Illinois doesn't have a statewide license.
There are individual municipalities that offer licensing. There exams are usually based on whatever their adopted version of the NEC is, plus any local modifications to the Code. And residency is usually not required; just enough Code knowledge and field experience to pass the exam and background qualifications, the exam and license fees, and a certificate of insurance.
EC tickets are usually reciprocal between other communities... as long as "Town A" EC's will be honored in "Town B", "Town B" EC's will be honored in "Town A". Every once in a while you'll see towns get into a "peeing contest" due to minor Code changes that the other doesn't agree with, but (thankfully) those are much fewer than in the old days.
There are some AHJ's that, while
they don't license EC's, they only allow EC's that hold licenses from those "third party" towns to pull permits.
[Edited to add] Just a quick list of some N. IL AHJ's offering EC tickets (from Streamwood, IL)
Village of Buffalo Grove
City of Chicago
City of Elgin
City of Elmhurst
Village of Elmwood Park
City of Glenview
Village of Hinsdale
City of Naperville
City of North Chicago
City of Northlake
Village of Orland Park
Village of Schaumburg
City of Waukegan
City of Wood Dale
City of Woodstock
Lots of town reference the licenses issued by the above AHJ's as being "licensed" as an EC. If you are issued from another AHJ, you might have to take a Code competency exam, or sign an affadavit attesting to yor knowledge.
Usually a community that is on the list will allow an EC from another community to register (for a buck or two) as an EC in that town; or they'll let them pull permits without having a license for that specific community.
As far as other states and Illinois community EC tickets, there are many municipalities that only have a reference to "licensed EC's" in their ordinances (without mention of a specific state), and usually accept licensure from other states... as long as you seem to know what you're doing when the inspector comes around.
[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 05-21-2004).]