STATE LICENSE
NoneSee what applies
New York State does not license roofers. Instead, General Business Law § 771-b regulates anyone doing roofing, gutter, downspout, or siding work for an owner: a GBL § 771 written contract naming the insurer, coverage type, and limits; no advertising or promising to pay or rebate an insurance deductible; no requiring a deposit or specific payment method before work starts (materials may be invoiced on delivery if disclosed in advance); and no preparing, adjusting, or negotiating the owner's insurance claim.
§ 771-b also sets minimum insurance where the locality has not set its own: workers' comp (or a CE-200 exemption), general liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury, and $50,000 property damage. If the insurer denies all or part of the claim, the owner may cancel within three business days, with refunds due within 10 days. In New York City, residential roofing over $200 also requires a DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
New York has no state license for this trade, so the local layer decides everything. New York City is the heaviest: DCWP licenses home improvement contractors (residential work over $200), DOB licenses master plumbers, master fire suppression piping contractors, master and special electricians and oil burner installers, registers general contractors for 1–3 family New Building permits, and requires 40-hour Site Safety Training cards on larger sites. Upstate, Buffalo licenses contractors through its Office of Licenses and runs plumbing and electrical licensing; Rochester only accepts electrical and plumbing permits from licensed tradespeople or single-family owner-occupants; Syracuse licenses electricians and HVAC/mechanical contractors while plumbing permits run through Onondaga County. Statewide, GBL Article 36-A governs every residential contract and WCL § 57 blocks permits without workers' comp proof.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every New York county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
§ 771-b bars requiring a deposit before work begins; materials can be invoiced on delivery if the cost was disclosed in writing in advance.
Roofers may not prepare, adjust, or negotiate an owner's insurance claim, or take referral fees from those who do.
The § 771-b insurance minimums apply only where the political subdivision has not set its own roofing insurance requirements.
A practical sequence for a new roofing contractor in New York. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Failing to provide a substantially compliant written contract, or failing to deposit or bond advance payments, is a substantial violation; other Article 36-A violations are technical.
Failing to secure coverage is a misdemeanor (5 or fewer employees) or class E felony (more than 5), plus civil penalties.
Willful misclassification under the Construction Industry Fair Play Act carries civil and criminal penalties and possible public-works debarment.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Whether NYC, Buffalo, Rochester, or Syracuse set their own roofing insurance minimums that displace the GBL § 771-b(9) floor · Which roof repairs or re-covers require a building permit in each covered city (local permit thresholds not retrieved) · Exact fines and jail terms for operating a home improvement business in NYC without a DCWP license (DCWP pages confirm the license is required but state no amounts; the NYC Admin. Code Title 20 text could not be retrieved — the code host returned 403) · Fee, insurance minimums, and exact trade scope of the City of Buffalo Office of Licenses contractor license (buffalony.gov returned 403 to our fetch; search excerpts indicate it covers home improvement/construction but not electrical, plumbing, or HVAC)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.