Delaware · Checked October 22, 2026
Registration only. Delaware has no roofing trade license or exam. Before doing any construction work — residential or commercial, including roofing — a contractor must hold a Contractor Registration Certificate from the Department of Labor under 19 Del. C. ch. 36 and a Delaware business license from the Division of Revenue, file an OSHA-compliant safety plan, and show Delaware workers' compensation coverage.
| Item | Delaware |
|---|---|
| Regime | State Contractor Registration Certificate (Dept. of Labor) + State Business License (Division of Revenue) |
| Exam | None. No trade or business exam for contractor registration or for the state business license. |
| Experience | No state experience requirement published |
| Application fee | Contractor Registration: $200 (private), $300 (public) or $500 (both) for one year — all not-returned (Delaware OneStop) |
| License / registration fee | State business license fee is charged separately by the Division of Revenue |
| Total state cost | $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. — After two consecutive violation-free years a contractor may register for two years at a discount: $300 private, $500 public (OneStop). |
| Bond | Resident contractors: no state license bond for the registration. Nonresident contractors: a surety bond, cash bond or approved bank letter of credit equal to 6% of the total value of all Delaware construction contracts exceeding $20,000, filed with the Division of Revenue. |
| Insurance minimums | Proof of Delaware workers' compensation insurance is a required part of the registration application, along with unemployment insurance registration for employers. No state-set general liability minimum is stated in the ch. 36 registration requirements reviewed. |
| Who qualifies | The applicant / business owner |
| Timeline | Applications are filed through Delaware OneStop with the business license, workers' compensation proof and safety plan; allow days to a few weeks, and the certificate must be in hand before work begins. |
| Renewal | Annual by the registration anniversary (two-year discounted renewal available after two consecutive years with no labor-law violations, renewed before expiration). The Division of Revenue business license renews annually, due by December 31. |
| Credential | Scope | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor Registration Certificate — Private work | both | $200 for a one-year registration. |
| Contractor Registration Certificate — Public work | commercial | $300 for a one-year registration; $500 if you perform both public and private construction. |
| Delaware Business License — construction contractor (Division of Revenue) | both | Separate annual state business license required in addition to the Labor registration; obtained through Delaware OneStop. |
Registration is required of contractors performing construction work in Delaware, including work performed as a subcontractor; nonresident subcontractors are also subject to the 6% nonresident bond rule on contracts of $20,000 or more.
State registration and business license govern; local permits still apply — notably New Castle County and the cities of Wilmington and Newark run their own contractor/building permit requirements on top of the state registration.
No specific deductible-waiver statute found. no state statute specifically banning deductible waivers found in this pass; general insurance-fraud and unfair-practices law still applies
Run the compliance checker for Delaware →
Thresholds and classes turn on your contract value and your role. Run the checker with Delaware preselected:
Confirm with the board before you file: fees and rules change, and the board — not this page — decides your application. Information only, not legal advice.
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.
