There is no state licence — verify other things instead
Unlike many states, Texas has no state-level licensing requirement for roofing contractors. There is a voluntary industry certification programme, and individual municipalities have their own registration and permit rules, but there is no single licence number that proves competence.
So verify what does exist:
- General liability insurance. Ask for the certificate of insurance directly from the insurer or agent, not a photocopy from the contractor. Confirm it is current.
- Workers' compensation. If an uninsured worker is injured on your roof, that can become your problem. Ask specifically.
- A verifiable physical address in the metroplex — not a PO box and not an out-of-state headquarters with a local phone number forwarded to it.
- Municipal registration and permits. Most DFW cities require a permit for a reroof. The contractor should pull it.
- Manufacturer certification, if claimed — these are verifiable on the manufacturer's own website.
Red flags
An offer to cover, waive or rebate your deductible. This is the clearest one. It is insurance fraud in Texas and it exposes you as well as them. End the conversation.
An offer to 'handle the whole claim'. Texas law prohibits a roofing contractor from acting as a public adjuster on a job they are contracted to perform. Documenting damage and providing an estimate is fine and useful; negotiating your claim is not theirs to do.
Large money up front. A deposit toward materials can be reasonable. A demand for most of the contract value before work starts is not.
Pressure to sign today. Especially a document described as 'just an authorisation to inspect' — read it, because it is sometimes a contract that assigns the work, and sometimes it carries a cancellation penalty.
No written, itemised estimate. A number on the back of a card is not an estimate.
Out-of-state plates and a brand-new local phone number in the weeks after a storm. Some are legitimate. Most will not be reachable in three years when a warranty question arises.
What belongs in the contract
- Full legal business name, physical address and phone
- Total price, and the payment schedule tied to milestones
- Manufacturer, product line and colour of the shingle
- Square count and the scope — which slopes, which penetrations
- Which components are being replaced rather than reused: underlayment, drip edge, valley metal, pipe boots, ridge cap, flashing
- Decking replacement price per sheet
- Ventilation work — intake and exhaust
- Permit responsibility, stated explicitly
- Both warranties: manufacturer on materials, contractor on workmanship, with their terms
- Clean-up, including magnetic sweep for nails
- Start and completion window
- Cancellation terms
Five questions worth asking
- How many squares did you measure, and how? Two estimates that disagree by several squares mean one of them did not measure.
- What are you replacing versus reusing? This is where a cheap estimate gets cheap.
- What happens if you find rotten decking? You want a per-sheet price now, not a negotiation on day two.
- What is my attic ventilation like? If they have not looked, they have not really inspected.
- What is your workmanship warranty, and how long have you been trading under this name? A twenty-five year workmanship warranty from a company founded eight months ago is not worth much.
Someone knocked on my door after the storm
Door-knocking after a storm is normal in this market and is not by itself proof of anything. Plenty of legitimate local companies canvass, because that is how damaged neighbourhoods get found.
The useful response is not to refuse on principle, it is to slow down. Take the company name and licence-plate state. Do not sign anything in the driveway. Look them up, ask for the certificate of insurance from the insurer, and get a second inspection. Anyone unwilling to wait two days for that has told you what you needed to know.
Free, no obligation
Not sure where your own roof stands?
A licensed North Texas roofer will inspect it, photograph anything they find and give you a written estimate — at no cost, whether you hire anyone or not.
Common questions
Do roofing contractors need a licence in Texas?
No. Texas has no state-level roofing licence. There is a voluntary industry certification and cities have their own permit and registration rules, but no single licence number proves competence — so verify insurance, workers' compensation and a real local address instead.
Is it legal for a roofer to pay my deductible?
No. Absorbing, waiving or rebating a homeowner's insurance deductible is insurance fraud in Texas, and it exposes the homeowner as well as the contractor. Treat the offer as a reason to walk away.
How much deposit should I pay up front?
A modest deposit toward materials can be reasonable. A demand for most of the contract value before work begins is not, and payment should otherwise be tied to milestones.
Should I sign the form the door-knocker gave me?
Not in the driveway. Documents described as an authorisation to inspect are sometimes contracts that assign the work and sometimes carry cancellation penalties. Read it somewhere else, and get a second inspection first.
What should be in a roofing contract?
Total price and payment schedule, shingle manufacturer and colour, square count and scope, which components are replaced rather than reused, decking price per sheet, ventilation work, permit responsibility, both warranties, clean-up and the completion window.