How to Start a Roofing Business: Licensing, Insurance and Your First Jobs

Here is how to start a roofing business. Check your state and city license rules. Form the company, buy liability and workers’ comp insurance, and set up fall protection. Then win jobs with a Google Business Profile, a website showing your license and insurance, and referrals. Roofing is the easy part. Staying busy and covered is hard.

What Do You Need to Start a Roofing Business?

You need a license or city registration, a business, and liability and workers’ comp insurance. You also need fall protection, a truck that can tow a dump trailer, and proof homeowners can check. The license comes first, since some states want years of experience.

• A license or city registration (see the license rules)
• A registered business, an EIN and a business bank account
• General liability and workers’ comp insurance
• Fall protection that meets OSHA’s 6-foot rule
• Nail guns, tear-off tools, tarps, a truck and a dump trailer or dumpster
• A Google Business Profile, a website and reviews

Which starting point is yours?

Most new roofing companies start from one of four places. Each has its own gap to close.

Do You Need a License to Start a Roofing Business?

Whether you need a license to start a roofing business depends on your state, and often your city. Some states license roofers directly. Some fold roofing into a general contractor license once a job passes a set price. Others, like Texas, leave it to cities.

Rules change, and cities add their own. Confirm yours with your state board, city permit office or an attorney before you take a reroof deposit.

In California, small jobs have a limit. As of October 2026, a person with no license may do jobs up to $1,000, per a CSLB bulletin. The job must need no permit and no hired help. That rule took effect on January 1, 2025. A roofing job that needs a permit needs a license at any price.

How to start a roofing business in Texas

In Texas, as of October 2026, you do not need a state roofing license. Roofing is not on the list of trades the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses. A 2025 bill to license reroofers, HB 3344, stalled in the House. It did not become law.

Cities fill the gap. In San Antonio, you must register as a Home Improvement Contractor to get a permit. The city’s page lists an FBI background check and liability insurance of $300,000 per occurrence, as of October 2026. The city’s re-roof permit form asks for your registration number.

The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas runs its own license, and it is optional. It asks for at least two years as a principal of a Texas roofing company, plus exams, per RCAT.

Two Texas claim laws matter from day one. As of October 2026, under Business and Commerce Code 27.02, a claim job contract of $1,000 or more needs a deductible notice in 12-point bold type. On a claim job of any price, waiving, absorbing or rebating the deductible without the insurer’s consent is a crime: a Class B misdemeanor. The second law, Insurance Code 4102.163, bars you from adjusting claims on your own jobs (see the storm work section).

How to start a roofing business in Florida

In Florida, a roofer must be certified or registered, under section 489.113. Roofing work covers “all kinds of roofing, waterproofing, and coating,” under section 489.105. A certified roofer can work anywhere in the state. A registered roofer can work only where they qualified locally.

To take the state exam, you need 4 years of experience, with at least 1 as a foreman, under section 489.111. The DBPR checklist also asks for a credit report and a background check. Under Rule 61G4-15.006, a FICO score under 660 means taking a 14-hour financial responsibility course.

Florida also sets insurance floors. Roofers need at least $100,000 in liability and $25,000 in property damage coverage, under Rule 61G4-15.003, as of October 2026.

Florida also limits how you sell. Your license number must be on every ad, bid and contract, under section 489.119(5)(b). Under section 489.147, you may not offer a homeowner a gift, cash or a deductible waiver for a roof inspection or a claim. You may not advise them on their policy or adjust a claim without a public adjuster license. Each violation can bring a fine of up to $10,000 under section 489.147(3), as of October 2026.

How Do You Set Up a Roofing Company as a Business?

Pick a structure, register it with your state, get an EIN and open a business bank account. Do it before you take your first roofing deposit or order shingles.

1. Choose a structure. Compare a sole proprietorship, an LLC and a corporation on the SBA’s structure page. The FAQ covers why liability matters in roofing.
2. Register the business. Most states use the Secretary of State or a similar office, per the SBA. Register a trade name (DBA) too, if you use one.
3. Get your EIN. An EIN is free, and the IRS issues it online right away. You need one to hire a tear-off or install crew.
4. Open a business bank account. Keep deposits, shingle orders and insurance claim checks out of your personal account.
5. Get local licenses. Ask your city how to register and pull reroof permits. The SBA says cities and counties often set rules for building work.

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Roofing Business?

Starting a roofing business usually costs $10,000 to $50,000 or more, per ZenBusiness as of its October 6, 2026 update. Most of that goes to a truck, a dump trailer, insurance and tools. Your number turns on one choice: buy a truck and trailer now, or lease the truck and rent dumpsters at first.

Cash also dips before it climbs. One owner on r/Roofing writes that his cash reserves dipped well below his starting amount before recovering as jobs closed out.

How do you price a roofing job?

Price a roofing job by measuring the roof in squares, then adding materials, labor, tear-off and disposal, overhead and your margin. A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof area, per Roofr. Roofr also says to add 10 to 15 percent for waste from cuts, hips, valleys and starter.

1. Squares. Measure from an aerial report, or with a tape and pitch gauge.
2. Materials. Price shingles, underlayment, flashing, vents and nails for those squares, from a written supplier quote.
3. Labor. Count your crew’s hours, or your sub’s price per square.
4. Tear-off and disposal. Add the dumpster or dump trailer trips and the dump fees.
5. Overhead. Add a share of your insurance, truck, software and phone.
6. Margin. Add what the company keeps, then test it in the tool below.

Put the scope, materials and payment schedule in a written contract before you order shingles. In California, a home improvement down payment cannot exceed 10 percent of the price or $1,000, whichever is less, per the CSLB, as of October 2026. The CSLB also says not to let payments get ahead of the work. Check your own state’s deposit rules.

How many roofing jobs do you need each month?

You need enough roofing jobs each month for their gross profit to cover the bills that come whether you work or not.

Here is an example, for the math only. Say your fixed costs each month equal half the price of one average reroof. And say you keep 25 percent of each job as gross profit. Each job then covers a quarter of its price, so you need 2 jobs a month before you earn anything.

What Equipment Does a New Roofing Company Need?

A new roofing company needs fall protection, ladders, nail guns, tear-off tools, a way to haul debris, a truck and a way to measure roofs.

• Harnesses, anchors and lifelines for any work 6 feet or more above a lower level
• Extension ladders, plus scaffolding for some jobs
• Roofing nailers and a compressor (ZenBusiness says two to three nailers per job is typical)
• Tear-off tools for stripping old shingles and nails
• Tarps to protect yards and to dry in an open roof
• A dump trailer, or a dumpster rented per job
• A pickup that can tow a dump trailer. ZenBusiness says a three-quarter-ton or one-ton truck is a common minimum.
• A way to measure roofs in squares: aerial reports or a tape and pitch gauge
• A phone app for job photos

What roofing software should you start with?

Start with measurement and job photos. Pay per report at first, then move to a plan as jobs grow.

These tools also chip away at the 15 to 20 hours a week of office work one owner describes above. An aerial report measures the roof from your desk. The estimate starts from those squares. A photo app keeps before and after shots for the invoice or an insurance claim.

What Insurance Does a Roofing Business Need?

A roofing business needs general liability and workers’ comp first. Then add commercial auto for the truck and cover for your tools. Add a bond where your state or city asks for one.

Roofing is hard to insure because the trade is high risk. Progressive says roofing contractors “usually need to purchase GL through the excess and surplus lines (E&S) market.”

Insureon’s figures are medians for roofers who got quotes through it. Most of them have fewer than five employees. As of October 2026, general liability for Texas roofers “can cost as little as $83.33 per month,” says NEXT Insurance. Most NEXT customers pay between $63 and $665 per month for general liability, as of October 2026.

Progressive says workers’ comp is “required in most states,” so price it early. Roofers had the third-highest fatal injury rate on the BLS chart of selected jobs in 2024. Insurance is the line between a bad day on a roof and a closed company.

What Safety Rules Apply to a New Roofing Company?

OSHA’s fall rule is the big one. On home jobs, a worker 6 feet or more above a lower level needs a guardrail, a safety net or a personal fall arrest system. That rule is 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13).

You may use a written fall plan instead only if you can show those systems will not work or would be more dangerous. OSHA presumes at least one of them works. On low-slope roofs, warning lines and safety monitors are allowed, per OSHA’s fact sheet.

Lead paint rules apply only on some jobs. The EPA rule covers paid work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978. So replacing unpainted shingles alone does not trigger it. But disturbing more than 20 square feet of painted exterior parts does. In that case your firm must be EPA certified, even as a sole owner. The regulation lists painted roofing, chimneys, flashing, gutters, soffits, fascias and rake boards among those parts.

How Does Insurance Claim and Storm Work Change the Rules?

Claim work adds rules on deductibles, adjusting and door-to-door sales.

• Deductibles in Texas. The homeowner must pay the deductible, under Insurance Code 707.002. Under 707.004, an insurer can hold back part of the payout until it sees proof the deductible was paid. Waiving it without the insurer’s consent is a crime under Texas law (see the Texas section).
• Adjusting claims. In Texas, under Insurance Code 4102.163, a roofer may not adjust claims on its own jobs, even with an adjuster license. In Florida, you must give a good faith estimate before the homeowner signs a repair deal, under section 489.147. Your job is the roof: measure it, photograph the damage and write the estimate.
• Door-to-door sales. As of October 2026, the FTC Cooling-Off Rule covers sales of $25 or more made at the buyer’s home, per the FTC. The buyer can cancel until midnight of the third business day. You must tell them so at the time of sale, per the FTC’s consumer guide.

Homeowners are warned about storm chasers. The FTC tells them to “Consider only contractors who are licensed and insured” after a storm. The same guide warns them to “never sign your insurance check over to a contractor” at all. In 2016, after hail storms, the Texas Attorney General spoke out. Its warning named contractors “who promise to get around deductibles and even give money back” as a risk. It told hail victims to be wary of contractors from out of the area.

That is the trap for a new company. After a hail storm, your truck and ladders look like every other roofer’s on the street. So build the proof in the first customers section before storm season. Then the busy weeks after a storm are less likely to end with a quiet phone.

Should a New Roofing Company Get Manufacturer Certified?

A new roofing company should get manufacturer certified once it meets the entry rules. But plan to start at the bottom tier, since the top tiers want years in business and volume.

GAF. GAF has tiers from Certified up to Master Elite. Each tier needs a state license where one is required. As of October 2026, it also needs $1 million in liability insurance and workers’ comp, per GAF’s program guidelines. GAF “may also consider” your years in roofing and your reviews. “Only 2% of roofers in North America are invited to become GAF Master Elite Contractors,” GAF says. To keep that top tier, a company needs 1,000 shingle squares, 500 warranty squares and 10 learning credits a year.

Owens Corning. Preferred and Platinum roofers need at least $1,000,000 in general liability insurance, as of October 2026, per its contractor page. They also need the licenses and insurance the law asks for. Their business credit must suit Owens Corning. Platinum adds an inspection of your install work. Platinum Preferred needs three years in business under the same name, says an Owens Corning blog post.

CertainTeed. As of October 2026, CertainTeed’s company tiers are MASTER, PRO and PREMIER. A roofer can earn Master Craftsman status when its installers pass the Shingle Applicator Manual test, per CertainTeed. A new crew can do that in year one.

In year one, install every roof to the maker’s written instructions. Join the entry tier open to you. Aim higher once you have the years, the squares and the reviews.

How Do New Roofing Companies Get Their First Customers?

New roofing companies win their first customers with proof they are real, a presence on Google and their own network. Work through these in order.

1. Set up your Google Business Profile. Set it up as a service-area business, and remove your address if customers do not come to it. As of October 2026, you can list up to 20 service areas, per Google. Google recommends video verification when you qualify. The video must be unedited and at least 30 seconds long. It should show your gear, like ladders, nail guns or your branded truck. The review can take up to 5 business days, per Google.
2. Put up a website before the first job. Show your license number, insurance and photos of finished roofs near the top. Our page on roofing website design covers what else goes on it.
3. Get a review and a photo from every job. Ask each customer for a review when the roof is done, with a photo of the new roof.
4. Work your network. In an r/Roofing thread on starting a roofing company, one owner says his first jobs came from realtors, property managers and local Facebook groups. Insurance agents are worth a call too.
5. Add Local Services Ads last. Add Local Services Ads once you can earn the Google Verified badge, which checks your license and insurance. As of October 2026, a D-U-N-S application can take up to 30 days. Our guide to Local Services Ads for roofers covers the rest.

For other channels, read our guide to seven lead channels for roofers. To set a budget from your job value and close rate, see how much roofers should spend on marketing.

If you buy leads, prefer exclusive leads over shared ones, as our exclusive roofing leads guide explains. A new roofing site takes months to rank, so start early with SEO for roofing companies.

Is a Roofing Business Profitable?

A roofing business can be profitable, but no official data shows what new roofing companies earn. So run your own numbers in the jobs calculator above. Use real quotes for insurance, shingles and dump fees.

For context, the median wage for roofers was $55,440 a year in May 2025, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the same May 2025 BLS data, the lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,460 and the top 10 percent more than $81,720 a year. That is wage pay, not owner profit. But it is the bar to beat when you leave a crew.

Can You Start a Roofing Business With No Experience or No Money?

You can start a roofing business with little money if you start lean. Whether you can start with no experience depends on your state. Florida, California and Arizona want years in the trade, most often 4. A newcomer cannot get the license alone.

Where the state allows it, a licensed qualifier or partner can hold the license for the company. Check the setup with your board first. Or work for a roofer and learn tear-offs, flashing and claims on someone else’s insurance.

A low-cash start looks like this:

• Rent a dumpster per job instead of buying a dump trailer.
• Pay per measurement report, like the free Roofr Starter plan in the software table, instead of a monthly plan. Your first 3 Hover projects are free, as of October 2026.
• Buy used ladders and nailers, but never skimp on harnesses and anchors.
• Sub out tear-off only to crews with their own insurance, and get a certificate of insurance from each.

What to Do First

1. Call your state board and city permit office. Ask what license or registration you need for residential roofing, and what permits a reroof needs.
2. Get insurance quotes before you buy a truck. Price general liability and workers’ comp first. Roofing liability often comes from the E&S market, so the quote can reshape your budget.
3. Set up your proof before the first job. Verify your Google Business Profile. Then put up a one-page site with your license number, insurance and photos of finished roofs.

Questions About How to Start a Roofing Business