Two roofing licenses
Florida licenses roofing contractors at the state level, through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR):
- Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC): a state certification, valid anywhere in Florida. 9,419 were active on October 23, 2026, by DBPR's license extract.
- Registered Roofing Contractor (RC): valid only in the local jurisdiction where the contractor holds a certificate of competency. 470 were active.
Tampa says it directly in its guide for contractors: "Licensing requirements are managed exclusively at the state level by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), rather than by local City of Tampa offices." A contractor with a state license registers a copy of the license and proof of insurance with the City before pulling permits there, with no fee.
How to check
Ask for the license number, then look it up on DBPR's license search. Check that the license is current and is a roofing license (CCC or RC), and for an RC, that it covers your city or county. A contract signed with an unlicensed contractor can't be enforced by that contractor (Fla. Stat. § 489.128).
What Florida law puts in the contract
- The roofing contract notice. Every residential roofing contract in Florida carries a notice the statute spells out word for word (§ 489.147(7)).
- The recovery fund notice. A contract over $2,500 includes a notice that payment "up to a limited amount" may be available from the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund if you lose money on the project (§ 489.1425).
- Deposits over 10 percent. A contractor who takes more than 10 percent of the contract price as a first payment must apply for the permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued (§ 489.126(2)(a)).
- After a storm the Governor has declared. Florida adds a cancellation right for roofing contracts signed in the months after a storm the Governor has declared:
A residential property owner may cancel a contract to replace or repair a roof without penalty or obligation within 10 days after the execution of the contract or by the official start date, whichever comes first, if the contract was entered into within 180 days of events that are the subject of a declaration of a state of emergency by the Governor and the residential property is located within the geographic area for which the declaration of the state of emergency applies.
What this site does in Florida
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work. The contractors who answer the line are independent. This site does not discuss insurance policies, coverage or payments.
More on the code side of a Florida reroof: replacing a roof in Florida. The places covered: Florida.
Questions
What license does a roofer need in Florida?
Roofing in Florida takes a state license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). A Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC) may work anywhere in the state, while a Registered Roofing Contractor (RC) may work only in the local jurisdiction where the contractor holds a certificate of competency.
How do I check a Florida roofing contractor’s license?
Ask for the license number and look it up on DBPR’s license search. Confirm that the license is current and is a roofing license, CCC or RC, and for an RC, that it covers your city or county.
How large a deposit can a Florida roofer take?
A contractor who takes more than 10 percent of the contract price as a first payment must apply for the permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued (Fla. Stat. § 489.126(2)(a)).
Can I cancel a Florida roofing contract signed after a storm?
If the contract was signed within 180 days of a storm the Governor has declared, and the house is in the declared area, the owner may cancel without penalty within 10 days of signing or by the official start date, whichever comes first (Fla. Stat. § 489.147(6)(a)).