Washington · Roofing licensing · official-source guide
Washington does not issue a roofing license. Roofers register with the Department of Labor and Industries as a specialty contractor, which requires a $15,000 surety bond, general liability insurance and a $150.20 fee for a two-year registration. Registration comes before advertising, bidding or working, and the number must appear on advertising.
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Verify a licenseVerified against agency sources on 2026-09-28. Rules and fees change; confirm with the named authority before relying on this guide.
Washington does not issue a separate roofing license. It runs a mandatory registration program for every construction contractor, and roofing sits inside it. The Department of Labor and Industries, called L&I, administers the program under chapter 18.27 of the Revised Code of Washington. RCW 18.27.010 defines a contractor as anyone who, in the pursuit of an independent business, undertakes, offers to undertake or submits a bid to construct, alter, repair or improve a structure attached to real estate. The definition names the installation or repair of roofing or siding directly. A roofer is therefore a contractor in the plain text of the statute. The L&I registration page says state law requires all construction contractors to register, and that once registered a contractor can bid, advertise and perform construction work. The same page lists roofing among the 63 specialties L&I regulates. The practical answer for a roofing company is simple. You need an L&I contractor registration number before you advertise, send a bid or put a crew on a roof. The credential is built around a surety bond, liability insurance, workers compensation and business paperwork. L&I's registration page lists exam requirements for plumbing, electrical, elevator, mobile home installation, boiler and asbestos work, and roofing is not on that list. The sections below cover what registration takes, what it costs, what you must print on your marketing, and where Washington law draws a line around insurance claim work.
Sourceslni.wa.gov 1app.leg.wa.gov 2
L&I sorts construction contractors into two classifications. General contractors can perform most types of construction work and can hire subcontractors in multiple specialties. Specialty contractors can only perform work in the specialty they are registered in, and they cannot hire subcontractors. RCW 18.27.010 adds the statutory test: a general contractor is one whose business uses more than one building trade or craft on a single job or under a single building permit, and a specialty contractor is one whose operations do not fall under that definition. The statute also says a specialty contractor may only subcontract work that is incidental to the specialty work. For a roofing company, the specialty registration is the normal fit. WAC 296-200A-016 defines the roofing specialty for registration purposes. It covers installing and repairing the materials that form a water tight, weather resistant surface for roofs and decks, including accessories, plywood, coping, flashing, valleys, gravel stops and roof insulation panels above the roof decks. It lists asphaltum, pitch, tar, felt, glass fabric, urethane foam, metal roofing systems, flax, shakes, shingles, roof tile, slate and membrane materials. It also includes roofing related architectural sheet metal. The rule states one limit in plain words: the specialty does not allow structural repair of trusses, beams or joists. A roofer who finds rotted framing under a leak and wants to rebuild it needs to think about whether that work fits the registered specialty. A company that wants to sell full remodels with several trades on one permit should look at general contractor registration instead, which carries a higher bond.
RCW 18.27.020 is direct: every contractor shall register with the department. The statute makes it a gross misdemeanor to advertise, offer to do work, submit a bid or perform work as a contractor without being registered. The same rule applies while a registration is suspended or revoked. RCW 18.27.090 lists the exemptions, and most do not touch a normal roofing company. Government representatives, court officers, utilities, oil and gas operations and people who only sell finished materials are exempt. So is a person who only furnishes materials or supplies without fabricating them into the work. One exemption matters for small repair jobs. Work on one project under contracts with an aggregate price of less than five hundred dollars is treated as casual and minor. The statute closes that door in three cases. It does not apply when the work is part of a larger operation, when a job is split into smaller contracts to evade the chapter, or when the person advertises or puts out a sign or card suggesting they are a contractor. An owner who contracts with a registered contractor is also exempt from registering, though the owner keeps the protections of the chapter. A separate rule applies to an owner improving property to lease or sell. The definition in RCW 18.27.010 reaches people who offer to sell property they improved without occupying it for more than one year. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, according to RCW 18.27.030. Anyone who works under another contractor's number is also violating the statute.
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L&I lists the steps on its registration page. First, register your business with the Department of Revenue. Second, get a surety bond or an assignment of savings. Third, buy a general liability insurance policy. Fourth, complete the Application for Contractor Registration, form F625-001-000, and pay the fee. L&I recommends choosing your business structure and name first, then buying the bond and insurance, then visiting a local L&I office. The bond and insurance must use your exact business name, and L&I must be listed as certificate holder on the liability policy. Mailed applications need original notarized signatures, and L&I's page says mailed applications were taking three to four weeks to process, with a registration card following in about two weeks. RCW 18.27.030 lists what the application must include. That covers your federal employer or taxpayer number, your unified business identifier, evidence of workers compensation coverage through an L&I industrial insurance account, your employment security number if you have employees, the type of contracting activity and the roofing specialty, and the names and addresses of owners or officers. The statute says this information is public record. The department must deny an application in listed cases, including an unsatisfied final judgment tied to contracting work, a missing UBI number, falsified information, no active Department of Revenue registration, or an applicant under 18. The L&I page states exam requirements only for plumbing, electrical, elevators, mobile home installation, boilers and asbestos. No roofing exam appears there or in the application steps.
Sourceslni.wa.gov 1app.leg.wa.gov 2
The fee schedule sits in WAC 296-200A-900. L&I charges $150.20 for each issuance, renewal or reregistration of a contractor certificate, and the certificate is valid for two years from issuance, renewal or reregistration, or until it is suspended or revoked. RCW 18.27.060 also says a certificate of registration is valid for two years and must be renewed on or before the expiration date. Reinstating a registration costs $70.90, a duplicate certificate costs $16.50, and copies from a contractor's file cost $2.40 per page up to $37.00 for one file. The rule text shown was filed in May 2026 with an effective date of July 1, 2026, and it carried the same $150.20 figure that the L&I page shows for both registration and renewal. L&I gives three ways to renew: online with your 12-digit registration number, your UBI number and the fee, by mail with the renewal card and a check or money order, or in person at a local L&I office. Before renewing, L&I tells contractors to check the Verify a Contractor tool to confirm the bond and insurance on file are current and that the registration is not suspended. If the bond or insurance changed, update it first, because L&I must have the new original bond or certificate before it renews. Insurance certificates are not accepted by email or fax. A renewal sent by certified mail is valid on the date L&I receives the fee and proof of bond and insurance, and the receipt serves as proof of renewal until L&I verifies it. A lapse of 30 or fewer days does not make a contractor unregistered if bond and insurance stayed valid.
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Washington requires a continuous surety bond for every registered contractor. RCW 18.27.040 sets the amounts at $30,000 for a general contractor and $15,000 for a specialty contractor, which is the class a roofing company usually holds. WAC 296-200A-030 adds a sliding scale. If a specialty contractor has had final judgments involving a residential single-family dwelling in the previous five years, the required amount rises to $20,000 for one judgment, $30,000 for two, and $45,000 for three or more. The general contractor amounts rise to $40,000, $60,000 and $90,000 on the same count. L&I only considers judgments from the previous five years at renewal, reregistration or reinstatement, and an increased bond stays in force for the entire registration cycle. The bond names the state of Washington as obligee and is continuous. If the surety cancels, or withdraws, the registration is suspended automatically until a new bond is filed and approved. The bond is conditioned on paying workers, including employee benefits, paying state taxes and contributions, paying suppliers and equipment renters, and paying amounts adjudged against the contractor for breach of contract, including improper work. Anyone with a claim can sue the contractor and the bond in superior court in the county where the work was done, and the surety must be named. A residential homeowner suing on the bond for breach of contract must file within two years of substantial completion or abandonment. Other claimants generally have one year from when the labor was performed. L&I's page also says a bond amount cannot be reduced for two years if a contractor switches from general to specialty. An assignment of savings is allowed in place of a bond.
Two different insurance layers apply to a Washington roofer. The first is the general liability policy tied to registration. L&I's registration page states the requirement as $200,000 in public liability and $50,000 property damage, or $250,000 combined single limit. The statute text in RCW 18.27.050 reads differently. It requires $50,000 for injury or damage to property, $100,000 for injury or damage including death to any one person, and $200,000 for injury or damage including death to more than one person. Because the two sources do not match word for word, a roofing company should confirm the exact limits with L&I and with its agent before buying a policy. Either way, the policy must be filed at registration and again at reregistration, and an expiration, cancellation or revocation of the policy automatically suspends the registration until L&I approves a new one. L&I says it must receive certificates by mail, through the designated insurance agent portal, or in person, and it does not accept them by email or fax. A contractor can file an assigned account instead of insurance, but must tell every customer and bidder that recovery on a claim requires a court judgment. The second layer is workers compensation. RCW 18.27.030 requires the application to show coverage for employees working in Washington, through an industrial insurance account number issued by L&I, a self-insurer number, or a certificate from an agreement with a Canadian province. Roofing crews work at height, so the workers compensation account is not a paperwork step to treat lightly. Uninsured registration gaps also create the 30-day lapse issue described in the renewal section.
RCW 18.27.100 is the advertising statute, and it is specific. All advertising that shows a contractor's name or address must show the contractor's current registration number. The number may be left off an alphabetized listing that states only name, address and telephone number. Signs on motor vehicles subject to RCW 46.16A.030 and on-premises signs are not treated as advertising under this section, so the number requirement does not apply to a truck door or a shop sign. The statute also reaches direct solicitation: all materials used to directly solicit business from retail customers who are not businesses must show the current registration number. That covers door hangers, flyers, mailers, yard signs and canvassing handouts that a storm response crew might print. Advertising by airwave transmission is excluded from the number rule, though advertising by airwave or electronic transmission is subject to the subpoena rule for sellers of advertising. All advertising, contracts, correspondence, cards, signs, posters, papers and documents that show a contractor's name or address must show the name or address as registered. A contractor who registered under one name may not do business under another name unless that name is also registered. Salespeople, solicitors, agents and employees must use their true names and addresses while working for a contractor. The director can subpoena an advertising seller for the name and address the buyer gave. A contractor may not use a false or expired registration number when buying an advertisement that requires one. For a roofing company's website, the statute text does not name websites, but a page that shows your name or address is advertising in ordinary terms, so put the number in the footer.
Sourcesapp.leg.wa.gov
One rule in RCW 18.27.100 surprises many roofers. Subsection (4) says no contractor shall advertise that he or she is bonded and insured because of the bond required to be filed and the sufficiency of insurance provided in the chapter. In other words, the state bond and insurance that come with registration are not a marketing claim. A site that says licensed, bonded and insured in a banner is using wording the statute addresses. Say you are registered with L&I and print the registration number, and leave the bonded and insured line out. Falsifying or using an expired registration number in any solicitation is a separate violation. So is soliciting work as a contractor while unregistered, which is stated in subsection (6) as a violation of the chapter. WAC 296-200A-400 sets the infraction penalties by offense count. For advertising rule violations under subsections (1) through (4), including missing numbers and the bonded and insured line, the first final violation is a minimum of $250, the second is $750, the third is $2,250, the fourth is $5,000 and each additional is $10,000. For falsified or expired numbers under subsections (5) and (7), the first is a minimum of $2,000, then $4,000, $6,000 and $10,000. For advertising while unregistered under subsection (6), the first is a minimum of $1,000, then $3,000, $6,000 and $10,000. Separately, RCW 18.27.100(8) allows a penalty of up to $10,000 after a hearing, and it does not apply to an inadvertent error. Each day that a violation occurs is a separate offense under the WAC, and a second offense counts if it follows a final judgment within three years.
Working unregistered in Washington is expensive in three ways. RCW 18.27.020 makes it a gross misdemeanor to advertise, offer to do work, submit a bid or perform work without registration, to use a suspended or revoked registration, to transfer a registration to an unregistered contractor, or to subcontract to or use an unregistered contractor. A person is guilty of a separate gross misdemeanor for each worksite. After receiving a citation from L&I, a person who keeps working commits a separate gross misdemeanor for each day worked. The director must also set up a two-year audit and monitoring program for a contractor who registers after an infraction or conviction, and must notify the Departments of Revenue and Employment Security so they can check taxes and fees. The second cost is civil. RCW 18.27.200 makes the same conduct an infraction, with each day and each worksite a separate infraction. Under WAC 296-200A-400 the first final violation is a minimum of $1,200, then $3,000, then $5,000, then $10,000 for each additional violation. If an unregistered contractor registers within 10 days of the notice and it is a first offense, the director may reduce the penalty, but never below $600. The director may waive collection in exchange for restitution to a damaged consumer. The third cost is in court. RCW 18.27.080 bars a contractor from suing to collect compensation for work unless the contractor alleges and proves registration at the time of contracting. A court will not find substantial compliance unless L&I had the required information on file and bond and insurance were in force at all times. A roofer who finishes a job unregistered may have no lawful way to collect the invoice.
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Washington's contractor statute has no separate storm chaser section. The fetched sources show no roofing-specific hail or storm restoration statute, no state storm permit, and no special registration for out-of-state crews. That makes the ordinary rules the storm rules. An out-of-state roofing company that arrives after a windstorm still needs an L&I registration before it advertises, bids or works, and RCW 18.27.020 treats each worksite as a separate gross misdemeanor for unregistered work. It also means the number belongs on the flyers. RCW 18.27.100 requires the current registration number on all materials used to directly solicit business from retail customers who are not businesses, and door hangers left after a storm fall in that category. Two other rules matter on an emergency tarp-and-repair job. First, if the contract or bid totals $1,000 or more for a residential building of four or fewer units, RCW 18.27.114 requires the signed disclosure statement before work starts. Second, RCW 18.27.010 and 18.27.090 leave little room for the small-job exemption. Work under $500 is exempt only if it is not part of a larger operation, is not split to evade the law, and the person does not advertise as a contractor. On the jobsite, WAC 296-880-30005 requires fall arrest, fall restraint or positioning systems when employees face a fall hazard of six feet or more while doing roofing work on a low pitched roof. The exception allows a safety monitoring system on low pitched roofs. Confirm the exact rule for a steep roof with L&I's safety division before sending a crew.
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Washington regulates insurance claim negotiation separately from roofing. Under RCW 48.17.010, a public adjuster is an adjuster employed by and representing solely the financial interests of the insured named in the policy. An adjuster is any person who investigates and negotiates settlement of insurance claims, or applies the facts of a claim to the policy provisions, or both, under property and casualty contracts. RCW 48.17.060 says a person may not act as or hold himself or herself out to be an adjuster in Washington unless licensed by the insurance commissioner or otherwise authorized under the chapter. RCW 48.17.410 limits a public adjuster's authority to acting on behalf of insureds. RCW 48.17.430 requires a $5,000 surety bond before a public adjuster license issues, and RCW 48.17.390 requires a separate license for each type of adjuster. RCW 48.17.490 bars a person from accepting a commission, service fee or other valuable consideration for selling, soliciting or negotiating insurance if a license is required and the person is not licensed. The text fetched for this page contains no carve-out for contractors who negotiate a homeowner's claim with the insurer. So a roofer who argues coverage, negotiates the settlement amount or represents the homeowner to the adjuster is doing what the adjuster definition describes. Roofers can still give the homeowner a written estimate, document damage and answer the insurer's questions about the scope of repair. This is not legal advice. A roofing company that wants to handle claims for customers should ask the Office of the Insurance Commissioner or a Washington attorney where its practice falls before making it part of a sales pitch.
Registration is a state credential, and the city layer sits on top of it for permits. RCW 18.27.110 says no city, town or county may issue a construction building permit for work done by a contractor required to register without verifying that the contractor is currently registered. At the time of issuing a permit, the city or county must print the contractor registration number on the permit and give the applicant written notice of contractor registration laws and the risk and monetary liability to the homeowner of using an unregistered contractor. WAC 296-200A-110 and 296-200A-111 repeat that duty and let a local government verify by checking L&I's website or calling L&I. If someone gets a permit by falsifying information to claim an exemption under RCW 18.27.090, the permit is forfeited. Seattle shows how the permit layer works for roofers. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections says a re-roof permit is needed when repairing an area greater than 500 square feet or replacing roofing materials on commercial and multifamily projects, so that energy code compliance can be verified. A permit is not required for re-roof work at one and two-family homes and townhouses if no changes are made to the building envelope other than adding or replacing insulation of equal or better value. Seattle issues re-roof permits the same day when applied online, requires contractor information on the application, and closes the permit with an Affidavit-Roof Replacement emailed to the city instead of an on-site inspection. Check the city where you work, because each city sets its own permit rules and business license rules.
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L&I runs a public lookup called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business at secure.lni.wa.gov/verify. It searches by name, by contractor or tradesperson license number, by workers compensation account, and by Washington UBI number. L&I's registration page says a newly registered business is listed there. It also tells contractors to use the tool before renewing to check that the bond, assignment of account and insurance information are current and that the registration is not suspended. Homeowners get the same tool and a link to L&I tips for hiring a contractor. For a roofing company, the lookup is a sales asset. A customer who searches your name sees whether you are registered, so put your registration number on estimates and contracts and keep your bond and insurance on file so the record stays clean. If your bond or insurance lapses, the registration suspends automatically under RCW 18.27.060, and the department must notify you within two days. A suspended contractor is treated as unregistered for advertising and work under RCW 18.27.020. RCW 18.27.114 requires a contractor to notify a customer in writing if the registration expires or is suspended or revoked before the job is complete. The disclosure statement itself carries the registration number, the bond or deposit amount and the expiration date, and the contractor must keep a signed copy for three years. Homeowners with an unpaid judgment against a bond have one more route. WAC 296-200A-9105 lets an owner-occupant with an unsatisfied superior court judgment file a claim with L&I within 90 days of the end of the civil action.
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These are common details other guides publish about Washington, but we could not verify them from the agency source. Confirm them directly before relying on them.
Not a roofing license by that name. Washington requires roofing contractors to register with the Department of Labor and Industries in the roofing specialty. Registration requires a bond, liability insurance and a fee. L&I's page lists exam requirements for other trades and none for roofing.
A specialty contractor bond is $15,000 under RCW 18.27.040. A general contractor bond is $30,000. Final judgments on residential single-family work in the prior five years can raise a specialty bond to $20,000, $30,000 or $45,000 at renewal.
Two years. RCW 18.27.060 and WAC 296-200A-900 both state a two-year term. The issuance and renewal fee shown by L&I is $150.20, and reinstating a suspended registration costs $70.90.
RCW 18.27.100(4) says a contractor shall not advertise being bonded and insured because of the state bond and insurance requirement. Use your L&I registration number instead. Vehicle signs are not treated as advertising under that section.
On all advertising that shows your name or address, and on all materials used to directly solicit retail customers who are not businesses. Alphabetized listings with only name, address and phone are excepted, and so are vehicle and on-premises signs.
Gross misdemeanor charges under RCW 18.27.020, plus infractions starting at a $1,200 minimum under WAC 296-200A-400, with each day and worksite counted separately. You also cannot sue to collect payment under RCW 18.27.080.
Yes when the bid or contract price is $1,000 or more for four or fewer residential units. RCW 18.27.114 requires the statement before work starts, and you must keep a signed copy for three years. Without it you cannot bring a lien claim.
Negotiating settlement of an insurance claim on behalf of the insured is what a public adjuster does, and RCW 48.17.060 requires an adjuster license to act or hold out as an adjuster. The fetched statute text shows no contractor exception.
The sources reviewed show no storm-specific rule. Out-of-state crews follow the same registration, advertising and disclosure rules as everyone else, and each unregistered worksite counts as a separate gross misdemeanor.
Seattle requires a re-roof permit for repairs over 500 square feet or replacements on commercial and multifamily projects. One and two-family homes and townhouses generally do not need one unless the building envelope changes beyond insulation.
Use L&I's Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business tool. Search by name, license number, workers compensation account or UBI number, and confirm that the bond and insurance are current and the registration is not suspended.
L&I's page states $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, or $250,000 combined single limit. RCW 18.27.050 words the minimums differently, so confirm limits with L&I and your agent. L&I must be certificate holder.
We can review the local market, your current search visibility, and paid-search fit before recommending any marketing work.