How to Verify a Licensed Roofing Contractor in Florida

In the 48 hours after a significant storm, unlicensed contractors appear in Central Florida neighbourhoods before the debris is cleared. They knock on doors, offer to tarp on the spot, and present low quotes with no written scope, no licence number, and no insurance certificate. It happens after every major weather event in Florida.

This page is about verification — how to check that a contractor is who they say they are, before you sign anything. If you have already verified someone and are comparing quotes, see our questions to ask before hiring a roofing contractor instead.

How do I verify a Florida roofing licence?

Florida roofing contractors are licensed through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and every licence is publicly searchable. There are two classes:

• CCC — Certified Roofing Contractor. Valid statewide.
• RC — Registered Roofing Contractor. Valid only in the specific jurisdictions where the contractor is registered.

A general or building contractor licence is a different class and does not by itself make someone a roofing contractor for standalone roofing work. If the number you are given does not start with CCC or RC, ask why.

To check any licence:

1. Go to myfloridalicense.com
2. Choose Verify a Licence
3. Enter the licence number the contractor gave you
4. Confirm four things: the licensee name matches the company name on your estimate, the status reads Current, Active, the licence class covers roofing, and there is no disciplinary history

That third check catches the most common trick — a real, active licence that belongs to a different company than the one quoting you.

One World Roofing LLC holds Florida Roofing Contractor Licence CCC1330134, verifiable at myfloridalicense.com at any time. Our certifications page lists our licence and manufacturer credentials together.

What insurance should a roofing contractor carry?

General liability, and workers’ compensation if they have employees. Ask for a Certificate of Insurance naming your property address as certificate holder, and ask for it to come directly from the insurance agent rather than forwarded by the contractor — certificates are easy to alter and expiry dates are easy to miss.

Check the coverage amount, the expiry date, and that the business name on the certificate matches the business name on your estimate. If an uninsured worker is injured on your roof, liability can land with you as the property owner.

Does roofing work in Florida need a permit?

Yes — repairs, replacements, and re-roofing all require a permit pulled under the performing contractor’s licence. Unpermitted roofing work can:

• Void insurance coverage on that roof section
• Create disclosure problems when you sell the property
• Leave you liable for injuries on an unpermitted site
• Trigger a stop-work order and a requirement to tear out and redo the work

If a contractor says no permit is needed, or asks you to pull it as the homeowner, that is the end of the conversation. Asking the owner to pull the permit usually means they cannot, and it moves code-compliance liability onto you.

We pull all permits under CCC1330134 on every project. Homeowners never contact the building department, and we attend the final inspection.

How much should I pay upfront?

As little as possible before materials are on site. Under Florida Statute 489.126, a contractor who takes more than 10% of the contract price as a deposit must apply for permits within 30 days and begin work within 90 days — so a large deposit followed by silence is not just a bad sign, it may breach the statute.

A modest deposit is normal. Handing over half the job value in cash before anything arrives is not.

Should I ever sign an Assignment of Benefits?

No. An AOB transfers your insurance claim rights to the contractor — they control the claim, negotiate with your insurer, and receive payment directly. You lose the ability to oversee or dispute the work or the settlement.

Florida restricted AOB use for roofing contractors in 2022, but storm chasers still present these documents, often without explaining what they are. We handle the full claim process — documentation, adjuster attendance, supplemental claims — without an AOB. See how our insurance claim support works.

Storm chaser red flags

• Knocks on your door within hours of the storm, unsolicited
• Out-of-state plates, or no local office address you can find on a map
• Cannot give you a CCC or RC number on the spot
• Pressures you to sign today — “this price is only good now”
• Wants a large cash payment upfront
• Verbal quote only, no written scope
• Presents an AOB without explaining it
• No Certificate of Insurance naming your address
• Says no permit is needed
• Offers to cover your deductible — this is insurance fraud in Florida

If you have storm damage right now, follow our step-by-step guide to what to do after storm damage before you engage anyone.

How do I find a good roofer before I need one?

The best time to choose a contractor is before an emergency forces a rushed decision. Verify now, ahead of hurricane season:

• Active CCC or RC licence, checked yourself at myfloridalicense.com
• Current Certificate of Insurance with adequate coverage
• A verifiable local address, not just a phone number
• Recent Google reviews from local homeowners — read the content, not just the star rating
• Manufacturer certifications, which require training and unlock enhanced warranties

Book a free pre-season roof inspection and get the relationship established before you need 24/7 emergency response. Our hurricane preparation checklist covers what else to do before June.

We serve Orlando, Kissimmee, and 44 cities across Central Florida.

Call (321) 214-7663 or request a free inspection.

One World Roofing LLC — FL Licence CCC1330134. Established 2013, trading as One World Roofing since 2018, led by Yordanys Hector who has worked in roofing since 1988.