Regulations / State
Illinois asbestos regulations.
Who licenses asbestos work in Illinois, who takes the notification, and how long before the job you have to file. Plus how the federal rules layer on top.
State licensing & accreditation
Asbestos abatement work in Illinois is licensed/accredited through the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) — Lead & Asbestos Licensing Unit under 77 Ill. Adm. Code 855.
Credentials the state issues:
- Contractor (firm)
- Supervisor
- Worker
- Inspector
- Management Planner
- Project Designer
- Project Manager
- Air Sampling Professional
Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) — Lead & Asbestos Licensing Unit — asbestos licensing.
Notification
Notifications go to the Illinois EPA (IEPA) — Bureau of Air, Asbestos Unit under Federal NESHAP (40 CFR 61 Subpart M); IEPA is USEPA-delegated.
- Advance notice: 10 working days.
- Notification details / form.
How the federal rules layer in
No matter the state, federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 (asbestos in construction), EPA NESHAP (40 CFR 61, Subpart M), and AHERA worker accreditation still apply. A state program layers its own licensing and notification on top of — not instead of — these. Where Illinois has no state license, the federal accreditation and NESHAP notification requirements are the floor.
Illinois-specific notes
- Licensing (IDPH) and demolition/renovation notification (IEPA) are different agencies.
- IEPA notification requires a $150 fee with the project notification form.
- IDPH contractor license: $250 review fee + $500 license fee; $1,000,000 liability insurance required.
- Most IDPH licenses expire May 15 annually; Worker licenses expire February 1.
Official sources
Related
- All asbestos regulations by state
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 — Asbestos in Construction
- EPA NESHAP — 40 CFR 61, Subpart M
- Asbestos abatement software
- Compliance reporting in Nexus
Items we could not fully verify against a primary source: Exact 35 Ill. Adm. Code section implementing the NESHAP notification not confirmed (IEPA cites federal NESHAP).
Last reviewed against the published rules: 2026-05-28. This is a summary, not legal advice. Asbestos rules — and the agencies that run them — change; confirm the current requirements with the Illinois EPA (IEPA) — Bureau of Air, Asbestos Unit and read the actual rule before making a compliance decision.
Illinois asbestos: common questions
Do I need a license to do asbestos abatement in Illinois?
Yes — Illinois regulates who can perform asbestos abatement. Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) — Lead & Asbestos Licensing Unit. Relevant credentials include Contractor (firm), Supervisor, Worker, and others.
Who do I notify before asbestos work in Illinois, and how far in advance?
Notifications go to the Illinois EPA (IEPA) — Bureau of Air, Asbestos Unit (Federal NESHAP (40 CFR 61 Subpart M); IEPA is USEPA-delegated). Required advance notice: 10 working days.
Do the federal OSHA and EPA asbestos rules still apply in Illinois?
Yes. Federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101, EPA NESHAP (40 CFR 61, Subpart M), and AHERA worker accreditation apply nationwide — Illinois's rules layer on top of them, not instead of them.
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