Guide · Checked October 22, 2026
Bond and insurance are where starters get oversold, because three different voices quote three different numbers: the state (a legal minimum), the insurer (a product), and the customer or GC (a contract term). Budget from the state's number; negotiate the rest with your eyes open.
| State | Bond | Insurance minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $10,000 Limited / $25,000 Unlimited | $500k per occurrence / $250k property damage + workers' comp |
| California | $25,000 contractor bond | Workers' comp for every C-39 — even zero employees |
| Florida | Bond only if credit-triggered | $100k liability / $25k property damage minimums |
| Kansas | — | $500,000 liability + workers' comp to register |
| Minnesota | $15,000 surety bond | Per DLI license rules (state page) |
| Oklahoma | — | $500k residential / $1M with commercial endorsement |
A $25,000 bond is not a $25,000 payment — the premium is a percentage set by credit (often 1–3% for clean files). Brokers who quote the bond amount as if it were the price are selling confusion. And where the state sets no minimum (Texas), your floor is set by city registrations, GC contracts and landlords — read those before you bind a policy, because “no state minimum” does not mean “no requirement.”
The checker gives you the verdict. The kit gives you the paperwork, in filing order: the application walkthrough for your state's class, qualifying-party documentation templates, the bond and insurance spec sheet with your state's exact minimums, the city-registration checklist pack for no-license states, and the contract-compliance pack (deductible language and required contract notices, including Florida's deadlines calendar).
$49 one-time payment
Included in the $49 RoofingLicenseCheck Kit — every item below, for every state, one payment.
