City of Chicago – Home Repair / Home
Improvement Contractor Registration Examination
(code/business qualification exam where required)
Questions and Correct Answers (Verified Answers)
Plus Rationale 2027 Q&A| Instant Download Pdf
1. Under the Chicago Municipal Code, which activity generally falls
within the definition of “home repair”?
A. Television repair
B. Landscaping
C. Replacing a residential roof
D. Carpet cleaning
Answer: C. Replacing a residential roof
Rationale: Chicago's definition of home repair broadly includes fixing,
replacing, altering, converting, modernizing, improving, or adding to
residential real property. The listed examples specifically include
roofs. Television repair, landscaping, and carpet-related work are
excluded from the definition.
, 2. Which of the following is specifically excluded from Chicago's
definition of home repair?
A. Installing a residential furnace
B. Repairing a residential chimney
C. Installing a swimming pool
D. Landscaping
Answer: D. Landscaping
Rationale: Landscaping is expressly excluded from the municipal
definition of home repair. The definition specifically includes
improvements such as swimming pools, chimneys, heating systems,
and other residential improvements.
3. A contractor installs a new kitchen in a residence. Under Chicago's
home-repair provisions, this activity is:
A. Outside the definition of home repair
B. Included as home repair
C. Considered television repair
D. Exempt solely because it involves a kitchen
Answer: B. Included as home repair
Rationale: Kitchens are specifically identified among the types of
residential improvements covered by the home-repair definition. A
,contractor performing this work therefore falls within the applicable
home-repair requirements unless another exemption applies.
4. Which statement best describes a “residence” for purposes of
Chicago's home-repair provisions?
A. Any commercial building
B. Any building or portion of a building used or intended to be used as a
dwelling unit
C. Only a detached single-family house
D. Only an apartment building with more than four units
Answer: B. Any building or portion of a building used or intended to
be used as a dwelling unit
Rationale: Chicago defines residence broadly as any building or
portion of a building used or intended to be used as a dwelling unit.
The definition is not limited to detached houses.
5. The Chicago home-repair provisions generally do not apply to:
A. Repairs to an existing residence
B. Improvements to an existing dwelling
C. Original construction of a residence
D. Replacement of residential plumbing fixtures
Answer: C. Original construction of a residence
, Rationale: The municipal provision expressly states that its home-
repair requirements do not apply to the original construction of a
residence. Original construction can instead implicate Chicago's
general-contractor and building-code requirements.
6. A homeowner performs repairs on the homeowner's own
property. Under the home-repair provisions, which statement is
generally correct?
A. The homeowner must obtain a home-repair license solely for doing
the work personally
B. The homeowner is exempt from the home-repair licensing
requirement
C. The homeowner must hire a licensed home-repair contractor
D. The homeowner must obtain a general contractor license
Answer: B. The homeowner is exempt from the home-repair licensing
requirement
Rationale: Chicago expressly exempts persons who perform home
repairs to their own property from the requirements of the home-
repair licensing provision. This exemption applies to the owner's own
work, not automatically to outside contractors hired by the owner.
Improvement Contractor Registration Examination
(code/business qualification exam where required)
Questions and Correct Answers (Verified Answers)
Plus Rationale 2027 Q&A| Instant Download Pdf
1. Under the Chicago Municipal Code, which activity generally falls
within the definition of “home repair”?
A. Television repair
B. Landscaping
C. Replacing a residential roof
D. Carpet cleaning
Answer: C. Replacing a residential roof
Rationale: Chicago's definition of home repair broadly includes fixing,
replacing, altering, converting, modernizing, improving, or adding to
residential real property. The listed examples specifically include
roofs. Television repair, landscaping, and carpet-related work are
excluded from the definition.
, 2. Which of the following is specifically excluded from Chicago's
definition of home repair?
A. Installing a residential furnace
B. Repairing a residential chimney
C. Installing a swimming pool
D. Landscaping
Answer: D. Landscaping
Rationale: Landscaping is expressly excluded from the municipal
definition of home repair. The definition specifically includes
improvements such as swimming pools, chimneys, heating systems,
and other residential improvements.
3. A contractor installs a new kitchen in a residence. Under Chicago's
home-repair provisions, this activity is:
A. Outside the definition of home repair
B. Included as home repair
C. Considered television repair
D. Exempt solely because it involves a kitchen
Answer: B. Included as home repair
Rationale: Kitchens are specifically identified among the types of
residential improvements covered by the home-repair definition. A
,contractor performing this work therefore falls within the applicable
home-repair requirements unless another exemption applies.
4. Which statement best describes a “residence” for purposes of
Chicago's home-repair provisions?
A. Any commercial building
B. Any building or portion of a building used or intended to be used as a
dwelling unit
C. Only a detached single-family house
D. Only an apartment building with more than four units
Answer: B. Any building or portion of a building used or intended to
be used as a dwelling unit
Rationale: Chicago defines residence broadly as any building or
portion of a building used or intended to be used as a dwelling unit.
The definition is not limited to detached houses.
5. The Chicago home-repair provisions generally do not apply to:
A. Repairs to an existing residence
B. Improvements to an existing dwelling
C. Original construction of a residence
D. Replacement of residential plumbing fixtures
Answer: C. Original construction of a residence
, Rationale: The municipal provision expressly states that its home-
repair requirements do not apply to the original construction of a
residence. Original construction can instead implicate Chicago's
general-contractor and building-code requirements.
6. A homeowner performs repairs on the homeowner's own
property. Under the home-repair provisions, which statement is
generally correct?
A. The homeowner must obtain a home-repair license solely for doing
the work personally
B. The homeowner is exempt from the home-repair licensing
requirement
C. The homeowner must hire a licensed home-repair contractor
D. The homeowner must obtain a general contractor license
Answer: B. The homeowner is exempt from the home-repair licensing
requirement
Rationale: Chicago expressly exempts persons who perform home
repairs to their own property from the requirements of the home-
repair licensing provision. This exemption applies to the owner's own
work, not automatically to outside contractors hired by the owner.