Georgia does not issue a state-level roofing licence. The State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, a division of the Georgia Secretary of State, issues residential and general contractor licences, and residential or general work valued at $2,500 or more needs one of them. This guide explains how the check is made and what is not settled.
Key takeaways
- Georgia issues no state-level roofing licence, so a homeowner checks the contractor licence the roofer holds.
- The State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, a division of the Secretary of State, issues the residential and general licences.
- Residential or general work valued at $2,500 or more needs one of those licences, according to the FACTS sheet.
- Sources disagree on whether a stand-alone roofing business is exempt, so this site does not state the exemption as settled.
- Verify the number on the Secretary of State site before any deposit is paid, and keep the record with the contract.
What does the state actually issue?
Residential and general contractor licences. There is no separate state licence for roofing work, so the question is whether the licence the roofer holds covers the scope.
The FACTS sheet records that Georgia does not issue a state-level roofing licence. What the state issues through the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors are the residential and general contractor licences, and those are the records a homeowner checks.
A roofer may hold a licence of the right kind for the work, or may not. The homeowner does not need to know the internal classes to ask the right question: does the licence cover the scope of this roof, and is the number on the state's record?
- No state roofing licence is issued
- The Board issues residential and general licences
- The question is whether the licence covers the scope
What is the $2,500 line?
Residential or general work valued at $2,500 or more needs a licence from the Board. Below that value the rules differ, and the roofer should say which applies.
The FACTS sheet records the $2,500 point as the value at which residential or general work needs one of the Board's licences. A roof quote is a single value, and the scope and its value should be written so the homeowner can see which side of the line the job falls on.
Do not split a job into smaller contracts to stay under the line. The quote should show the whole job and its value, so the licence question is answered once, for the job as it is.
- The value of the work decides the licence question
- Show the whole job and its value on one quote
- Ask the roofer to say which side of the line applies
Where is the exemption question?
Unsettled in the sources. A stand-alone roofing business may or may not be exempt from the Board's licensing, so the roofer must state the basis in writing.
The FACTS sheet notes that sources disagree on whether a stand-alone roofing business is exempt. This page does not state an exemption as settled, because it is not. The honest position is that the roofer should say, in writing, which position applies and why.
If the roofer relies on an exemption, ask for its basis in writing and check it with the Secretary of State. A roofer who is confident should be able to show the basis without difficulty.
- The exemption is unsettled in the sources
- Ask the roofer for the basis in writing
- Check the basis with the Secretary of State
How is the check made, step by step?
Get the number and the name in writing, check the record on the Secretary of State site, match the licence to the scope and keep the dated result with the contract.
Start by asking for the licence number and the name on it, written on the quote. Then check the number on the Secretary of State site, where the Board's records are kept. Note the date and the result, and match the licence to the residential or general work in the scope.
Keep the dated check with the contract and the scope. A homeowner who has the record on file has the strongest answer to a later question about whether the roofer was checked before the work.
- The number and the name, in writing
- The record checked on the Secretary of State site
- The dated result kept with the contract
What if the roofer will not give a number?
Do not sign or pay a deposit. A roofer who cannot be checked cannot be relied on, whatever the quote says.
A roofer who will not give a licence number, or who says none is needed without giving the reason, is one the homeowner cannot check. The homeowner should not sign a contract or pay a deposit until the number can be verified against the record.
Where a complaint is needed, the Secretary of State is the place for licensing questions. The homeowner keeps the quote and the record of the number given, because those are what make a concern specific.
- Do not sign until the number is verified
- Keep the quote and the record of the number
- Raise licensing concerns with the Secretary of State
What happens if the roofer is not licensed for the work?
The work may be unlicensed, the homeowner has less recourse, and the insurer may question the job after a loss. A licensing concern goes to the Secretary of State.
A roofer who works without the required licence is taking a risk, and so is the homeowner who hires them. If the work fails, a homeowner who checked the licence and kept the record is in a much stronger position than one who did not. A missing or unverifiable licence is a reason not to sign, however good the quote looks.
A licensing concern is raised with the Secretary of State, which keeps the Board's records. Keep the quote, the date, the number given and any message showing the roofer's claim about the licence, because those records make the concern easier to act on.
- Report the concern to the Secretary of State
- Keep the quote, the date and the number given
- Do not sign until the number can be checked
How does the licence fit with permits and insurance?
The licence says who may do the work, the permit says whether the job may proceed under local rules, and the insurance says what is covered on site. Each is separate.
A roof job usually involves three checks. The licence governs who may do the trade. The permit, from the local office for the address, governs whether the job may proceed under local rules, and the FACTS sheet records that the Columbus office was not identified in its sources. The insurance governs what is covered on site, and the roofer should show proof of it in writing.
A check on one does not replace the others. This guide covers the licence, and the related pages cover the permit and the insurance.
- The licence: who may do the work
- The permit: whether the job may proceed locally
- The insurance: what is covered on site, in writing
What should a homeowner ask a roofer about the licence?
The number, the name on it, how it covers the work in the scope, whether any subcontractor holds its own licence, and whether the roofer will show the record on request.
Ask the roofer to show the licence number and the name on it, and to explain in a sentence how the licence covers the work in the scope. If a subcontractor will do part of the work, ask whether the subcontractor holds its own licence and where the record can be checked. A roofer who answers these plainly is one who expects to be checked.
Ask also whether the roofer will show the record on request during the job. A roofer who will not show it on the day is unlikely to show it later, and the homeowner should note that before any deposit is paid.
- The number and the name on it
- How the licence covers the scope
- Any subcontractor's own licence
Where should the record be checked?
On the Secretary of State's site, which keeps the State Licensing Board's records. The homeowner notes the date of the check and the result.
The check is made on the official record, not on a copy in the roofer's brochure. Enter the number and the name, note the date and the result, and keep the note with the contract. If the record shows a different name or a different trade from the one on the quote, ask the roofer to explain it before any deposit is paid.
Repeat the check if the job runs for many weeks, since a licence can change status during that time.
- Check the number on the official record
- Note the date and the result
- Ask about any mismatch before paying
What to do if the record and the quote disagree
Stop, ask the roofer to explain the difference in writing and check it again before any deposit is paid.
Sometimes the name on the record, the trade it lists or the status it shows does not match the quote. That mismatch is not always wrongdoing: a company may have changed its name, or a licence may cover a related trade. It is, however, a question that must be answered before money changes hands.
Ask the roofer to explain the difference in writing, with the basis for it. Check the record again on the day of signing, and note the result. If the explanation does not satisfy you, do not sign, and raise the concern with the Secretary of State.
- Name the difference in writing
- Check the record again on the day of signing
- Raise an unresolved concern with the Secretary of State
What a licence does and does not promise
A licence shows the contractor is recorded on the Board's register for a trade. It does not promise the workmanship, the timing or the outcome of a claim.
A licence is a recorded permission to do a trade, and it is worth checking for that reason. It does not promise that the work will be done well, that the job will finish on time or that an insurer will pay a claim. Those things depend on the roofer's workmanship, the scope and the policy.
Treat the licence as the first check of several, and keep the other checks in the file: the scope, the insurance and the record of the work.
- A licence is a recorded permission, not a promise
- Workmanship and timing are separate questions
- Keep the other checks in the file
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia have a roofing licence?
Not a state-level roofing licence. The Board issues the residential and general licences that apply.
When is a licence needed?
For residential or general work valued at $2,500 or more, according to the FACTS sheet.
Can I check the number myself?
Yes. Use the Secretary of State site and keep the dated record.
Is the exemption for a roofing business settled?
No. The sources disagree, so this guide does not state one. Ask the roofer to explain the basis in writing.
Sources
This guide is general information for Muscogee County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.