The dataset · Checked October 22, 2026
51 jurisdictions × the fields that decide a roofing license: regime, classes, thresholds, exam, experience, fees, bond and insurance minimums, qualifying-party rules, sub rules, the city layer, and deductible law. Researched against state boards and statutes — 31 jurisdictions fully primary-verified in this pass, the rest carrying a "checked in part" notice on their pages and here.
| State | Regime | Credential | Threshold | Exam | Total state cost | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | License above a job-value threshold | State license above thresholds — Residential Roofer (HBLB) / Commercial General Contractor (LBGC) | $2,500 | No | $250 total for a new HBLB Residential Roofer license. LBGC commercial: $300 prime contractor application / $150 subcontractor application, renewals $200 / $100. Exam fees, where they apply, are paid separately to Prov (HBLB) or PSI (LBGC). | Checked in part |
| Alaska | Registration + endorsement | State contractor registration — Specialty Contractor (roofing); Residential Contractor Endorsement for larger residential work | — | No | $350 for the initial two-year Specialty Contractor registration, plus a separate Alaska business license ($50 per year). Residential Endorsement adds $250 if required. | Primary |
| Arizona | State license | State license (ROC) — R-42 residential / C-42 commercial / CR-42 dual Roofing | $1,000 | Yes | New license totals published by the ROC: R-42 $720, C-42 $580, CR-42 $850 (two-year license), plus exam fees of $61 (SRE) and $66 (trade). | Primary |
| Arkansas | Registration only | Residential Roofer Registration (over $2,000); commercial contractor license at $50,000+ | $2,000 | No | $20 state filing fee for the Residential Roofer Registration, plus the premium for the $15,000 surety bond. Residential Home Improvement license, if also needed, is $50. | Checked in part |
| California | State license | State license (C-39 Roofing, CSLB) | $1,000 | Yes | $650 (sole owner) or $800 (non-sole owner) in CSLB fees, plus fingerprinting ($32 DOJ + $17 FBI + variable Live Scan rolling fee), the $25,000 bond premium, and mandatory workers' compensation premiums. | Primary |
| Colorado | No state license | No state roofing license — licensed city by city (e.g. Denver Class D) | — | No | No state cost. Denver example (city-published fees): $250 for a Specialty Class D contractor license plus $60 for the Supervisor Certificate, each renewed every three years — $310 total in Denver. | Checked in part |
| Connecticut | Registration only | State registration — Home Improvement Contractor (HIC), Dept. of Consumer Protection | $200 | No | $220 for a new HIC registration ($120 + $100), before insurance premiums. Salesperson registration is $120 plus a $40 Guaranty Fund fee. | Primary |
| Delaware | Registration only | State Contractor Registration Certificate (Dept. of Labor) + State Business License (Division of Revenue) | — | No | $200-$500 for the one-year Contractor Registration Certificate depending on private/public work, plus the separate Division of Revenue business license fee (reported at $75 per year for a construction contractor license) and any nonresident bond premium. | Primary |
| District of Columbia | State license | Basic Business License — Home Improvement Contractor (residential roofing) or General Contractor/Construction Manager (DLCP) | — | No | $288.20 for a two-year Home Improvement Contractor license, plus the $154 salesperson license the business must designate, the $25,000 bond premium, and insurance premiums. | Checked in part |
| Florida | State license | State license — Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC, statewide) or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC, local) | — | Yes | About $249 plus roughly $295 in exam fees for a certified applicant in the full-price window, plus fingerprinting (about $57-$87) and insurance/bond costs. Registered contractor initial fees are published in a similar cycle-priced range (about $151-$263 in secondary summaries). | Primary |
| Georgia | No state license | No state roofing license — exempt specialty contractor | $2,500 | No | $0 in state roofing fees; local occupational tax certificate / business license fees vary by city and county (Not published as a single statewide figure) | Primary |
| Hawaii | State license | State license — C-42 Roofing Contractor (Contractors License Board, HRS Chapter 444) | $1,500 | Yes | Not published as a single verified total — $50 application + prorated initial license fee + exam fees; use the DCCA renewal figures ($338 entity / $208 RME) as the verified anchor. | Primary |
| Idaho | Registration only | State registration — Idaho Contractor Registration Act (no roofing license, no exam) | $2,000 | No | $100 initial registration (plus insurance premiums; no exam or bond cost imposed by the state) | Checked in part |
| Illinois | State license | State license (Roofing Industry Licensing Act, 225 ILCS 335 — IDFPR) | — | Yes | $373 in state/testing fees ($125 application + $248 exam), before bond premium and insurance | Primary |
| Indiana | No state license | No state roofing license — local licensing only | — | No | $0 in state roofing fees. Local example (secondary): Indianapolis general contractor licensing carries a $10,000 surety bond (premium reported about $175 for a 2-year term by a bond guide) plus city application fees — Not published as a verified city fee schedule in this dataset. | Checked in part |
| Iowa | Registration only | State contractor registration (Iowa Code Chapter 91C) — registration, not a trade license | $2,000 | No | $50/year for an Iowa contractor; out-of-state contractors add the premium on a $25,000 surety bond | Checked in part |
| Kansas | Registration only | State registration — Kansas Roofing Registration Act (K.S.A. 50-6,123 et seq., Attorney General) | $2,000 | No | $250 for a full-year initial registration ($125 if first registering Jan.-Apr.), then $250/year | Primary |
| Kentucky | No state license | No state roofing license — local occupational licensing only | — | No | $0 in state roofing fees. Local occupational license fees vary by city/county (Not published as a single figure). KRCA certification, if pursued, carries its own private costs including the $10,000 bond premium. | Checked in part |
| Louisiana | License above a job-value threshold | State license by project value (LSLBC) — new Residential Roofing classification from Jan. 1, 2026 | $7,500 | Yes | Not published — LSLBC fees vary by classification, domicile and number of qualifying parties; publish only the verified pieces (HIC registration $75; license renewal $100/year as reported) until the Board's fee schedule is read directly. | Primary |
| Maine | No state license | No state license — general contractors and roofers are not licensed or regulated by the state | $3,000 | No | $0 in state roofing fees. Businesses still register their entity with the Maine Secretary of State (ordinary formation fees) and pay any local permit fees. | Primary |
| Maryland | State license | MHIC license required for home-improvement roofing | — | Yes | $403.75 for a first two-year contractor license at one location ($281.25 + $100 + $22.50), before the separate PSI exam fee | Primary |
| Massachusetts | Registration + endorsement | HIC registration for home work + Specialty CSL (Roof Covering) to supervise roof covering | $1,000 | Yes | HIC alone: $250-$650 depending on employees. HIC plus Roof Covering CSL: about $500-$900 before exam-prep and insurance costs | Checked in part |
| Michigan | State license | Maintenance & Alteration license with Roofing trade (or Residential Builder license) | $600 | Yes | $195 state application fee, plus the PSI exam fee (about $70-$114 for M&A depending on trades) and the cost of the 60-hour course | Checked in part |
| Minnesota | State license | Residential Roofer license (Department of Labor and Industry) — business license, qualifying person exam | $15,000 | Yes | $500-$700 in state fees for a first license ($180 + $320-$520 Recovery Fund), before bond premium, insurance and any exam fee | Primary |
| Mississippi | State license | MSBOC Residential Roofer license required above $10,000 (residential roofing) | $10,000 | Yes | $50 state application for one residential classification, plus PSI exam fees ($120 per portion; $240 for Law & Business plus trade), before insurance costs | Checked in part |
| Missouri | No state license | No state roofing or general contractor license — city/county licensing only | — | No | $0 in state license fees. Local fees vary widely by jurisdiction and are not published as a single state figure. | Primary |
| Montana | Registration only | Construction Contractor License from Jan. 1, 2026 (formerly registration) — no exam, workers'-comp compliance only | — | No | $70 in state fees for two years for the CCL. ICEC is $125 for two years in secondary sources. Workers' compensation premiums are additional and are usually the real cost. | Primary |
| Nebraska | Registration only | Contractor Registration (Department of Labor) — no trade license for roofers | $5,000 | No | $40 per year in state fees (online payment may add a small convenience fee — an agency listing shows $40 + $3). Before Aug. 1, 2026 the fee most contractors paid was $25, which is the figure still shown in older Department of Revenue FAQs — see law_changes. | Primary |
| Nevada | State license | State Contractors Board license — Classification C-15 (Roofing and Siding), subclass C-15a Roofing | — | Yes | $900 in Board fees ($300 + $600), plus the Residential Recovery Fund assessment for residential work — $200 (monetary limit up to $1,000,000), $500 (over $1,000,000 but limited), $1,000 (unlimited) — plus PSI exam fees and bond premium | Primary |
| New Hampshire | No state license | No state roofer or general contractor license or registration | — | No | $0 in state license fees. Local permit fees vary by town (secondary sources give roughly $75-$400 for a full roof replacement permit depending on project value). | Checked in part |
| New Jersey | Registration only | Home Improvement Contractor registration now — state license phasing in under the 2024 Act | — | No | $110 in year one, plus compliance-bond premium ($100-$500 typical, varies by tier and credit) and insurance premiums | Checked in part |
| New Mexico | State license | State contractor license — GS-21 Roofing classification (CID) | $7,200 | Yes | About $222 in state/PSI application and classification fees for GS-21 before exam fees, plus the $10,000 bond premium (commonly $100-$500/year or about $250 for a 3-year term through surety sellers) | Checked in part |
| New York | No state license | No state roofer license — home improvement licenses are city / county only | — | No | No state fee. NYC first cycle: prorated license fee plus $200 Trust Fund enrollment if that route is chosen (or bond premium), $50 exam fee and fingerprint fees | Checked in part |
| North Carolina | License above a job-value threshold | No roofer license — general contractor license once your own contract hits $40,000 | $40,000 | Yes | About $154-$204 in state and exam fees (application fee plus $79 exam fee), before any CPA financial-statement cost or bond premium | Primary |
| North Dakota | State license | Contractor license by project-value class (Class A-D) — required over $4,000 per job | $4,000 | No | $100-$450 initial depending on class, plus insurance / WSI costs; renewal is 20% of the initial fee | Primary |
| Ohio | No state license | No state roofer license — local registration / licensing only | — | No | Secretary of State business registration plus local registration/license fees and BWC premiums only; no state roofer fee | Checked in part |
| Oklahoma | Registration + endorsement | Roofing Contractor registration plus endorsements — Residential Endorsement becoming mandatory | — | Yes | $75 for base registration alone; $305 in the first year for registration plus one endorsement ($75 + $230), before PSI exam fees (paid to the testing provider), insurance and any bond premium | Primary |
| Oregon | State license | CCB contractor license required for roofers — endorsement decides residential vs commercial | — | Yes | $400 state license fee for two years, plus $60 exam fee, pre-license training cost (set by the approved provider), bond premium and insurance premiums | Primary |
| Pennsylvania | Registration only | Home Improvement Contractor registration (Attorney General) for residential work — no trade license, no exam | $5,000 | No | $100 in state fees for two years, plus insurance premiums; no bond premium at the state level | Primary |
| Rhode Island | State license | Contractor registration for all roofers, PLUS a Commercial Roofing License for non-shingle commercial roofing | $500 | Yes | $200 for registration alone (two years); $400 in Board fees over two years if the roofer needs both registration and the Commercial Roofing License, before exam, education and insurance costs | Checked in part |
| South Carolina | Registration + endorsement | Residential specialty registration for home roofing; full contractor license for commercial roofing over $5,000 | $5,000 | No | $100 state fee for residential registration, plus $5,000 bond premium if work >=$5,000; CLB license fee $350 cited by secondary sources | Primary |
| South Dakota | No state license | No state contractor or roofing license — excise tax license + city licenses only | — | No | $0 in state license fees; Sioux Falls residential roofing license $300 per triennial cycle per Harbor Compliance summary of city rules | Checked in part |
| Tennessee | License above a job-value threshold | Contractor license at $25,000+; Home Improvement license $3,000-$24,999 in 9 counties | $25,000 | Yes | $250 application + PSI exam fees (about $55 per exam per secondary summaries) + bond/insurance costs | Primary |
| Texas | No state license | No state roofing license or registration — cities register, RCAT certifies voluntarily | — | No | $0 state license cost. RCAT: exam fees about $550 member / $850 non-member per type (secondary), renewal $250/yr (secondary) — verify with RCAT before publishing as primary | Primary |
| Utah | State license | State contractor license — S280 Roofing specialty (or B100/R100 general) | — | Yes | $226 DOPL fees + Business & Law exam (~$68) + 25-hour specialty pre-license course (market $200-$400) — insurance/bond extra | Primary |
| Vermont | Registration only | No contractor license — OPR residential contractor registration over $10,000 | $10,000 | No | $75 or $250 state fee, plus required insurance cost | Primary |
| Virginia | State license | DPOR contractor license Class C/B/A by contract value — roofing under Building classification | $1,000 | Yes | Application fee + 8-hour course + PSI exam fees ($40-$85) + bond premium if using bond alternative (A/B only) | Primary |
| Washington | Registration only | L&I contractor registration (RCW 18.27) — roofing is a specialty, no license or exam | — | No | $150.20 L&I fee + bond premium (market, fraction of $15,000/$30,000) + liability insurance + Dept. of Revenue business license costs | Primary |
| West Virginia | License above a job-value threshold | Division of Labor contractor license over the statutory threshold — roofing/specialty classification | $2,500 | Yes | $90 application/license + 2 exam fees (~$59.95 each) + insurance/wage-bond costs; late renewal +$25 if over 15 days late (secondary summary of W.Va. CSR Sec. 28-2-5.4; statutory ceiling $150) | Checked in part |
| Wisconsin | Registration + endorsement | Dwelling Contractor + Qualifier certifications for 1-2 family home work — no commercial license | — | No | $85 in DSPS fees for both credentials, plus 12-hour course cost and bond/insurance | Primary |
| Wyoming | No state license | No state contractor or roofing license — city licenses only | — | No | $0 state license cost; city license fees vary — Not published in a single verified source in this pass | Checked in part |
Total state cost is what the state itself charges — application plus license/registration — from the board's own fee schedule. It deliberately excludes exam-prep classes ($295–$2,495 in the school market), bonds' premiums, insurance and filing services, because confusing those with the state fee is how starters overpay. Where a state does not publish a figure on a readable page, the cell says "Not published." We never estimate a government fee.
Verification — "Primary" means regime, threshold, exam and fees were each read on a board, registrar or statute page in the October 22, 2026 pass. "Checked in part" means at least one figure rests on a secondary source or could not be confirmed; the state page says which.
