What does Illinois law tell a homeowner before a home job?

Illinois earns a C in the 2026 Home Job Readiness Grade, with 4 of 6 possible points on 3 scored measures. The grade covers what state law and official state pages tell a homeowner about deposits, written contracts, cancelling and an online contractor record.

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Reviewed 24 October 2026. Researched by the InstaBids editorial team.

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Illinois Home Job Readiness Grade 2026: C (4 of 6 points)

This grade is a compilation of statute text and official state pages, reviewed 24 October 2026. It is not legal advice.

How did each measure score?

Statutory deposit limit: 0 of 2 points

No statutory deposit limit was found in the official sources reviewed 22 October 2026. Not found means not found in the sources checked; it is not an official statement that the state has no cap.

Official sources reviewed: source 1, source 2, source 3, source 4

Written-contract rule for home-improvement work: 2 of 2 points

A state statute or regulation requires a written contract for home-improvement or residential work within its scope, and lists what it must contain. The scope, including any dollar threshold or licence condition, is in the quoted words below.

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. In addition, the contract shall state the business name and address of the person engaged in the business of home repair or remodeling.

Source: 815 ILCS 513/15, read 14 October 2026

Statutory right to cancel: 2 of 2 points

A state statute gives a right to cancel that reaches home-improvement contracts or sales made at the home within the scope and dollar limits in the quoted words below.

(4) Remember, you have 3 business days (or as provided in Section 22 if you are age 65 or older) from the time you sign your contract to cancel any contract if the sale is made at your home. The contractor cannot deprive you of this right by initiating work, selling your contract to a lender, or any other tactic.

Source: 815 ILCS 513/20(c) (statutory pamphlet text), read 14 October 2026

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.

Source: 815 ILCS 513/22, read 14 October 2026

Online public record of the state's home-contractor credential: Not scored

Not scored: online public record of the state's home-contractor credential - official text not captured as of 24 October 2026.

What is not scored, and why?

Not scored: online public record of the state's home-contractor credential - official text not captured as of 24 October 2026.

A measure we could not settle from official text is not scored: it leaves both the points earned and the points possible, so it never counts against a state.

Is there a federal rule too?

Federal rule, not scored here: 16 CFR 429.1(a), the FTC door-to-door sales rule, covers a sale the seller personally solicits that is agreed at a place other than the seller's place of business, for $25 or more at the buyer's home or $130 or more elsewhere, with exceptions in 16 CFR 429.0. For those sales it requires this statement in the buyer's contract or receipt:

You, the buyer, may cancel this transaction at any time prior to midnight of the third business day after the date of this transaction.

Source: 16 CFR 429.1(a), eCFR, read 22 October 2026

What can a homeowner check in Illinois before hiring?

A state agency licence or registration search page: idfpr.illinois.gov, read 24 October 2026. A lookup is an optional public-record step.
State consumer-protection office: Illinois Attorney General, read 24 October 2026.
Ask for the job scope, the deposit and the cancel terms in writing before you sign, and keep a copy.

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Illinois Home Job Readiness Grade 2026: C, points by measure

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<figure><img src="https://instabids.ai/fl/data/home-job-readiness-grade/illinois.svg" alt="Illinois Home Job Readiness Grade 2026: C, points by measure" width="640"><figcaption><a href="https://instabids.ai/us/home-job-readiness-grade/illinois">InstaBids</a></figcaption></figure>

All 50 states and the District of Columbia, and how the grade works