How to Check a California Roofer's License

To check a California roofer's license, search the roofer's name or license number on the Contractors State License Board's Check a License page. Then confirm the license is active and includes roofing. Here's the full process, plus the contract rules that protect you.

Almost always. Since January 1, 2025, unlicensed work is allowed only on jobs under $1,000 that don't need a permit, and only if the person hires no help, according to the CSLB. Reroofs in the county and nearby cities need permits, so in practice a reroof needs a licensed contractor whatever the price.

Look for the C-39 Roofing Contractor classification. The CSLB describes it as covering products and repairs that seal, waterproof and weatherproof structures, including shingles, roof tile and metal roofing.

1. Ask for the license number in writing. It should be on the bid and the contract.
2. Go to the CSLB Check a License page.
3. Search by license number, business name, or a person's name.
4. Confirm the status is active and the name matches the business on your bid.
5. Check that the classifications include C-39 Roofing (or a general license that covers your job).
6. Read the complaint disclosure section for public complaints.

The CSLB notes the lookup database is down for maintenance from Sunday 8 p.m. to Monday 6 a.m.

No more than 10% of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. That's the legal limit on a home improvement down payment, according to the CSLB's guide What Seniors Should Know. The same guide warns against letting payments get ahead of the work and against paying in cash.

Yes, for a short time. The CSLB guide describes a three-business-day right to cancel a home improvement contract, and five business days for people 65 and older. The CSLB homeowner checklist also asks whether these rights apply to you. Don't let the roofer start work or pull permits during that period.

• The roofer's license number and business name
• A description of the work, the materials, and the cool roof product
• The permit, and whether its fees are included (a question on the CSLB checklist)
• A payment schedule tied to completed work
• Cleanup, decking price per sheet and warranty terms
• A start date and an estimated number of work days

Storms bring door-to-door offers. After the New Year's Eve 2022 storm, San Joaquin County proclaimed a local emergency (county OES). The Department of Insurance advises confirming a contractor's license before hiring and not rushing into repairs before your adjuster has seen the damage.

Start with the roofer, in writing. If that fails, file with the CSLB on its complaint page. The CSLB says it handles violations for up to four years from the date of the act. You can also contact the California Attorney General. For insurance claim problems, call the Department of Insurance at 800-927-4357.

Roofing is one of the classifications where workers' compensation insurance matters most. A CSLB legislative briefing notes that workers' comp has been required for the C-39 classification since 2012 (CSLB board packet). When you look up the license, check the workers' compensation section. If a worker is hurt on your roof and the roofer isn't covered, you could face a claim.

Many roofing companies send a salesperson to give the estimate. California registers home improvement salespeople separately. The CSLB Check a License page lets you search a Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) by registration number or name. Ask the salesperson for theirs.

• Won't give a license number, or gives one that belongs to a different business
• Asks for cash, or a large payment before any work
• Offers to skip the permit to save you money
• Has no written contract, or a contract with no cancel notice
• Shows up uninvited right after a storm with a deal that expires today

Don't sign. If you already have, stop payments and keep every text, receipt and photo. Report unlicensed activity to the CSLB through its complaint page. Then get a bid from a licensed roofer to check and finish the work.

• What's your license number, and what classifications does it include?
• Will your own crew do the work, or a subcontractor? What is the subcontractor's license number?
• Will you pull the permit?
• What down payment do you ask for, and what's the payment schedule?
• Do you send before-and-after photos?

Save the bid, the contract, the permit number, every change order, all payment receipts and your photos in one folder. The CSLB says it can act on violations for up to four years from the date of the act, so a complete file matters if problems show up later.

The lookup shows more than a yes or no. Check the business name and address against the bid. Look at the issue date and the expiration date. Check the bonding section, which shows the contractor's bond. If the record lists a suspension, or the license has expired, don't sign until it's fixed. If the person you're talking to isn't listed on the record, ask how they're connected to the license holder.

Be careful with lookalike names. Search by license number when you can, because two businesses can have similar names.

A reroof can involve more than one company. Some roofers use subcontracted crews, and solar panel removal is often done by a separate solar contractor. Ask for every company's license number and check each one. The contract should say who is responsible if work by a subcontractor leaks.

A license means the contractor passed state exams, holds a bond, and answers to the CSLB if something goes wrong. For a roof, which protects everything under it, that matters. Licensed roofers also pull permits, which brings an inspector to check the work. An unlicensed job can leave you with no inspection, no bond to claim against and a harder time when you sell the home. A few minutes on the lookup page is cheap protection for one of the biggest repairs a home ever gets.

• License number in writing, active, matches the business
• C-39 Roofing (or appropriate) classification
• Down payment within the legal cap
• Right-to-cancel notice in the contract
• Permit included and pulled by the roofer
• Photos before and after

Related: roof repair in Stockton and our cool roof rules guide.