Which states require a dedicated roofing license, what the exams cost, bond requirements, and step-by-step application guidance. Verified against official state licensing boards, April 2026.
30 states require a dedicated roofing contractor license as of 2026. States with specific roofing licenses include California (C-39 specialty, CSLB), Florida (CCC certified, DBPR), Illinois (IDFPR Roofing Contractor), Minnesota (Residential Roofer license, DLI), Alabama (ASLB), Nevada (C-15, NSCB), Arizona (C-34, ROC), and Oklahoma (OCIB). Requirements typically include 2–4 years experience, a trade exam, a business/law exam, a surety bond ($5,000–$30,000), and annual or biennial renewal. Texas has no state roofing license requirement. Colorado has no state-level roofing license. Data verified April 2026 against official state licensing board websites.
Data verified April 2026 from official state licensing board websites. Requirements change — always verify with the official state board before applying.
| State | License Required | License Type | Exam | Bond Amount | Licensing Board | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | State License | Yes | $10,000 | ASLB (genconbd.alabama.gov) | GC license via Alabama State Licensing Board covers roofing |
| Alaska | Yes | Specialty Contractor | Yes | $25,000 | DCCED (commerce.alaska.gov) | Specialty roofing contractor classification required |
| Arizona | Yes | C-34 Roofing | Yes | $5,000 | ROC (roc.az.gov) | Separate C-34 roofing contractor license from ROC |
| Arkansas | Yes | Contractor License | Yes | $10,000 | ACLB (aclb.arkansas.gov) | Roofing >$2,000 requires state contractor license |
| California | Yes | C-39 Roofing | Yes | $25,000 | CSLB (cslb.ca.gov) | Dedicated C-39 specialty license; 2 exams (trade + law); 4 years experience |
| Colorado | No | Local Only | Varies | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; check Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs for local requirements |
| Connecticut | Yes | HIC Registration + Roofing | No | $10,000 | CT DCP (ct.gov/dcp) | Home Improvement Contractor registration + roofing specialty registration |
| Delaware | Yes | Contractor License | No | $10,000 | DEDO (dedo.delaware.gov) | State contractor license required for roofing |
| Florida | Yes | CCC (Roofing) | Yes | Varies by class | DBPR (myfloridalicense.com) | Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC) license; 3 exams; one of the most rigorous requirements nationally |
| Georgia | Local Only | Local | Varies | Varies | Local municipalities | No separate state roofing license; some counties require local registration |
| Hawaii | Yes | C-42 Roofing | Yes | $5,000 | DCCA (cca.hawaii.gov) | C-42 specialty roofing contractor classification required |
| Idaho | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Boise requires local registration |
| Illinois | Yes | Roofing Contractor | Yes | $10,000 | IDFPR (idfpr.com) | Dedicated statewide Roofing Contractor license from IDFPR; exam required |
| Indiana | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Indianapolis, Fort Wayne have local requirements |
| Iowa | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license required |
| Kansas | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Wichita, Kansas City require local registration |
| Kentucky | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Louisville, Lexington require local permits |
| Louisiana | Yes | Roofing (SRR) | Yes | $10,000 | LSLBC (lslbc.louisiana.gov) | Separate Residential Roofing and commercial roofing contractor classifications |
| Maine | Yes | Home Construction | No | $20,000 | Maine DPL (maine.gov/pfr) | Home Construction Contractor registration required; includes roofing |
| Maryland | Yes | MHIC Registration | No | $20,000 | MHIC (dllr.md.gov) | Maryland Home Improvement Commission registration for residential roofing |
| Massachusetts | Yes | HIC Registration | No | $10,000 | MA OCA (mass.gov/oca) | Home Improvement Contractor registration; roofing is a registered home improvement trade |
| Michigan | Local Only | Local | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Detroit, Grand Rapids have local registration |
| Minnesota | Yes | Residential Roofer | Yes | $15,000 | MN DLI (dli.mn.gov) | Dedicated Residential Roofer license; exam required; 2 years experience |
| Mississippi | Yes | Contractor License | Yes | $10,000 | MSBOC (msboc.us) | Roofing >$50,000 requires state contractor license |
| Missouri | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; St. Louis, Kansas City require local registration |
| Montana | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license required |
| Nebraska | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Omaha requires registration |
| Nevada | Yes | C-15 Roofing | Yes | $30,000 | NSCB (nscb.nv.gov) | C-15 Roofing specialty license from Nevada State Contractors Board |
| New Hampshire | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license required |
| New Jersey | Yes | HIC Registration | No | $500,000 insurance | NJ DCA (nj.gov/dca) | Home Improvement Contractor registration required for residential roofing |
| New Mexico | Yes | GB-2 Roofing | Yes | $10,000 | NMCID (rld.nm.gov) | GB-2 Roofing and Waterproofing specialty license; exam required |
| New York | Local Only | Local | Varies | Varies | NYC DCA + local municipalities | No state license; NYC HIC license required for residential work; Westchester, Nassau have local requirements |
| North Carolina | Yes | Contractor License | Yes | Varies by limit | NCLBGC (nclbgc.org) | Roofing contractors >$40K need state license; NASCLA-compatible exam accepted |
| North Dakota | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license required |
| Ohio | Local Only | Local | Varies | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati have local requirements |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Roofing Contractor | Yes | $5,000 | OCIB (ok.gov/cib) | Oklahoma Construction Industries Board roofing license required |
| Oregon | Yes | CCB Specialty | No | $20,000 | CCB (oregon.gov/ccb) | Construction Contractors Board specialty endorsement; no exam but bond and insurance required |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | HICPA Registration | No | $50,000 | PA AG (attorneygeneral.gov) | Home Improvement Contractor Registration Act registration; required for all home improvement roofing |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Contractor Registration | No | $10,000 | RI DOSR (contractors.ri.gov) | All roofing contractors must register with the state |
| South Carolina | Yes | RBS (Residential) | Yes | $15,000 | SCLLR (llr.sc.gov) | Residential Builder Specialty license for residential roofing; SC-specific exam |
| South Dakota | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license required |
| Tennessee | Yes | Contractor License | Yes | Varies | TDCI (tn.gov/commerce) | Roofing >$25,000 requires state contractor license; TDCI Board |
| Texas | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Austin, Dallas, Houston have local registration requirements |
| Utah | Yes | S250 Specialty | Yes | $10,000 | DOPL (dopl.utah.gov) | S250 Specialty Roofing license; exam and experience documentation required |
| Vermont | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license required |
| Virginia | Yes | Class A/B/C | Yes | Varies by class | DPOR (dpor.virginia.gov) | State contractor license required; classification based on project dollar amount |
| Washington | Yes | Contractor Registration | No | $12,000 | L&I (lni.wa.gov) | Contractor registration required; roofing is a specialty trade; exam not required but bond/insurance is |
| West Virginia | Yes | Contractor License | Yes | $10,000 | WVCLSB (labor.wv.gov) | WV Contractor Licensing Board license required for roofing |
| Wisconsin | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license; Milwaukee has local requirements |
| Wyoming | No | Local Only | No | Varies | Local municipalities | No state roofing license required |
Sources: CSLB (cslb.ca.gov), DBPR (myfloridalicense.com), IDFPR (idfpr.com), MN DLI (dli.mn.gov), NSCB (nscb.nv.gov), ROC (roc.az.gov), OCIB (ok.gov/cib), L&I (lni.wa.gov), DPOR (dpor.virginia.gov). Data verified April 2026.
Steps vary by state. Here's the standard process for states that require a dedicated roofing license:
30 states require a dedicated roofing contractor license as of 2026. Key states with specific roofing licenses include California (C-39 specialty, CSLB), Florida (CCC — Certified Roofing Contractor, DBPR), Illinois (IDFPR Roofing Contractor), Minnesota (Residential Roofer license, DLI), Nevada (C-15 Roofing, NSCB), New Mexico (GB-2 Roofing), Arizona (C-34 Roofing, ROC), and Oklahoma (OCIB). Texas, Colorado, New York (state level), and several other states have no statewide roofing license requirement but may have local requirements.
Steps vary by state but typically include: (1) Meet experience requirements — usually 2–4 years working in roofing. (2) Pass a trade exam and business/law exam — required in most states with a dedicated roofing license. (3) Obtain general liability insurance ($500K–$1M minimum in most states). (4) Purchase a surety bond ($5,000–$30,000 depending on state). (5) Submit application with fees ($75–$300 application fee). (6) Receive license and maintain with annual or biennial renewal. California (C-39) and Florida (CCC) have the most rigorous processes, requiring 3–4 years experience plus multiple exams.
Texas has no state roofing contractor license requirement. However, many cities and counties have their own requirements: Austin requires a roofing contractor registration, Dallas and Houston may require local permits and contractor registration. Always check with the specific municipality where you plan to work. Texas roofing contractors are required to carry general liability insurance and workers' compensation if they have employees, but there is no state licensing board for roofing.
The California C-39 Roofing Contractor license is issued by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). It covers roofing systems including application, repair, and maintenance of roofing materials. Requirements: 4 years experience in the past 10 years (including 1 year supervising), passing both a trade exam and a business/law exam (exam fee: $102.86 per exam), $25,000 surety bond, and general liability insurance. Application fee is approximately $200. Processing time averages 6–9 months. The license must be renewed every 2 years.
The Florida Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC) license is issued by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). It covers all types of roofing work statewide. Requirements: 4 years experience, pass 3 exams (trade knowledge, business and finance, and project management), $236 exam fee per exam, liability insurance and workers' comp, and a financial statement. Application fee: $249. CCC license holders can work throughout Florida without local licensing approval — making it more valuable than a Registered license for contractors working in multiple counties.
In about 27 states, roofing requires its own dedicated license separate from the general contractor (GC) license. In these states, a GC license alone does not authorize roofing work — you need the specific roofing classification (e.g., C-39 in California, CCC in Florida, C-34 in Arizona, C-15 in Nevada). In other states, the GC license covers roofing work. Always verify with your state licensing board whether your current license classification includes roofing before performing roofing work.