Verifying roofing contractor qualifications license insurance experience requires a structured checklist that covers every risk area. Roofing accounts for 1 in 3 fall-related fatalities in construction according to OSHA 2024 data. A thorough qualification checklist is your first line of defense against jobsite incidents, warranty voidance, and liability exposure.

This checklist gives you a pass/fail framework for every qualification category. Print it, share it with your project managers, and use it on every roofing subcontract.

The Complete Roofing Contractor Qualification Checklist

Use this checklist sequentially. Each section builds on the previous one. A failure in licensing stops the process. There is no reason to verify insurance for an unlicensed subcontractor.

Section 1: Licensing Verification

Licensing is pass/fail. No exceptions.

Check the state licensing board portal. Enter the sub's license number or company name. Confirm the license is active, not expired, suspended, or revoked.

Verify trade classification. The license must authorize roofing work specifically. In states like Florida, a CCC (Certified Commercial Roofing Contractor) license is required for commercial projects. A general contractor license alone may not authorize roofing.

Confirm geographic coverage. Some licenses are statewide. Others are county or city-specific. Verify the license covers your project's jurisdiction.

Check for disciplinary actions. Most state boards list complaints, fines, and disciplinary actions on the verification portal. Any active disciplinary action is a red flag.

License Check	Pass Criteria	Fail Criteria
License status	Active	Expired, suspended, revoked
Trade classification	Roofing-specific or includes roofing	General only, no roofing authority
Geographic coverage	Covers project jurisdiction	Does not cover project location
Disciplinary history	Clean or resolved	Active complaints or sanctions
Expiration date	Valid through project completion	Expires during project

Section 2: Insurance Verification

Insurance verification for roofing requires higher standards than most trades due to the elevated risk profile.

Commercial General Liability. Minimum $2M per occurrence, $4M aggregate for commercial work. Verify additional insured endorsement naming your company. Confirm completed operations coverage extends 3 years past project completion.

Workers' Compensation. Verify the policy is active and that roofing classifications (NCCI 5551 or 5552) appear on the declarations page. Check that the sub's payroll estimate aligns with the crew size they plan to assign.

Commercial Auto. $1M combined single limit if the sub will operate vehicles on or around your project site.

Umbrella/Excess Liability. $5M minimum for commercial roofing projects. This layer covers claims that exceed the primary CGL limits.

Completed Operations. This coverage is critical for roofing. Defects may not appear for months or years. Verify the sub maintains completed operations coverage at the same limits as their occurrence coverage.

Section 3: Safety Record Review

Safety performance tells you more about a roofing sub's operational quality than any reference letter.

EMR review. Request three years of EMR history. Set your maximum threshold at 0.85 for roofing work. An EMR above 0.85 indicates a claims frequency that exceeds what you should accept for a high-risk trade.

OSHA citation history. Search the OSHA establishment search database for the sub's company name. Any citation in the last five years warrants a detailed review. Willful or repeat violations are disqualifying.

DART rate. Calculate the Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred rate from the sub's OSHA 300 logs. The 2024 national roofing average was 3.2. A sub above 4.0 is underperforming their peers.

Fall protection program. Request the sub's written fall protection plan. It should address guardrails, personal fall arrest systems, safety nets, and roof edge protection. Confirm it names a competent person for each crew.

Training records. Verify that all workers assigned to your project have completed OSHA 10-hour construction training at minimum. Supervisors should hold OSHA 30-hour cards. All workers need documented fall protection training within the last 12 months.

Safety Metric	Target	Acceptable	Disqualifying
EMR (current year)	Below 0.75	0.75 - 0.85	Above 0.85
EMR trend (3 years)	Declining	Flat	Rising
OSHA citations (5 years)	Zero	1-2 other-than-serious	Any willful or repeat
DART rate	Below 2.5	2.5 - 3.5	Above 3.5
Fall protection plan	Documented, site-specific	Generic but complete	Missing or incomplete

Section 4: Experience Verification

Experience requirements for roofing should match the specific type of roofing work on your project.

Project type match. A sub experienced in residential shingle roofing is not qualified for commercial single-ply membrane installation. Verify that references match your project's roofing system type.

Scale match. A sub that has completed 5,000 square foot roofs is not prepared for a 50,000 square foot roof without additional scrutiny. Verify the sub has completed at least two projects within 50% of your project's square footage.

Manufacturer certification. If your specifications call for a specific manufacturer's warranty, the sub must hold active certification from that manufacturer. GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT, and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred each have different requirements and warranty levels.

Crew qualifications. The sub's company experience is important, but so is the crew they plan to assign. Ask which foreman and crew lead will run your project and verify their individual qualifications and experience.

Section 5: Financial Stability

Financial checks prevent mid-project defaults that leave you with an incomplete roof during weather season.

Bonding capacity. Request a bonding letter showing available capacity equal to or greater than your subcontract value. If the sub cannot get bonded for the project amount, they may not have the financial resources to complete the work.

Credit references. Request two material supplier references. Suppliers will tell you if the sub pays on time. A sub with slow-pay habits at their roofing supplier may have cash flow problems.

Litigation history. Run a court records search for the sub's legal name. Multiple construction defect lawsuits signal quality problems. Multiple payment disputes signal financial instability.

Section 6: Reviews and Reputation

Reviews provide context but should not replace the formal qualification process.

Better Business Bureau. Check for complaints and resolution patterns. A sub with 10 complaints and 10 resolutions shows responsiveness. A sub with 10 complaints and 2 resolutions shows indifference.

Industry memberships. NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association) membership indicates industry engagement. State roofing association membership shows local market commitment.

Project owner references. Speak with building owners who have lived with the sub's completed roofs for at least two years. Early-stage leaks, flashing failures, and warranty claim responsiveness only show up with time.

How to Use This Checklist on Your Next Project

Step 1. Send the checklist to your roofing sub along with your qualification statement. Give them 14 days to compile the required documents.

Step 2. Verify each item independently. Do not trust self-reported data.

Step 3. Score each section. Any pass/fail item (licensing) that fails stops the process.

Step 4. For scored items, set a minimum composite score of 80%. Subs below 80% do not make the bid list.

Step 5. Document results. Store the completed checklist and supporting documents in your project file.

For common mistakes GCs make during this process, see our analysis of Roofing Contractor Qualification Mistakes.

FAQs

What is the most important roofing contractor qualification to verify? Active licensing is the most important because it is pass/fail. An unlicensed roofing contractor cannot legally perform work, and any work they complete may fail inspection. After licensing, insurance verification is the next priority because roofing creates the highest liability exposure of any construction trade.

How do I check a roofing contractor's license? Visit your state's contractor licensing board website and search by license number or company name. Every state with a licensing requirement offers free online verification. Check that the license is active, covers roofing work specifically, and is valid for your project's jurisdiction. Do not accept photocopies as proof.

What insurance limits should roofing contractors carry? For commercial roofing, require $2M per occurrence and $4M aggregate CGL, workers' compensation at statutory limits with proper roofing classifications, and a $5M umbrella policy. Completed operations coverage should match occurrence limits and extend 3 years past project completion. For residential, $1M/$2M CGL with a $2M umbrella is the minimum.

How many references should I require from roofing contractors? Require at least three references from completed projects that match your project type and scale. A commercial re-roofing reference is relevant for a commercial bid. A residential reference is not. Call references directly and ask about schedule performance, quality, safety, and whether they would hire the sub again.

What EMR should I accept from roofing contractors? Set your maximum EMR at 0.85 for roofing work. The national average is 1.0, but roofing is a high-risk trade that demands better-than-average safety performance. Request three years of EMR data to identify trends. A rising EMR is a warning sign even if the current number is below your threshold.

Should manufacturer certifications be required for roofing contractors? Yes, if your project specifications include a manufacturer warranty. GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, and other major manufacturers offer enhanced warranties only through certified installers. Without certification, you may receive only a basic materials warranty with no coverage for labor or workmanship defects.

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