Registration is not a license
Five of the six states on this site register home improvement contractors; registration means the business has filed with the state, not that the state has tested its skill. Connecticut's law forbids a contractor from presenting registration as "an endorsement of the quality of such person's workmanship" (C.G.S. § 20-427(b)(6)). Florida is the exception, where roofing takes a state license (below).
Whatever the state, ask for the number before anyone starts work, look it up, and ask for a certificate of liability insurance.
State by state
| State | What to ask for | Where to look it up |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Home improvement registration with the Attorney General (required from $5,000 a year of such work) | hicsearch.attorneygeneral.gov |
| New Jersey | Home improvement registration with the Division of Consumer Affairs | newjersey.mylicense.com |
| Massachusetts | HIC registration (owner-occupied homes of one to four units); construction supervisor license (CSL) for roof covering on permitted work | contractorhub.mass.gov |
| Connecticut | Home improvement registration with the Department of Consumer Protection | data.ct.gov and the state's license look-up |
| Rhode Island | Registration with the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board | CRLB search |
| Florida | State license: Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC) or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC) | DBPR |
Pennsylvania. The registration number has to be on every contract, estimate and proposal (HICPA § 6). In Philadelphia, work on an existing one- or two-family house also needs the City's "PA Home Improvement" registration: 555 were active on October 22, 2026.
New Jersey. A business that offers home improvements must be registered (N.J.S.A. 56:8-138) and show the number on contracts and advertising (56:8-144); 47,473 registrations were active in October 2026.
Massachusetts. In Massachusetts a contractor is registered under the home improvement law (c. 142A) and the person supervising a permitted reroof is licensed as a construction supervisor (CSL) with the roof covering specialty. Ask for both numbers.
Connecticut. Contractors and the salespeople who sell for them both register (C.G.S. § 20-420); 24,065 contractor registrations were active in October 2026.
Rhode Island. There is no separate residential roofing license; the state's roofing license law covers commercial roofing. Residential roofers register with the board.
Florida. In Florida a roofing contractor must be licensed: Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC), valid statewide, or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC), valid only where the contractor holds a local certificate. 9,419 CCC licenses were active on October 23, 2026. More: Florida roofing licenses.
The contract
- Three business days to cancel. In Pennsylvania, within three business days of signing, wherever it was signed (HICPA § 7(b)). In New Jersey, before midnight of the third business day after you receive a copy (N.J.S.A. 56:8-151(b)). In Connecticut, every home improvement contract counts as a home solicitation sale, wherever it is signed (C.G.S. § 20-429(e)).
- Deposits. Pennsylvania: on a job over $5,000, no more than one-third of the price plus special-order materials (HICPA § 9). Massachusetts: no more than the greater of one-third of the price or the cost of special-order materials (c. 142A § 2).
- In writing. Massachusetts requires a written contract for jobs over $1,000 (c. 142A § 2); New Jersey for jobs over $500 (56:8-151).
- Guaranty funds. Massachusetts pays up to $25,000 per claimant, only after a court or arbitration award the contractor has not paid (c. 142A § 7). Connecticut also runs a guaranty fund.
The estimate and the contract goes through the lines a roofing quote should have.
Questions
Does contractor registration mean the state checked the roofer’s skill?
No. Registration means the business has filed with the state, not that the state has tested its skill; Connecticut’s law forbids presenting registration as an endorsement of workmanship (C.G.S. § 20-427(b)(6)). Ask for the number before work starts, look it up, and ask for a certificate of liability insurance.
Does a roofer have to be registered in Pennsylvania?
Home improvement contractors with $5,000 or more a year of such work register with the Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract, estimate and proposal. In Philadelphia, work on an existing one- or two-family house also needs the City’s “PA Home Improvement” registration.
How long do I have to cancel a roofing contract?
In Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut a home improvement contract can be cancelled within three business days. Pennsylvania counts from signing, wherever it was signed; New Jersey allows until midnight of the third business day after you receive a copy.
What should I ask a Massachusetts roofer for?
Ask for two numbers: the contractor’s home improvement registration under c. 142A, and the construction supervisor license (CSL) with the roof covering specialty held by the person supervising a permitted reroof.