How to look up a license in Illinois
To confirm an Illinois license, search the board that issued it: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation, IDOI, IDPH and Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Division of Real Estate for the cosmetologists, registered nurses, insurance agents and plumbers, among others, we cover.
On this page
Official license searches in Illinois
4 official searches from 4 boards cover the Illinois licenses on this site (some boards share one state search). 3 of the rows also link a complaint page.
| Board | Licenses it covers | Search | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation | cosmetologists and registered nurses | License search1 | File a complaint1 |
| Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) | insurance agents | License search2 | File a complaint2 |
| Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) | plumbers | License search3 | – |
| Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) | nursing assistants | License search4 | – |
| Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Division of Real Estate | real estate agents | License search5 | File a complaint6 |
What each search covers
A board's search lists only its own licenses:
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation: the 4 credentials it issues for cosmetologists and registered nurses, including Cosmetologist, Cosmetology Clinic Teacher, Cosmetology Teacher and Registered Professional Nurse (RN).
- Illinois Department of Insurance: the 4 credentials it issues for insurance agents, including Resident Producer / Illinois Insurance Agent, Temporary Producer License, Non-Resident License (insurance producer) and Business Entity License (Producer License - Business Entity).
- Illinois Department of Public Health: the 4 credentials it issues for plumbers, including Plumber's License (Illinois licensed plumber), Apprentice Plumber's License, Retired Plumber's License and Plumbing Contractor (registration).
- Illinois Department of Public Health: the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Division of Real Estate: the 3 credentials it issues for real estate agents, including Real Estate Broker, Residential Leasing Agent and Real Estate Managing Broker.
Occupations without a state search here
- Notaries: the Illinois Secretary of State pages we cite do not link a public search; ask the board to confirm a license.
- General contractors: Illinois issues no state license, so there is no state search. The page lists what Joliet and Rockford require; check with that city or county.
How to check a license
Search the board for the work you are hiring for, then check the status, the license type and the expiration date (what to check in the result).
The occupation pages explain what each license level allows: cosmetologists, registered nurses, insurance agents, plumbers, nursing assistants, real estate agents.
Sources
Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.
- IDFPR Cosmetology profession pageIllinois Department of Financial and Professional RegulationChecked November 7, 2026
- How to Become a Resident ProducerIllinois Department of InsuranceChecked November 8, 2026
- PlumbingIllinois Department of Public HealthChecked November 7, 2026
- CNA FactsIllinois Department of Public HealthChecked November 7, 2026
- 2026 CE Fact Sheet - Real Estate BrokerIllinois Department of Financial and Professional RegulationChecked November 5, 2026
- Real Estate profession pageIllinois Department of Financial and Professional RegulationChecked November 5, 2026