New Jersey · Checked October 22, 2026
Registration only. New Jersey has no separate roofer license and no general contractor license. Anyone doing roofing or other home improvement work on an existing home must register as a Home Improvement Contractor business with the Division of Consumer Affairs, carry at least $500,000 in liability insurance, post tiered compliance security, and put the 13VH registration number on contracts, ads and vehicles. A 2024 law creates a true individual license with training and an exam, but registration is still the operative requirement while the new Board finishes its rules.
Checked in part. The load-bearing facts on this page (regime, threshold, exam) are sourced below, but one or more figures for New Jersey could not be confirmed on a primary board or statute page in the October 22, 2026 pass. Anything unconfirmed is printed as “Not published” — never estimated. Confirm the open figures with the board before you file.
| Item | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Regime | Home Improvement Contractor registration now — state license phasing in under the 2024 Act |
| Exam | None. The 2024 Act requires new individual license applicants to complete approved training and pass a licensing exam once the Board's program is rolled out. The training program and exam had not been rolled out as of the sources checked; do not treat an exam as a current registration requirement. |
| Experience | None for current registration. Under the 2024 Act, new individual license applicants will need an apprenticeship, trade school, or at least two years of supervised experience (per Act summaries). Contractors registered for at least five years have a grandfather path to the new license by application and fee without the new education or exam requirement (Act Section 12(a)). |
| Application fee | $110 initial HIC registration |
| License / registration fee | $90 on-time annual renewal (due March 31); $115 if renewed April 1-30; $140 reinstatement after April 30 |
| Total state cost | $110 in year one, plus compliance-bond premium ($100-$500 typical, varies by tier and credit) and insurance premiums — Fee split ($110 initial / $90 renewal) is from the Division of Consumer Affairs HIC FAQ as quoted by licensing guides checked 2026-10-22; some older pages quote $110 for both. Exam / individual license fees under the 2024 Act: Not published. |
| Bond | Compliance bond, irrevocable letter of credit, or other approved security — required since April 2025 under P.L. 2023, c.237, tiered by single-contract value or prior-12-month volume: $10,000 (contract under $10,000 or under $150,000 in prior 12 months); $25,000 (contract $10,000-$120,000 or $150,000-$750,000 prior 12 months); $50,000 (contract over $120,000 or over $750,000 prior 12 months). |
| Insurance minimums | Commercial general liability at least $500,000 per occurrence for home improvement work ($1,000,000 per occurrence for home elevation). Workers' compensation insurance required unless statutorily exempt — a requirement added by the 2024 amendments. Certificate must name the Division of Consumer Affairs as certificate holder and stay continuously in force. |
| Who qualifies | The applicant / business owner |
| Timeline | Registration applications are mailed to the Division of Consumer Affairs, Regulated Business Section — Home Improvement Contractor Business Unit; secondary guides report about 10-15 business days processing. Individual licensing timeline under the 2024 Act: Not published. |
| Renewal | Annual, due March 31, online through the Division's MyLicense portal; late renewal $115 through April 30, reinstatement $140 after April 30. |
| Credential | Scope | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor Business (HICB) registration | residential | Covers repair, remodeling and renovation — including roofing — on existing residential / non-commercial property. New-home construction is a separate New Home Builder registration, not HIC. No dollar threshold exempts small jobs from registration; the $500 figure in the rules is the threshold for a mandatory written contract, not for registering. |
| Home Elevation Contractor Business (HECB) registration | residential | Separate registration for home elevation work; $1,000,000 per-occurrence liability minimum instead of $500,000. |
| Individual Home Improvement / Home Elevation Contractor license (2024 Act — phasing in) | residential | Created by P.L. 2023, c.237. Individual licensing takes effect six months after the new State Board of Home Improvement and Home Elevation Contractors adopts implementing regulations; as of the checked date the Board had formed and was discussing education / continuing-education rules, and registration remained what applicants obtain. A 'principal' license is contemplated for supervision of jobs of $120,000 or more. |
Subcontractors doing home improvement work must register in their own right — registration is required of full-time, part-time, subcontractor and out-of-state operators alike; working under a registered prime does not cover a sub.
No separate city roofer license in most municipalities, but a registered HIC number is required to obtain municipal construction permits for home improvement work, and some municipalities impose their own contractor registration or bond (for example Jersey City has required a local surety bond). Check the municipality before pulling a permit.
No specific deductible-waiver statute found. No New Jersey statute specifically banning a roofing contractor from paying, waiving or advertising to pay an insurance deductible was found in searches of primary and secondary sources on 2026-10-22. General Consumer Fraud Act rules still apply to deceptive inducements. Status is 'no specific statute found', not a statement that deductible waivers are permitted.
Run the compliance checker for New Jersey →
The full law-changed tracker →
Thresholds and classes turn on your contract value and your role. Run the checker with New Jersey 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.
