Texas Has No Roofing License: How to Vet a Roofer

Most homeowners assume roofers carry a state license the way electricians do. In Texas they do not, and that surprises people right when they are trying to pick a company after a storm. The good news is that the things that actually protect you can all be checked in an afternoon.

Is there a Texas roofing license at all?

No. Texas regulates plenty of building trades. Electricians and air-conditioning contractors answer to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and plumbers to the State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Roofing is not on that list; the Department of Licensing and Regulation has no roofing program at all. There is no state roofing exam, no state roofing license number and no state agency you can call to look one up.

So when a company says it holds a "Texas roofing license," ask exactly what document they mean. Usually it is a city registration, a trade association credential or a manufacturer program, and each of those means something different.

Is an RCAT roofing license the same as a state license?

No. The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas, or RCAT, is a trade association. It runs a voluntary program for roofing contractors with its own requirements, and companies choose whether to take part. That can tell you a contractor has gone through RCAT's process, but it is not a state license and carries no state enforcement behind it. If a roofer mentions it, you can check with RCAT directly.

Manufacturer programs work the same way. Shingle makers run contractor programs with their own rules. If a company names one, look the company up on the manufacturer's own website rather than relying on a logo in a brochure.

How to check a roofer in Texas, step by step

Choosing a roofing contractor in DFW after a storm

Big hail brings crews from out of state. Some do fine work; others leave before the first warranty question. A few habits keep you safe:

• Do not sign anything on the doorstep the day after a storm. The federal Cooling-Off Rule gives you three business days to cancel many sales made at your home, but it is easier not to sign in a hurry.
• Your deductible is yours to pay. Texas Insurance Code Chapter 707 bars roofers from waiving, rebating or absorbing it, so an offer to "cover" it is a reason to walk away.
• Chapter 4102 reserves claim negotiation on your behalf for a licensed public adjuster (or your attorney). A roofer can photograph damage and be present for the adjuster's visit, but anyone promising to run your claim for you is overstepping.
• Get every promise in writing, including cleanup and how damaged decking is priced.
• Be wary of a contract that assigns your insurance benefits to the roofer or lets it deal with your insurer for you. Read anything you sign with your insurer in mind, and ask your agent if a clause is unclear.
• Look for a local address or service area you can verify. A company that will still be reachable next spring matters when a flashing detail needs a second look.

Where can you report a bad roofer in Texas?

With no state roofing board, complaints go to whichever office covers the problem. Knowing the right door saves weeks:

• Unpermitted or unsafe work: your city's building or inspections department. In Irving that is the Inspections Department at (972) 721-2371.
• Deceptive sales, unfinished jobs or deposits that vanish: the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Texas Attorney General, which takes complaints online.
• Deductible waivers or someone posing as an adjuster: the Texas Department of Insurance, which enforces Chapters 707 and 4102.
• Theft or threats: local police.

Keep the contract, receipts, texts and photos together before you file. A complaint does not get your money back by itself, but it creates a record other homeowners and agencies can see. Bills to create a state reroofing license have also been filed, including HB 3344 in 2025, so check Texas Legislature Online if you are reading this in a later year.

What we would want you to ask any roofer

These are questions we think every company should be glad to answer, before a contract is signed:

1. Who applies for the city permit, and when?
2. Can your insurance agent send me a certificate directly?
3. Who is actually on my roof: your employees or a subcontracted crew?
4. What exactly is written in your workmanship guarantee?
5. If there is rotten decking, what is the price per sheet?
6. Will someone explain the work in the language I am most comfortable in?

That last one matters in North Texas. The 2020 Census counted Irving as 41.1% Hispanic or Latino, and in Dallas the share is large too. Contracts are easier to judge when you can ask questions in your own language, and we provide service in Spanish and English. For readers searching licencia de techero en Texas: the same answer applies, there is no state roofing license, so check the items above.

A few honest caveats about those answers. A subcontracted crew is not automatically a bad sign; what matters is who supervises the work and whose guarantee covers it. A company that is not in RCAT's program may still do careful work, and one that is in it can still make mistakes, so weigh the paperwork alongside reviews and the written scope. And an estimate that runs higher than a neighbor's is not proof of padding until you compare the line items. A quote that leaves out decking, drip edge or new flashing will nearly always come in lower, and we would rather explain that gap than match a number that skips them.

Our residential roofing page explains how our projects run, and the homepage covers what to expect from us as a roofing contractor in Irving, TX. Ask us any of the questions on this page during a free inspection, or call (725) 745-8803 with them first.