How to Verify a Florida Roofing Contractor License and Insurance

To verify a Florida roofing contractor license and insurance, start with the license. Go to MyFloridaLicense.com, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) database, and search the contractor’s name or license number. A legitimate roofing contractor should show a status of “Current, Active” with a license type of Certified or Registered Roofing Contractor.

Hiring the wrong roofer in South Florida is an expensive mistake. Between hurricane season, intense UV exposure, and heavy rainfall, your roof takes a beating year-round. The last thing you need is a contractor who is not properly licensed to handle it. Fortunately, checking a Florida roofing contractor’s license status takes less than five minutes, and this guide walks you through exactly how to do it.

Why Does a Florida Roofing License Actually Matter?

Florida law requires roofing contractors to hold a valid state license before they can legally perform any roofing work. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) enforces these requirements through its Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), and the standards exist for good reason. A licensed contractor has passed a state competency exam, demonstrated working knowledge of Florida’s building codes, and secured the insurance coverage the state requires.

When you hire an unlicensed contractor, you lose every one of those protections. Work done without a license is typically done without a permit, and unpermitted work creates serious problems when you sell your home or file an insurance claim. If something goes wrong (a leak, structural damage, a worker injured on your property), you have very little recourse. The DBPR exists precisely to give homeowners a path to accountability, but that path only opens when the contractor holds a valid license.

Contractor Warning: Florida law limits contractor deposits to 10% or $1,000, whichever is less, unless materials need to be ordered in advance. If a contractor asks for a large upfront payment before work begins, treat it as a warning sign.

What Are the Two Types of Roofing Licenses in Florida?

Before you run a license search, it helps to know what you are looking for. Florida issues two types of roofing contractor licenses, and the difference between them matters, especially in South Florida, where county lines sit close together.

A Certified Roofing Contractor holds a state-issued license with the CCC designation, and that license is valid anywhere in Florida. To earn it, the contractor must pass the Florida state certification exam and meet statewide requirements. This is the most flexible license type and the one you will most commonly see among established local contractors.

A Registered Roofing Contractor, by contrast, holds a county-specific license. This contractor has met the requirements of a particular county’s construction licensing board and registered with the state, but they can only legally work within the county or counties where they are registered. If you live in Broward, Miami-Dade, or Palm Beach County, confirm that a registered contractor is specifically authorized to work in your county, and not only in a neighboring one.

How Do You Check a Roofing License on MyFloridaLicense.com?

The DBPR’s official verification portal is MyFloridaLicense.com, and it is straightforward to use. Navigate to the site and click “Verify a License.” From there, you can search by the contractor’s name or by their license number if they have already provided one. If you do not have a license number yet, start with the individual’s name rather than the company name. The license is held by a person, not always by the business, so searching the company name alone sometimes misses it.

Once you run the search, the results will show you the licensee’s name, profession, address, and license status. Take a moment to review all of it, not just the status line. If a contractor hesitates to give you their license number before your first conversation ends, that hesitation tells you something. A legitimate contractor provides it without being asked twice.

Red Flag: If a contractor says their license number is “on file at the office” or promises to send it later, do not proceed. Any legitimate roofing contractor can give you their license number on the spot.

What Do the Search Results Mean?

When you find the contractor in the DBPR database, the most important field is the license status. It should read “Current, Active.” Any other designation, like Delinquent, Suspended, Revoked, or Expired, means the contractor cannot legally perform roofing work in Florida right now. Do not proceed if the status is anything other than active.

Beyond the status, confirm that the license type says Certified Roofing Contractor or Registered Roofing Contractor. A general contractor license does not cover roofing as a specialty trade, so this distinction matters. Check the expiration date as well to confirm the license is current, not simply that it was once valid.

It is also worth reviewing the qualifier name. Florida law allows a company to employ a licensed qualifier, who is the individual who holds the license on behalf of the business. This arrangement is legal, but knowing who that person is matters. If the qualifier leaves the company, the license goes with them, and the business can no longer legally operate under it.

Finally, scroll down in the license record and check for any disciplinary history. A clean record is a good sign. If you see repeated violations (even resolved ones), dig a little deeper before making a decision.

Is a Licensed Contractor Automatically Insured?

No, and this is one of the most common misconceptions homeowners have. A valid license tells you the contractor passed a competency exam and is registered with the state. It says nothing about whether their insurance policy is active today.

Ask the contractor for a certificate of insurance that covers general liability and workers’ compensation if they have employees on the job. Then go one step further and call the insurance company directly to confirm the policy is current. Contractors have been known to let policies lapse after providing a certificate, so a quick phone call is worth the few minutes it takes. Without active coverage, you could be held liable if a worker is injured on your property during the project.

What If You Cannot Find the Contractor in the DBPR Database?

If you search the database and come up empty, do not assume it is a system error. That absence is a serious red flag. Before drawing a conclusion, try searching by the individual’s name rather than the company name, and double-check the spelling. If you still cannot find them, call the DBPR directly at (850) 487-1395. Their customer service team can verify licenses, clarify license types, and flag any status issues you should know about.

If you have tried all of that and still cannot confirm a valid license, do not hire that contractor. Florida has a documented problem with unlicensed operators, particularly after major storms when out-of-state contractors flood the market, collect deposits, and either do substandard work or disappear. You can report suspected unlicensed activity directly to the DBPR’s Unlicensed Activity department.

At FoxHaven Roof, we believe you should never have to wonder whether your contractor is legitimate. We are fully licensed with the Florida DBPR, and we are happy to provide our license number before our first conversation ends.

South Florida’s weather demands a roof built to last and a contractor who understands what that means. We specialize in roofing systems designed for Florida’s climate; the heat, the wind, the rain, and the storms that test every roof on the block. Contact FoxHaven Roof today for a free inspection and estimate from a licensed, insured South Florida roofing contractor.