How to tell if a roofer is lying?

In Florida, verify three things in this order: license, permit, insurance. Look up the contractor at MyFloridaLicense.com (the Florida DBPR database) and confirm an active CCC certified or RC registered roofing license. Check for any disciplinary actions on the record. Ask which county will issue the permit (Martin, St. Lucie, or Palm Beach) and call that building department to confirm it is pulled in the roofer’s company name. Request a current Certificate of Insurance sent directly from the carrier, covering general liability and workers comp. Cross-check the company on BBB.org and read the 1-star reviews. A roofer who refuses any of these three steps in writing is the answer to your question.