How to Choose a Roofing Contractor (2026 Step-by-Step Vetting Guide)

Choosing a roofing contractor is a verification job, not a trust exercise. The right contractor is the one whose licensing, insurance, references, and contract terms you have independently confirmed — not the one with the best sales pitch or the lowest bid. Before you sign anything, verify the license with your state board or municipality, confirm general liability and workers' compensation directly with the insurer, check references and complaint history, and read every line of the written contract. Here is the full process, step by step.

The vetting process at a glance

If you only have a minute, this is the checklist. Each step is expanded in detail below.

1. Confirm what your state and city actually require. There is no national roofing license. Some states license roofers; some regulate them only under a general contractor license; some have no state license at all and leave it to your city or county. Check both your state board and your municipality.
2. Verify the license yourself using the state board's online lookup — don't take the contractor's word or a number printed on a flyer.
3. Confirm general liability and workers' compensation insurance by contacting the insurer listed on the certificate, not just by accepting the certificate.
4. Get at least three bids and stay skeptical of the lowest one.
5. Check references and complaint history — call past clients and review the contractor's Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint record.
6. Understand the warranty structure — material (manufacturer) warranty versus workmanship warranty, and who actually backs each.
7. Read the written contract for required elements: scope, materials, payment schedule, permit responsibility, completion date, and change-order terms.
8. Watch the payment structure — large deposits, full payment up front, cash-only demands, and "we'll cover your deductible" offers are red flags.
9. Protect yourself from liens by collecting signed lien waivers before final payment.
10. Know your cancellation rights — federal and some state rules give you a window to back out of a contract signed at your home.

Before you start: how roofing contractors are actually regulated

The single most important thing to understand before you hire is that there is no federal roofing license and no single national standard. Anyone who tells you a contractor is "fully licensed" without naming the issuing authority is telling you nothing verifiable.

States fall into three broad patterns:

• States with a roofing-specific or specialty contractor license administered by a state board. California (the C-39 Roofing classification under the Contractors State License Board) and Florida (roofing contractors licensed under Chapter 489 through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation's Construction Industry Licensing Board) are examples.
• States that regulate roofers only under a broader general or specialty contractor license, with no roofing-specific classification.
• States with no statewide roofing license at all, where the only requirements are local (city or county) and consumer-protection statutes. Texas and Colorado are examples.

Because of this patchwork, the only reliable move is to check your own state board and your own municipality. Local rules frequently exist even where state rules do not. In Texas, for instance, the state does not license roofers, but many large cities run their own registration programs. Do not rely on a contractor's self-description, and do not rely on any "X states require a license" tally you find online — those counts circulate widely but are not consistently accurate, and we have not verified them here.

This guide covers four states in depth — California, Florida, Texas, and Colorado — because those are the states whose licensing frameworks were verified at the board or statute level for this article. Licensing requirements vary by state; treat these four as worked examples of the three patterns, not as a national survey, and confirm your own state's rules directly.

The second pillar is insurance and financial protection: general liability, workers' compensation, and (where required) a surety bond. The point here is that an uninsured crew is not just the contractor's problem — it can become yours. And the third pillar is warranty structure, where the marketing gets thickest: manufacturer certification programs, material warranties versus workmanship warranties, and the question of who is actually on the hook if something fails years from now.

Step 1: Confirm what your state and city require

Start by identifying which of the three regulatory patterns your state follows, then layer your municipality on top. Here is how it looks in the four verified states.

California. A contractor's license is required for any job — labor plus materials — of $500 or more. The roofing specialty is the C-39 Roofing classification, issued by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). California also requires a written contract for all home improvement projects over $500. Verify the license through CSLB's "Check a License" tool (covered in Step 2).

Florida. Roofing contractors are licensed statewide under Chapter 489, Part I, administered by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). Florida draws an important distinction between a certified contractor and a registered contractor. Under Florida Statutes § 489.105, a "certified contractor" holds a certificate of competency issued by the department and can work statewide; a "registered contractor" has registered after meeting competency requirements in a specific local jurisdiction and is limited to that jurisdiction. In practice, a statewide certified roofing license number begins with "CCC" and a locally registered one begins with "RC." If your contractor is "registered" rather than "certified," confirm their registration actually covers your jurisdiction.

Texas. Texas has no statewide roofing license. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) regulates roughly 40 occupations — electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and others — but roofing is not one of them. As the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT), the state trade association, puts it: "Anyone can call themselves a roofer in Texas and they are not required to be knowledgeable, insured, licensed, or even registered with the state." The only roofing-specific licensing in Texas is at the city or county level, so check your municipality. Texas also has a voluntary RCAT license, which requires the applicant to be a principal in a Texas-domiciled roofing company for at least two continuous years, pass a business/safety exam plus a residential and/or commercial roofing exam (70% or better on each), and carry general liability coverage — $300,000 combined single limit for residential applicants (or a $100,000 surety bond alternative) and $500,000 for commercial. A voluntary RCAT license is a meaningful positive signal in a state with no mandatory one.

Colorado. Colorado does not issue a statewide roofing license either; roofing falls under general-contractor classification handled at the local level. But Colorado has a statewide residential-roofing consumer-protection statute — C.R.S. § 6-22-101 et seq., signed in 2012. Under its legislative declaration, the law requires residential roofers to sign a written contract with property owners detailing the scope and cost of the work and the contractor's contact information; to permit property owners to rescind the contract and obtain a refund of any deposit; and it prohibits roofers from paying, waiving, rebating, or promising to pay or rebate all or part of any insurance deductible. The rescission window is 72 hours after entering the contract (or after the insurer denies the claim in whole or in part), with a full deposit refund.

What to do: Identify your state's pattern, then call or search your city/county building department to confirm whether local registration or permitting rules apply. Where your state has no license, local registration and the contractor's voluntary credentials (like RCAT in Texas) become your primary signals.

Why it matters: Hiring an unlicensed contractor where a license is required can void your recourse, complicate permits and inspections, and in some cases jeopardize insurance coverage. Even where no license is required, the regulatory vacuum is exactly why storm-chasers concentrate in those states.

Step 2: Verify the license yourself

A license number on a business card is not verification. Look it up.

What to do: Use your state board's official license-verification tool. In California, CSLB's "Check a License" returns the license number and name, status (active, inactive, suspended, or revoked), classification, expiration date, bond status, workers' compensation status, and any complaint disclosure. You can also verify by phone at CSLB's published number. Florida's DBPR maintains an equivalent online license lookup through the CILB. For states without a state license (Texas, Colorado), verify any local registration through the city or county program, and verify voluntary credentials directly with the issuing body.

Why it matters: The status field alone catches the most common problem — a license that has lapsed, been suspended, or been revoked. The classification field confirms the contractor is actually licensed for roofing and not just holding an unrelated trade license. And in California, the same record shows you the contractor's bond and workers' comp status in one place, which folds Step 3 partly into this lookup.

What to keep: Screenshot or print the verification result with its date. You want a record of the contractor's status as of the day you hired them.

Common mistake: Accepting a photo of a license or a number you never independently look up. Numbers can be borrowed, expired, or fabricated.

Step 3: Confirm insurance independently

A roofing contractor should carry general liability insurance and workers' compensation for the duration of your job. The NRCA's guidance is direct: "Ask for copies of the contractor's liability insurance coverage and workers' compensation certificates and make sure both are in effect through the duration of your job."

But a certificate is only a starting point.

What to do — general liability: A contractor-supplied Certificate of Insurance (a COI, often an ACORD 25 form) lists the carrier, policy number, coverage limits, and effective dates. Because a certificate can be stale or altered, the reliable move is to contact the issuing carrier or the agent named on the certificate and confirm the policy is active with the stated limits. As a general best practice, you can also ask to be named as a certificate holder so you're notified if the policy is canceled.

What to do — workers' compensation: In California, the CSLB "Check a License" record itself shows whether a contractor has an active workers'-comp policy, a certificate of self-insurance, or an exemption — independent, state-maintained confirmation you don't have to take on faith. Many states maintain a workers'-comp coverage verification database through their workers'-comp division; check whether yours does and use it.

What to do — bonding: Where a bond is required, it's often verifiable through the same license record. In California, the contractor's bond is $25,000 (effective January 1, 2023, under Senate Bill 607) and is filed with CSLB, shown on the license record. A surety bond is filed "for the benefit of consumers who may be damaged as a result of defective construction" — it's a financial guarantee you can claim against, distinct from liability insurance. (California also requires a $25,000 bond of qualifying individual, and a disciplinary bond that can range from $25,000 up to ten times the contractor's bond, to a maximum of $250,000.)

Why it matters: If an uninsured crew member is hurt on your roof, or the contractor's work damages your property or a neighbor's, the absence of coverage becomes your problem to sort out. Confirming active coverage before work begins is the protection. (Note: claims that a homeowner is automatically liable for an injured uninsured worker's medical costs circulate widely, but we did not find an authoritative source stating that outcome cleanly, so we won't assert it as a certainty — the defensible point is simply to confirm workers' comp is in force before anyone sets foot on your roof.)

What to keep: The COI, the name and number of the carrier/agent you spoke with, and the date you confirmed coverage.

Step 4: Get at least three bids

What to do: Solicit written proposals from at least three contractors. CSLB consumer guidance recommends getting at least three local references and multiple bids; the NRCA and FTC similarly support obtaining several bids before committing.

Why it matters: Multiple bids give you a sense of the real market price and surface the outliers in both directions. The NRCA's caution is worth quoting: "Keep a healthy skepticism about the lowest bid. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Price is only one criterion." A lowball bid often signals cut corners, unlicensed labor, missing insurance, or a plan to inflate the job with change orders later.

Common mistake: Choosing on price alone. A bid that's dramatically lower than the others is a question to investigate, not a deal to grab.

Step 5: Check references and complaint history

What to do — references: Ask each contractor for client references and a list of completed projects. The NRCA notes that a legitimate contractor "should readily offer client references and a list of completed projects," which you "can call to ask whether they were satisfied with the work." Actually call them. CSLB recommends getting at least three local references.

What to do — complaint history: Search the company name together with words like "scam," "review," and "complaint," and check with local consumer-protection officials. The FTC advises checking "with the local Home Builders Association and consumer protection officials to see if they have complaints against a contractor." Review the contractor's Better Business Bureau record — the NRCA notes your local BBB "can tell you whether any complaints have been filed against the company."

How to read a BBB rating correctly: The BBB assigns ratings "from A+ (highest) to F (lowest)," with "NR" for unrated. By the BBB's own description, these ratings "represent the BBB's opinion of how the business is likely to interact with its customers." Two things matter here. First, customer reviews are not part of the letter grade — in the BBB's words, "Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of the BBB Letter Grade Rating." The grade is built from complaint history, transparency, time in business, licensing, government actions, and advertising; reviews and paid accreditation are separate. Second, the BBB itself cautions that "BBB ratings are not a guarantee of a business's reliability or performance" and "recommends that consumers consider a business's BBB rating in addition to all other available information." So read the pattern and resolution of complaints over the past three years and whether the business responded — not the letter alone.

What to keep: Notes from reference calls and any complaint records you find.

Common mistake: Treating an A+ rating as a guarantee, or treating a glowing review average as if it factored into the grade. They're different signals, and neither replaces a license and insurance check.

Step 6: Understand the warranty structure

This is where roofing marketing gets dense, so be precise about what you're being offered. Two different warranties are in play, and they cover different failures.

• A material (manufacturer) warranty covers defects in the shingle or product itself.
• A workmanship warranty covers installation errors — the contractor's labor.

The NRCA's guidance applies to both: "Carefully read the warranty and make sure you understand the provisions that will void it." Many top-tier warranties also require the contractor to install a full matched system from the manufacturer, and mixing in non-matching components can void coverage.

The structural point that matters most: a workmanship warranty is only as good as whoever backs it. If only the contractor stands behind it, it's worthless the day that contractor goes out of business. If the manufacturer backs the workmanship warranty — which is the marketed advantage of the certification programs below — it can survive the contractor's disappearance.

Manufacturer certification programs (manufacturer claims)

The major shingle manufacturers run contractor-certification programs that gate access to their strongest warranties. The following are claims made by the manufacturers about their own programs — they are marketing-program representations, not independently audited facts. We attribute each to its source accordingly.

GAF — Master Elite / Certified. GAF states that Master Elite is held by roughly the top 3% of GAF-certified contractors in the U.S. According to GAF, a Master Elite contractor must be "properly insured & licensed" and "state licensed where required and applicable," have a track record of quality work in their community, maintain a good credit rating per Experian, and stay current on technology and practices, with certification "renewed yearly." GAF also states that Master Elite contractors can offer GAF's enhanced warranties, including the Silver Pledge and the top-tier Golden Pledge Limited Warranty. Per GAF, the Golden Pledge "provides all of the same coverage available in the Silver Pledge Limited Warranty, but the workmanship coverage lasts for 20, 25, or 30 years depending on the type of shingles you choose to install," and it covers "misapplication of GAF Products and flashings at valleys, dormers, chimneys, and plumbing vents." The practical takeaway, per GAF's own structure: only a Master Elite contractor can register the top-tier Golden Pledge.

Owens Corning — Platinum Preferred. In its 2012 announcement, Owens Corning stated that the program "provides Owens Corning Roofing Platinum Preferred Contractors the ability to offer homeowners limited lifetime workmanship warranty coverage for roofs installed on single family detached homes," replacing a prior warranty that covered workmanship "for up to 25 years." Crucially, Owens Corning also states in that same release that "Owens Corning Roofing Platinum Preferred Contractors are independent contractors and are neither affiliates nor agents of Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt, LLC." Read that carefully: the workmanship coverage is offered through the contractor under the OC program, not as a direct corporate guarantee from Owens Corning.

CertainTeed — SELECT ShingleMaster / credentialing. CertainTeed states that its standard SureStart coverage "covers 100 percent of material and labor costs during the applicable period and is not prorated or otherwise reduced." CertainTeed also describes SureStart PLUS tiers available only with a CertainTeed-credentialed contractor installing an Integrity Roof System: per CertainTeed, the 3-STAR tier provides 50 years of non-prorated materials and labor coverage plus tear-off and disposal but no workmanship coverage; 4-STAR adds workmanship; and 5-STAR adds the longest workmanship term. CertainTeed contrasts standard contractor workmanship warranties, which it says "typically last one to five years," against credentialed-contractor coverage, where "CertainTeed will cover their workmanship." Note that CertainTeed's own materials are internally inconsistent about the top-tier workmanship length, citing 25 years in one place and 30 years in another — so treat the top-tier workmanship coverage as roughly 25 to 30 years depending on the tier and the CertainTeed source, and confirm the exact figure against the current warranty document for the specific tier you're offered.

On proration and transferability. Per CertainTeed, the early SureStart-type coverage is non-prorated (100%), after which base manufacturer warranties typically prorate over time. Transferability is marketed as a feature of the top-tier warranties (GAF describes the Golden Pledge as fully transferable; Owens Corning describes a one-time transfer for its program), but exact transfer windows have to be read off each warranty document — confirm them in writing rather than relying on a summary.

How to use this: A manufacturer certification is a genuine positive signal — it usually means the manufacturer has verified the contractor's licensing, insurance, and reputation, and it unlocks warranties the manufacturer backs. But it is not a substitute for your own license and insurance verification, and the warranty terms are the manufacturer's representations. Ask for the actual warranty document and read the voiding provisions.

Step 7: Read the written contract

Never sign a roofing contract with blank spaces or vague scope. Insist on a written proposal and a written contract, and confirm it contains the essentials.

The FTC's baseline: "A written estimate should include a description of the work to be done, materials, completion date, and the price," and before you sign, "make sure all blank spaces are filled in." The NRCA adds: "Insist on a written proposal and look for complete descriptions of the work and specifications, as well as start and completion dates and payment procedures."

California's CSLB lays out required contract elements that generalize well as best practice anywhere:

• A detailed description of the work — products, methods, materials, model numbers, and specifications.
• A detailed, written payment schedule in which "payments to the contractor cannot exceed the value of the work performed."
• A written designation of who obtains the permits.
• A completion date.
• A change-order rule: any change "MUST be done with a written 'Change Order,' signed by the customer and contractor prior to the change."
• The contractor's business address and license number.
• Written labor and materials warranties.

In Colorado, the residential-roofing statute (C.R.S. § 6-22-101) likewise requires a written contract detailing the scope and cost of the work and the contractor's contact information, plus a rescission clause and the deductible-prohibition statement.

On permits specifically: The contract must state in writing who pulls the necessary permits, and the licensed contractor — not you — should generally be the one to do it. The FTC flags a contractor who "ask[s] you to get any required building permits" as a warning sign. A contractor pushing permit responsibility onto you may be unlicensed or trying to dodge liability.

What to keep: A fully completed, signed copy of the contract with no blanks, plus every change order.

Common mistake: Signing a one-page "proposal" that's really just a price, with the scope, materials, schedule, and warranties to be "worked out later." That's the document that gets disputed.

Step 8: Watch the payment structure

Payment terms are one of the clearest tells separating legitimate contractors from scammers.

Deposit size. California caps the down payment for a home-improvement job at "$1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less" (excluding finance charges). That's a concrete benchmark for "how big a deposit is too big" — even outside California, a contractor demanding a large percentage up front is out of step with at least one state's consumer-protection standard. The FTC notes that "some states actually limit the amount of money a contractor can ask for as a down payment."

Pay for work performed. Per CSLB, "the payments to the contractor cannot exceed the value of the work performed." Your payments should track progress, not run ahead of it.

FTC red flags. The FTC warns that scammers "pressure you for an immediate decision," "ask you to pay for everything up front or only accept cash," and claim to "have materials left over from a previous job." Its plain guidance: "Don't pay the full amount for the project up front," and "Never make the final payment until the work is done and you're satisfied with it."

The deductible-waiver red flag. A roofer who offers to "cover your deductible" or "waive your deductible" is signaling fraud — and in storm states, illegality. Colorado's residential-roofing statute (C.R.S. § 6-22-101) makes it unlawful for a roofer to pay, waive, or rebate a homeowner's insurance deductible. Treat any "we'll eat the deductible" pitch as a reason to walk away.

Common mistake: Paying in full up front because the contractor offers a "discount" for it, or paying cash with no paper trail. Both leave you with no leverage if the work goes wrong.

Step 9: Protect yourself from liens

Here's the trap that catches homeowners who did everything else right: a subcontractor or supplier you never hired can place a lien on your home even after you've paid your contractor in full.

As Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) explains, "subcontractors and material suppliers can place liens on your property if the contractor doesn't pay them." If your roofer collects your money but doesn't pay the supplier who delivered the shingles, that supplier can come after your house.

Your defense is a lien waiver. Per DATCP, "Lien waivers are important for consumers because they prevent contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers from trying to collect money from homeowners who have already paid." The mechanism: "Anytime prior to making a final payment on a home improvement contract, consumers can get a lien waiver from the prime contractor and lien waivers from each subcontractor," and for installment payments you can request waivers proportional to each partial payment.

What to do: Before you make the final payment, collect signed lien waivers from the general contractor and from every subcontractor and material supplier involved. Lien laws vary by state — including the specific waiver types and procedures — so confirm your state's lien statute or ask your contractor which waivers apply. (Wisconsin, for example, requires contractors to inform homeowners of this right; not every state does.)

Why it matters: Without waivers, paying your contractor doesn't guarantee you're free and clear. The waiver is what closes the loop.

Step 10: Know your cancellation rights

If a contractor came to your door — common after a hailstorm, when storm-chasers canvass neighborhoods — you likely have a window to back out.

Federal Cooling-Off Rule. Under the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429), for sales over $25 made at your home (or other non-permanent seller locations), you have three business days to cancel. As the FTC notes, "Saturday is considered a business day, but Sundays and federal holidays are not." This is directly aimed at door-to-door and storm-chasing sales.

State overlays. Some states add their own cancellation rights. California home-improvement contracts include a three-day cancellation right. Colorado's residential-roofing statute (C.R.S. § 6-22-104) gives a 72-hour rescission for residential roofing contracts — and also after an insurer denies the related claim. Check whether your state adds protections on top of the federal rule.

What to do: If you signed under pressure at your door and have second thoughts, act within the window and cancel in writing. Keep proof of when and how you canceled.

Decision framework: putting it together

You won't always get a clean sweep — most contractors pass some checks and not others. Here's how to weigh it.

Disqualifiers — walk away regardless of anything else:

• No verifiable license where your state or city requires one.
• Can't or won't produce current general liability and workers' comp certificates you can confirm with the insurer.
• Offers to pay, waive, or rebate your insurance deductible.
• Demands full payment up front, cash only, or a deposit far above the value of any work done.
• Pushes you to sign on the spot or pushes permit responsibility onto you.

Strong positive signals — weigh these in the contractor's favor:

• Active, correctly-classified license that you verified yourself, with a clean status field.
• Insurance you confirmed directly with the carrier.
• A manufacturer certification (GAF Master Elite, Owens Corning Platinum Preferred, CertainTeed credentialed/SELECT ShingleMaster) — understanding these are manufacturer programs, not independent audits — that also unlocks a manufacturer-backed workmanship warranty.
• A voluntary credential where the state doesn't require one (such as an RCAT license in Texas).
• References who actually answer and confirm satisfaction, plus a clean three-year complaint pattern.
• A complete written contract with a progress-based payment schedule and the contractor designated to pull permits.

How to decide: If a contractor clears every disqualifier and you have at least three confirmed bids, choose on the combination of verified credentials, warranty strength (especially manufacturer-backed workmanship), reference quality, and price — in that order, with price last. If two finalists are close, the deciding factors are usually who carries the stronger manufacturer-backed warranty and whose contract is most complete and specific.

Red flags and contractor scams to avoid

Most roofing fraud follows a small number of patterns. If you see these, stop.

• The storm-chaser at your door. After a hailstorm, crews canvass damaged neighborhoods pressuring homeowners to sign immediately. Legitimate contractors rarely need a same-day signature. Remember your three-business-day federal cancellation right on home-solicitation sales over $25.
• "We'll cover your deductible." A roofer offering to pay, waive, or rebate your insurance deductible is signaling fraud, and in states like Colorado it's explicitly unlawful (C.R.S. § 6-22-101).
• Pressure for an immediate decision. The FTC lists this as a classic scam tactic, alongside "ask you to pay for everything up front or only accept cash" and claims to "have materials left over from a previous job."
• Pay-up-front or cash-only demands. The FTC's guidance is to never pay the full amount up front and never make the final payment until the work is done and you're satisfied. California caps the down payment at $1,000 or 10% of the contract, whichever is less — a useful yardstick anywhere.
• Asking you to pull the permits. Per the FTC, a contractor who asks you to get the building permits is a warning sign — it can mean they're unlicensed or dodging liability. In California, the contract must state in writing who obtains permits, and that should be the contractor.
• No verifiable insurance. If you can't confirm general liability and workers' comp with the carrier, treat the contractor as uninsured.
• A license number you can't verify — or one that turns out lapsed, suspended, revoked, or in the wrong classification when you look it up.
• "Anyone can call themselves a roofer." That's literally true in Texas, per RCAT, and the practical reality wherever no license is required. The absence of a state license is exactly why local verification and voluntary credentials matter most in those states.

Frequently asked questions

Do roofing contractors need a license?

It depends entirely on your state and city. There is no national roofing license. Some states require a roofing-specific or specialty contractor license (California's C-39, Florida's Chapter 489 roofing license); some regulate roofers only under a general contractor license; and some — including Texas and Colorado — have no statewide roofing license, leaving requirements to local governments and consumer-protection statutes. Check both your state board and your municipality.

How do I verify a roofing contractor's license?

Use your state board's official license-verification tool rather than trusting a number on a flyer. California's CSLB "Check a License" shows status, classification, expiration, bond, workers' comp, and complaint disclosure; Florida's DBPR offers an equivalent lookup. Where there's no state license, verify any local registration through your city or county and confirm voluntary credentials directly with the issuing organization.

What insurance should a roofing contractor have?

At minimum, general liability insurance and workers' compensation, both in effect for the duration of your job, as the NRCA advises. Don't just accept the certificate — contact the carrier or agent listed on it to confirm the policy is active with the stated limits. In California, the CSLB license record itself shows a contractor's workers'-comp status, and many states maintain a workers'-comp verification database.

What's the difference between a certified and a registered contractor in Florida?

Under Florida Statutes § 489.105, a certified contractor holds a certificate of competency from the state and can work statewide (license numbers typically begin with "CCC"), while a registered contractor met competency requirements in a specific local jurisdiction and is limited to that area (numbers typically begin with "RC"). If your contractor is registered rather than certified, confirm that the registration covers your jurisdiction.

Is a GAF Master Elite or Owens Corning Platinum Preferred certification worth it?

These are manufacturer-run programs, and the requirements and benefits are the manufacturers' own representations. GAF states that Master Elite contractors must be properly licensed and insured, maintain a good credit rating, and meet reputation criteria, and that they can offer GAF's top warranties. Owens Corning offers a limited lifetime workmanship warranty through Platinum Preferred contractors — while noting those contractors "are independent contractors and are neither affiliates nor agents of Owens Corning." A certification is a positive signal and can unlock a manufacturer-backed workmanship warranty, but it doesn't replace your own license and insurance verification.

What's the difference between a material warranty and a workmanship warranty?

A material (manufacturer) warranty covers defects in the shingle or product; a workmanship warranty covers installation errors. The catch is who backs the workmanship warranty — if only the contractor does, it's worthless once they go out of business. Manufacturer certification programs market the advantage that the manufacturer backs the workmanship coverage, so it can survive the contractor's disappearance. Always read the warranty's voiding provisions.

How big a deposit should I pay a roofing contractor?

As little as the work justifies. California caps the down payment for a home-improvement job at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, and the FTC notes some states limit down payments. Per CSLB, payments should never exceed the value of work performed, and the FTC advises never paying the full amount up front and never making the final payment until you're satisfied. A demand for full payment up front, cash only, or a large deposit is a red flag.

Can a contractor legally offer to pay my insurance deductible?

In some states, no. Colorado's residential-roofing statute (C.R.S. § 6-22-101) prohibits roofers from paying, waiving, rebating, or promising to pay or rebate all or part of a homeowner's insurance deductible. Regardless of your state, a roofer who offers to "cover your deductible" is signaling fraud — treat it as a reason to walk away.

What is a lien waiver and why do I need one?

A lien waiver prevents a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier from placing a lien on your home — which they can do even after you've paid your contractor, if the contractor fails to pay them. As Wisconsin's DATCP explains, before making final payment you can collect lien waivers from the prime contractor and from each subcontractor, and request proportional waivers for installment payments. Lien laws vary by state, so confirm your state's specific requirements.

Can I cancel a roofing contract after I sign it?

Often, yes, if you signed at your home. The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429) gives you three business days to cancel a sale over $25 made at your home. Some states add their own rights — California includes a three-day cancellation right on home-improvement contracts, and Colorado (C.R.S. § 6-22-104) gives a 72-hour rescission on residential roofing contracts. Cancel in writing within the window and keep proof.

How many roofing contractors should I get quotes from?

At least three. CSLB and FTC consumer guidance support getting multiple bids, and the NRCA recommends staying skeptical of the lowest one — in its words, "Price is only one criterion." Multiple written bids reveal the real market price and surface outliers worth investigating.

Does a good BBB rating mean a contractor is reliable?

Not by itself. The BBB rates businesses from A+ to F, but the BBB states plainly that its "ratings are not a guarantee of a business's reliability or performance" and that customer reviews are not part of the letter grade. Use the BBB to study the pattern and resolution of complaints over the past three years and whether the business responded — alongside, not instead of, your license, insurance, and reference checks.

Next steps

Once you've verified licensing, confirmed insurance with the carrier, checked references and complaint history, and read a complete written contract, you're ready to choose. Run every finalist through the disqualifier list one more time, then decide on verified credentials, manufacturer-backed warranty strength, reference quality, and price — with price last.

Use the form below to get matched with licensed, insured roofing contractors in your area, then put each one through the vetting steps above.

Methodology note

This guide is built on government, regulatory, and established trade and consumer-protection sources. Licensing and consumer-protection specifics come from primary state sources: the California Contractors State License Board (license, bond, contract, and payment rules), Florida Statutes Chapter 489 and the DBPR/CILB, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and Colorado Revised Statutes § 6-22 et seq. Federal consumer-protection guidance comes from the FTC (home-improvement scam guidance and the Cooling-Off Rule, 16 CFR Part 429) and OSHA fall-protection standards. Contractor-vetting best practices come from the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the Better Business Bureau (rating methodology), the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT), and Wisconsin's DATCP (construction liens). Manufacturer certification and warranty details are clearly labeled as manufacturer claims and attributed to GAF, Owens Corning, and CertainTeed respectively — they are the companies' own program representations, not independently audited facts. State licensing requirements vary; this guide verifies California, Florida, Texas, and Colorado at the board or statute level and does not extrapolate a national tally. Aggregator "X states require a license" counts and law-firm and contractor marketing blogs were excluded. Published May 2026; updated as state regulations and manufacturer programs change.