Texas Roofing License and Insurance: What Leander Homeowners Should Check

Is There a Texas Roofing License?

No. If you search a state database for a Texas roofing license number, you won’t find one, because the state doesn’t issue it. The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas says on its licensing page that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation “does NOT currently administer licensure for roofing contractors.”

RCAT goes further, saying anyone can call themselves a roofer in Texas. That surprises people who move to Leander from states that license roofers.

So when a roofer in Williamson County says “we’re licensed,” the honest follow-up is “licensed by whom?” Since there is no Texas roofing license, the answer is usually a trade association credential, a city registration or a manufacturer program. Each one means something different, and none of them replaces proof of insurance.

Our post on how to choose a roofer covers storm chasers and contracts. This page goes deeper into the documents: what each one proves and how to check it from your kitchen table in Bryson, Travisso or Old Town Leander.

Texas Roofing License Myths vs. What Actually Exists

Here is a quick map of the credentials you’ll hear about, and who stands behind each one.

The row that protects you most isn’t a Texas roofing license. It’s insurance, and most homeowners never read the certificate.

What an RCAT Licensed Roofer Has Done

RCAT’s program is the closest thing to a Texas roofing license that exists. It’s voluntary industry self-regulation, but the bar is real. Here’s what RCAT says an applicant must show.

1. A person, not a company. RCAT licenses individuals. The license holder must own, operate or manage the roofing company, and a company may call itself licensed only if that person manages it.
2. Two years as a principal. The applicant must have been a principal in a Texas-based roofing company for at least two continuous years.
3. A fixed physical address. A truck and a cell phone don’t qualify.
4. General liability insurance or a bond. RCAT sets separate minimums for residential and commercial work.
5. Workers’ comp, or a state filing saying there isn’t any. More on that below.
6. Two passed exams. A business and safety exam plus a residential and/or commercial roofing exam, each at 70% or better.
7. Yearly renewal. The license lasts one year, and renewal requires 8 hours of approved continuing education.

RCAT also says a terminated license can’t be reinstated. A person who loses it has to reapply and retest from scratch.

How to confirm an RCAT licensed roofer

Ask for the name of the individual who holds the license, not just the company name. Then contact RCAT directly to confirm it’s current, since a license lapses if it isn’t renewed each year. An RCAT licensed roofer is a good sign, but it’s one signal among several, not a stand-in for a Texas roofing license that doesn’t exist.

Roofer Insurance Certificate: How to Read One

A roofer insurance certificate, often called a COI, is a one-page snapshot of a contractor’s policies. It is not the policy itself.

Check these items line by line:

• Named insured. The business name should match the name on your estimate and contract. A different name means you may be hiring one company and seeing another company’s coverage.
• General liability. This is the coverage that responds if the crew damages your house, your car in the driveway or a neighbor’s fence. Make sure it’s listed.
• Policy dates. Look at the effective and expiration dates. A policy that expires before your job is scheduled to start doesn’t help you.
• Workers’ compensation section. It will either list a policy or be blank. Blank isn’t automatically bad in Texas, but you need an explanation.
• Certificate holder. Ask the roofer to have the agent issue the certificate with you listed as the certificate holder for your address. A generic certificate made out to someone else tells you less.

Get it from the agent, not the roofer

The safest roofer insurance certificate is one emailed to you directly by the insurance agent. A copy pulled from a folder in someone’s truck could be old or altered. If you want to be thorough, call the agency listed on the form and ask whether the policy is active today.

Insurance matters more than any Texas roofing license question, because it’s what pays when something goes wrong. A bundle dropped through a skylight on Hero Way is a liability problem, not a licensing one.

Roofing Contractor Insurance in Texas: Workers’ Comp and Nonsubscribers

Here’s where roofing contractor insurance in Texas gets unusual. The Texas Department of Insurance’s workers’ compensation history page says “Texas is the only state that allows employers to choose whether or not to provide workers’ compensation.”

Employers who choose not to carry it are called nonsubscribers. They have to notify the state’s Division of Workers’ Compensation and their employees. That’s why RCAT accepts either a comp policy or proof of a current-year filing of DWC Form-005, the Employer Notice of No Coverage.

What nonsubscriber status means for you

For a homeowner, the practical point is simple. Roofing is steep, hot, dangerous work, and you want to know who’s responsible if someone falls off your roof in Deerbrooke or Crystal Falls. Ask the roofer whether they carry comp, whether the crew are employees or subcontractors, and who covers the subcontractors.

It’s also worth asking your own insurance agent how your policy treats an injury to a contractor’s worker on your property.

Leander Contractor Registration and Permits

The City of Leander’s permits page says all contractors and subcontractors doing work in the city are required to be registered prior to issuance of the permit. Registration is part of the permit issuance step, along with paying remaining fees.

That same page lists re-roofing among exterior work that does not require a permit in Leander. So for a standard re-roof, City registration may never come up. It does matter when your project includes work that needs a permit, and our page on the Leander roof permit question explains that line in more detail.

When a job needs a permit, ask the roofer to confirm they’re registered with the City before the permit is issued. If you’re unsure whether your project needs one, call the City’s Permits and Building Inspections staff. Rules in Cedar Park, Georgetown and other nearby cities are separate, so check each city’s own site.

Manufacturer Certifications and the BBB

Shingle manufacturers run contractor programs with titles that sound official. These are business and marketing programs set by each manufacturer. Their requirements differ from one company to the next, and they’re often tied to which warranties a roofer can register.

A manufacturer badge is not a Texas roofing license. If a roofer leans on one, ask the manufacturer whether that roofer is enrolled right now.

The Better Business Bureau is a private nonprofit, not a licensing agency. A BBB page can show how a company answers complaints, which is useful. It can’t tell you whether a roofer carries insurance today.

Texas Roofing License Questions and Your Insurance Claim

None of these credentials gives a roofer the right to run your claim. Under Texas Insurance Code 4102.163, a contractor can’t act as a public adjuster or negotiate your claim. Under Business and Commerce Code 27.02, a contractor can’t waive, absorb or rebate your deductible.

If a roofer waves a “license” around as proof they can handle your claim with the insurer, walk away. The claim is yours. Our guide to Texas roof insurance claims walks through the process step by step.

How We Handle Licensing and Insurance Questions

We don’t put policy numbers or carrier names on this website, because a web page can’t prove coverage is current on the day of your job. Instead, we show you our certificates before any work starts, and we’re glad to have them sent from the agent. You can read more about Leander Roof Repair and how we work.

What you can expect from us on every job, from Lakeline Ranch to the homes off US-183:

• A written estimate before any work, including tarps.
• Dated photos of every problem we find.
• Metal flashing, not caulk.
• A magnet sweep of the yard and driveway at the end.
• Permits pulled when the city requires them.

We don’t door knock. If you have questions about a Texas roofing license, insurance or anything on this page, you’re welcome to contact us and ask before you hire anyone.

Texas Roofing License and Insurance Questions