinois homeowner aged 65 or older who bought home repair from an uninvited solicitor has 15 full business days after signing to cancel. The statute says business days without defining them; the calculator counts every weekday and shows the earliest possible date, so confirm the real last day with the seller in writing. |
15 business days counted from the day you sign |
815 ILCS 513/22 Covers: Purchasers age 65 or older whose home repair or remodeling agreement was made at their home with an uninvited solicitor. |
| An Illinois homeowner told by the insurer that part of the claim is not covered can cancel the repair contract by written notice within 5 business days of that notice, with a 30-business-day outer limit after the proof of loss. The cancel date is the earlier of the fifth business day after you receive the insurer's notice or the thirtieth business day after the insurer receives a properly executed proof of loss. The statute says business days without defining them; the calculator counts every weekday and shows the earliest possible date, so confirm the real last day with the seller in writing. |
5 business days counted from the day the insurer denies the claim |
815 ILCS 513/20(c) Covers: Home repair and remodeling contracts over $1,000; the wording appears in the consumer rights pamphlet that the statute requires contractors to hand to customers, in the list of basic contract terms. |
| If an Illinois homeowner cancels because the insurer denied the claim, the contractor must return payments within 10 business days, but may keep the reasonable value of catastrophe work the owner agreed in writing was needed. The statute says business days without defining them; the calculator counts every weekday and shows the earliest possible date, so confirm the real last day with the seller in writing. |
10 business days counted from the day the notice is given |
815 ILCS 513/20(c) Covers: Home repair and remodeling contracts cancelled because the insurer said part of the claim is not covered. |
Illinois: Mechanic's lien
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| An Illinois subcontractor who works on an owner-occupied single-family home must notify the occupant within 60 days after first furnishing labor or materials to keep its lien rights in full. | 60 days counted from the date the rule names |
770 ILCS 60/21(c) Covers: Subcontractors on an existing owner-occupied single-family residence; a notice given after 60 days still preserves the lien but only to the extent the owner has not been prejudiced by payments made before receiving it. |
| An Illinois contractor must sue or record a claim for lien within 4 months after completion to enforce the lien against other creditors and buyers. | 4 months counted from completion of the work |
770 ILCS 60/7(a) Covers: Contractors claiming a lien against creditors, incumbrancers and purchasers; extra or additional work restarts the 4 months from its completion or final delivery. |
| As against the owner, an Illinois contractor may file the claim for lien any time after the contract is made and within 2 years after the contract is completed. | 2 years counted from completion of the work |
770 ILCS 60/7(a) Covers: Claims for lien as against the owner of the property. |
| An Illinois contractor on an owner-occupied single-family home must give the owner written notice within 10 days after recording a lien. | 10 days counted from the date the rule names |
770 ILCS 60/7(d) Covers: Contractors (not subcontractors) on an owner-occupied single-family residence, under contracts made after the effective date of Public Act 96-654 (January 1, 2010); late notice extinguishes the lien only to the extent of the owner's damages. |
Illinois: insurance claims and your roofer
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| In Illinois only a licensed public adjuster may act or advertise as one, and a contract made in violation of the license rule is void. Subsection (d) lists exemptions for attorneys, people who handle life or health claims, fact-gatherers or estimators who assist a licensed public adjuster, health care providers and subrogation settlers; contractors are not listed. |
215 ILCS 5/1515(a), (e) Covers: Anyone, including a contractor, who acts for pay on behalf of an insured in adjusting a first party property claim. |
The insurer’s own deadlines are on the Illinois claim deadlines page.
Illinois roofing license
IDFPR lists 'Roofing Contractor, Licensed' among the professions it licenses. No dollar threshold was read. Source, checked 2026-10-07.
What we could not confirm in Illinois
- A cap on the deposit an Illinois roofer may ask for: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (815 ILCS 513/10, 15, 20, 22 and 30; 815 ILCS 505/2B).
- A rule that an Illinois roofer must hold your deposit in trust: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (815 ILCS 513 and 505/2B).
- The deadline to sue to foreclose an Illinois mechanic's lien: not confirmed. 770 ILCS 60/9 could not be retrieved for checking; sections 1, 5, 7, 21, 24 and 28 of 770 ILCS 60 were read and 60/7 only states the claim-filing periods.
- A ban on an Illinois roofer waiving or rebating the insurance deductible: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (815 ILCS 513, 505/2B and 215 ILCS 5/1505, 1510, 1515).
- Rules on assigning insurance benefits to a roofer in Illinois: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (815 ILCS 513, 505/2B and 215 ILCS 5/1505, 1510, 1515).
- A required roofing-contract notice about insurance coverage in Illinois: not confirmed. Only the insurer-denial cancel wording in the consumer rights pamphlet (815 ILCS 513/20) was found; no separate contract-notice rule located.
- A price-gouging ban after a declared emergency in Illinois: not confirmed. No price-gouging section was located in the sections read (815 ILCS 513 and 505/2B).
- Extra registration or licensing for roofers after a disaster in Illinois: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (815 ILCS 513 and 505/2B); the roofing licensing act sections 1, 5 and 9 (225 ILCS 335) were read but are marked in the archived text as scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026, so they are not used.
- A limit on roofing deposits after a declared emergency in Illinois: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (815 ILCS 513 and 505/2B).
Illinois contract questions
- How long can I cancel a roofing contract in Illinois?
- 815 ILCS 505/2B: 3 business days, counted from the day you sign. The federal rule gives 3 business days for sales made at your home. The median across the 25 of 27 states with a confirmed number is about 4 calendar days (business days scaled by 7/5). The statute says business days without defining them; the calculator counts every weekday and shows the earliest possible date, so confirm the real last day with the seller in writing.
- Can I cancel if my Illinois insurer denies the roof claim?
- 815 ILCS 513/20(c): An Illinois homeowner told by the insurer that part of the claim is not covered can cancel the repair contract by written notice within 5 business days of that notice, with a 30-business-day outer limit after the proof of loss. 5 business days, counted from the day the insurer denies the claim. The cancel date is the earlier of the fifth business day after you receive the insurer's notice or the thirtieth business day after the insurer receives a properly executed proof of loss. The statute says business days without defining them; the calculator counts every weekday and shows the earliest possible date, so confirm the real last day with the seller in writing.
- What is a mechanic's lien on a house in Illinois?
- 770 ILCS 60/7(a): An Illinois contractor must sue or record a claim for lien within 4 months after completion to enforce the lien against other creditors and buyers.
- Can a roofer in Illinois handle my insurance claim for me?
- 215 ILCS 5/1515(a), (e): In Illinois only a licensed public adjuster may act or advertise as one, and a contract made in violation of the license rule is void. Subsection (d) lists exemptions for attorneys, people who handle life or health claims, fact-gatherers or estimators who assist a licensed public adjuster, health care providers and subrogation settlers; contractors are not listed.
Why contracts get signed fast after an Illinois hailstorm
NOAA lists 7 Illinois cities in our data with 197 city-days of hail at 1 inch or more since 2014; the largest stone was 3.25 inches and the busiest month is May.
Illinois cities we cover
| City | Cost | Roofers |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | Roof age | Roofers in Bloomington |
| Champaign | Roof age | Roofers in Champaign |
| Decatur | Roof age | Roofers in Decatur |
| Joliet | Roof age | Roofers in Joliet |
| Peoria | Roof age | Roofers in Peoria |
| Rockford | Roof age | Roofers in Rockford |
| Springfield | Roof age | Roofers in Springfield |
Where each Illinois rule comes from
| Rule | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract: no fixed number An Illinois home repair contractor must give you a written contract or work order to sign, stating the total cost and listed parts and materials, before starting work over $1,000. |
815 ILCS 513/15 statute text Quote“Prior to initiating home repair or remodeling work for over $1,000, a person engaged in the business of home repair or remodeling shall furnish to the customer for signature a written contract or work order that states the total cost, including parts and materials listed with reasonable particularity and any charge for an estimate.” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-04-03 |
| Written contract: no fixed number An Illinois home repair contract must also show the business name and address, and the contractor's residence address if the business uses a post office box or mail agent. |
815 ILCS 513/15 statute text Quote“the contract shall state the business name and address of the person engaged in the business of home repair or remodeling. If the person engaged in the business of home repair or remodeling uses a post office box or mail receiving service or agent to receive home repair or remodeling business correspondence, the contract also shall state the residence address of the person engaged in the business of home repair or remodeling.” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-04-03 |
| Written contract: no fixed number The Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act expressly covers roofs, and it covers work on a house or small apartment building of 6 or fewer units. |
815 ILCS 513/10 statute text Quote“"Home repair and remodeling" includes the construction, installation, replacement, or improvement of driveways, swimming pools, porches, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, chimneys, chimney liners, garages, fences, fallout shelters, central air conditioning, central heating, boilers, furnaces, electrical wiring, sewers, plumbing fixtures, storm doors, windows, roofs, awnings” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-03-19 |
| Right to cancel: 3 business days An Illinois consumer can cancel a home sale of $25 or more by notifying the seller within 3 full business days after the contract was signed or the sale was made. |
815 ILCS 505/2B statute text Quote“that consumer may avoid the contract or transaction by notifying the seller within 3 full business days following that day on which the contract was signed or the sale was made and by returning to the person, in its original condition, any merchandise delivered to the consumer under the contract or sale” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-04-21 |
| Right to cancel: no fixed number The Illinois 3-day cancel period does not start until the seller gives you a Notice of Cancellation and the address where you can send it. |
815 ILCS 505/2B statute text Quote“The 3 day period provided for in this Section does not commence until the consumer is furnished a "Notice of Cancellation", and the address at which such notice to the seller can be given.” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-04-21 |
| Right to cancel: 10 business days A seller who receives a valid Illinois cancellation notice must refund your payments within 10 business days or commit an unlawful practice. |
815 ILCS 505/2B(f) statute text Quote“Fail or refuse to honor any valid notice of cancellation by a consumer and within 10 business days after the receipt of such notice, to (i) refund all payments made under the contract or sale” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-04-21 |
| Right to cancel: 15 business days An Illinois homeowner aged 65 or older who bought home repair from an uninvited solicitor has 15 full business days after signing to cancel. |
815 ILCS 513/22 statute text Quote“A person age 65 or older who purchases home repair or remodeling services from an uninvited solicitor may cancel any contract with a person engaged in home repair or remodeling by notifying that person within 15 full business days following the day on which the contract was signed if the agreement for the home repair or remodeling was made at the home of the purchaser.” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-06-24 |
| Right to cancel: 5 business days An Illinois homeowner told by the insurer that part of the claim is not covered can cancel the repair contract by written notice within 5 business days of that notice, with a 30-business-day outer limit after the proof of loss. |
815 ILCS 513/20(c) statute text Quote“you may cancel the contract by mailing or delivering written notice to (name of contractor) at (address of contractor's place of business) at any time prior to the earlier of midnight on the fifth business day after you have received such notice from your insurer or the thirtieth business day after receipt of a properly executed proof of loss by the insurer from the insured.” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-05-08 |
| Right to cancel: 10 business days If an Illinois homeowner cancels because the insurer denied the claim, the contractor must return payments within 10 business days, but may keep the reasonable value of catastrophe work the owner agreed in writing was needed. |
815 ILCS 513/20(c) statute text Quote“If you cancel, any payments made by you under the contract will be returned to you within 10 business days following receipt by the contractor of your cancellation notice. If, however, the contractor has provided any goods or services related to a catastrophe, acknowledged and agreed to by the insured homeowner in writing to be necessary to prevent damage to the premises, the contractor is entitled to the reasonable value of such goods and services.” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-05-08 |
| Mechanic's lien: 60 days An Illinois subcontractor who works on an owner-occupied single-family home must notify the occupant within 60 days after first furnishing labor or materials to keep its lien rights in full. |
770 ILCS 60/21(c) statute text Quote“to notify the occupant either personally or by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the occupant or the occupant's agent of the residence within 60 days from the subcontractor's first furnishing labor, services, material, fixtures, apparatus or machinery, or forms or form work” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2024-11-03 |
| Mechanic's lien: 4 months An Illinois contractor must sue or record a claim for lien within 4 months after completion to enforce the lien against other creditors and buyers. |
770 ILCS 60/7(a) statute text Quote“No contractor shall be allowed to enforce such lien against or to the prejudice of any other creditor or incumbrancer or purchaser, unless within 4 months after completion ... he or she shall either bring an action to enforce his or her lien therefor or shall file in the office of the recorder of the county in which the building, erection or other improvement to be charged with the lien is situated, a claim for lien” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-03-23 |
| Mechanic's lien: 2 years As against the owner, an Illinois contractor may file the claim for lien any time after the contract is made and within 2 years after the contract is completed. |
770 ILCS 60/7(a) statute text Quote“as to the owner may be filed at any time after the contract is made and within 2 years after the completion of the contract” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-03-23 |
| Mechanic's lien: 10 days An Illinois contractor on an owner-occupied single-family home must give the owner written notice within 10 days after recording a lien. |
770 ILCS 60/7(d) statute text Quote“A contractor for improvements of an owner-occupied single-family residence must give the owner written notice within 10 days after recording a lien against any property of the owner. The notice is served when it is sent or personally delivered.” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-03-23 |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number In Illinois only a licensed public adjuster may act or advertise as one, and a contract made in violation of the license rule is void. |
215 ILCS 5/1515(a), (e) statute text Quote“A person shall not act, advertise, solicit, or hold himself out as a public adjuster or to be in the business of adjusting insurance claims in this State, nor attempt to obtain a contract for public adjusting services, unless the person is licensed as a public adjuster in accordance with this Article. ... All contracts entered into that are in violation of this Section are void and invalid.” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-05-23 |
Nearby states
Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa or all states.
Related: Illinois claim deadlines, Illinois roofers, insurer roof-age rules.