Licensed Roofer in Georgia: How to Verify Before You Hire

Georgia requires roofing contractors to hold a state license before they can legally work on your home. The Georgia Secretary of State's Professional Licensing division oversees this, and you can verify any roofer's license in minutes at verify.sos.ga.gov. Before you sign a contract or hand over a deposit, this is the check you need to run.

Does Georgia require a license to do roofing work?

Yes. Georgia requires roofing contractors to hold a valid state license issued through the Georgia Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division. Any residential or commercial roofing project above $2,500 in combined labor and materials requires a licensed contractor. Working without a license is a criminal offense in Georgia and voids most insurance claims.

Roofing is regulated under Georgia's general contractor licensing framework. A roofer may hold a Residential-Basic (RB), Residential-Light Commercial (RLC), or General Contractor (GC) license depending on project scope and value.

Georgia also requires specialty licensing for certain roofing-adjacent work. If your roofer is handling structural repairs, skylight installations tied to framing, or commercial roof systems, confirm they hold the appropriate license class for that project value.

What license class does a Georgia roofer need?

The license class must match the project's total value. A Residential-Basic (RB) license covers residential roofing projects up to $50,000. A Residential-Light Commercial (RLC) license covers projects up to $150,000. A General Contractor (GC) license has no cap and covers commercial roofing and large residential projects above $150,000.

This is a point homeowners routinely miss. A roofer with only an RB license doing a $75,000 commercial roof replacement is operating outside their authorized class. If something goes wrong — a leak, structural damage, a worker injury — their bond and insurance may not cover work that exceeded their license tier.

Always confirm the license class matches your project type and budget before work begins. This takes about thirty seconds on verify.sos.ga.gov once you have the license number.

How do you verify a roofer's license in Georgia?

Go to verify.sos.ga.gov, the official Georgia Secretary of State license verification portal. Select "Residential and General Contractors" from the license type dropdown, then search by the contractor's name, business name, or license number. The results show license status, license class, expiration date, and any disciplinary actions on record.

License number searches return the most reliable results. Ask your roofer for their license number before you search — Georgia law requires contractors to display it on contracts, bids, and advertisements. If they hesitate or can't produce one, that is a serious red flag.

When reviewing search results, look specifically for an "Active" status. Expired, suspended, or revoked licenses mean the contractor is not authorized to work. Also confirm the business name on the license matches the company on your contract.

What bond and insurance does a Georgia roofer need?

Georgia requires licensed roofing contractors to carry a minimum of $300,000 in general liability insurance and a $10,000 surety bond. The bond protects you if the contractor fails to complete the work or leaves unpaid subcontractors or material suppliers. General liability insurance covers property damage and personal injury during the project.

Ask your roofer for a certificate of insurance before work starts. The certificate should show both general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Call the insurer listed on the certificate to confirm the policy is active — certificates can be falsified, and a quick call takes two minutes.

Georgia requires workers' compensation coverage for employers with three or more employees. If a roofer falls off your home and they lack workers' comp, you could face liability for the injury on your property.

What are the risks of hiring an unlicensed roofer in Georgia?

Hiring an unlicensed roofer in Georgia exposes you to financial loss, legal liability, and insurance complications. The Insurance Information Institute reports that water damage accounts for nearly 24% of all homeowner insurance claims, and a substantial share of those trace to improper roofing installation. If unlicensed work caused the damage, your insurer may deny the claim outright.

Georgia's contractor licensing law makes it a misdemeanor to perform contracting work without a license on projects above $2,500. But the criminal penalty is only one piece of the problem. You also lose access to the state board's complaint and discipline process, which licensed contractors are subject to.

Unpermitted roofing work is another consequence. Unlicensed roofers typically skip permits because pulling a permit exposes them. When you sell your home, unpermitted roofing can kill a deal, require remediation, or force you to disclose the issue to buyers.

What should you look for when hiring a roofer in Georgia?

Start with three things: a current Georgia state license in the correct class, proof of $300,000 general liability insurance, and a $10,000 surety bond. Beyond those baseline requirements, ask how long they have operated in your area, whether they pull permits themselves, and what manufacturer certifications they hold. Storm chasers rarely have local history or manufacturer relationships.

Get at least two written estimates. Unusual low bids — significantly below market rate — often signal cut corners, substandard materials, or a contractor planning to collect a deposit and disappear. Georgia sees a surge of unlicensed out-of-state roofing crews after hailstorms and hurricanes, particularly in metro Atlanta and coastal areas.

Ask whether they use subcontractors for the actual installation. Many roofing companies send day laborers who are not covered by the company's license or insurance. If subcontractors are used, ask to verify their coverage separately.

How do you check a roofer's license quickly before hiring?

The fastest approach is to look up the roofer at verify.sos.ga.gov using their license number, or to use CheckLicensed.com, which searches Georgia's Secretary of State database along with all other state licensing boards in one place. Either way, the check takes under two minutes and costs nothing compared to what an unlicensed roofing job can cost you.

A roof replacement is typically the single largest home improvement expenditure outside of a kitchen or bathroom gut renovation. Georgia's average roof replacement runs between $8,000 and $20,000 depending on size and materials. Spending two minutes verifying a license before committing that much money is not optional — it's the minimum due diligence every homeowner should do.

CheckLicensed.com makes this verification instant. Enter the contractor's name or license number, select Georgia, and get a full status report including license class, expiration, and any disciplinary history on file with the Secretary of State.