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ROOFING x OREGON

Roofing contractor requirements in Oregon.

The CCB names roofing first in its list of covered construction activity. Most roofing outfits hold a Residential Specialty Contractor endorsement (one or two unrelated trades, $20,000 bond, $300,000 insurance); roofers on large commercial buildings need a commercial endorsement.

Because Oregon licensing is universal, the usual roofing loopholes don't exist here: no exempt-specialty list, no repair exemption beyond casual work under $1,000 that isn't advertised, and no city-level roofing license to substitute for the state one.

STATE LICENSE
RequiredOregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)
STATUTE
ORS 701.021
RENEWAL
Biennial — two years from issuance (ORS 701.063)Residential: 8 hrs / 2-yr cycle (16 if not licensed all of the prior 6 yrs)
VERIFIED
October 2026Official sources
FILE · ROOFING x OREGON
Compliance Dossier
Public
File
October 2026
STATE AUTHORITYOregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)
STATUTE / CODEORS 701.021
SCOPEStatewide · Oregon
RENEWALBiennial — two years from issuance (ORS 701.063)
CONTINUING ED.Residential: 8 hrs / 2-yr cycle (16 if not licensed all of the prior 6 yrs)
LOCAL OFFICES5 counties on file
FILE ROOFINGSCOPE STATEWIDE · OREGONTYPE VERIFIED RULE FILE
VERIFIED October 2026STATUS PUBLIC REFERENCE
What this file settlesThe Oregon rules for roofing contractors, verified against official sources.
LICENSE TRUTH
Oregon has no separate roofing license — roofing is CCB-licensed construction work, so every roofer working for compensation needs a Construction Contractors Board license, bond, and liability insurance.
STATE ↔ LOCAL
Oregon contractor licensing is exclusive to the state: under ORS 701.325(6), cities and counties may not require or issue their own contractor registrations, licenses, or surety bonds for CCB licensees — though they may charge a general, nondiscriminatory business license fee. No city, county, or state agency may issue a building permit without a current, properly endorsed CCB license (ORS 701.325(1)), and any city or county business license requires a signed statement that you are CCB-licensed (ORS 701.325(5)).
EVERY CLAIM SOURCED
Each requirement below carries its citation and official source. Facts we could not confirm are listed as pending — never asserted.
§ 01 · Permit Stack

How roofing work is governed in Oregon.

The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.

STATE — THE LICENSE
Construction Contractors Board
CCB ENDORSEMENT16-HR TRAINING + EXAMBOND + LIABILITY
STATE — EMPLOYER LAYER
CCB independent-contractor class
EXEMPT vs NONEXEMPTWORKERS' COMP IF EMPLOYEES
LOCAL — WHERE YOU BUILD
City / county building department
PERMITS UNDER CCB #GENERAL BUSINESS LICENSE ONLY

Read it bottom-up.

Oregon contractor licensing is exclusive to the state: under ORS 701.325(6), cities and counties may not require or issue their own contractor registrations, licenses, or surety bonds for CCB licensees — though they may charge a general, nondiscriminatory business license fee. No city, county, or state agency may issue a building permit without a current, properly endorsed CCB license (ORS 701.325(1)), and any city or county business license requires a signed statement that you are CCB-licensed (ORS 701.325(5)).

The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Oregon county on file.

Source · Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)Last verified · October 2026
§ 02 · Specs Ledger

Every requirement, with a number on it.

Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.

RequirementIssued byCostTimeCitationStatus
CCB License — Residential SpecialtyMost single-trade outfits; RGC or commercial endorsements as scope requires
CCB
$400 / 2 yrs
Six to eight weeks
ORS 701.021
REQUIRED
Pre-License Training + ExamResponsible managing individual: 16 hrs training; 80 questions, 70% to pass
CCB / approved provider
$60 exam + course fee
Before applying
ORS 701.122
REQUIRED
CCB Surety BondAmount fixed by endorsement
Corporate surety
$20,000 RSC · $25,000 RGC
With application
ORS 701.081
REQUIRED
General Liability InsuranceProof at licensure and every renewal
Private carrier
$300k RSC · $500k RGC
With application
ORS 701.073
REQUIRED
Workers' CompensationNonexempt class — any employees or leased workers
Private carrier / SAIF
Premium by payroll
Before hiring
ORS 701.035
CONDITIONAL
Building PermitsIssued only to a properly endorsed CCB licensee; license number printed on the permit
City / county / BCD
By local fee schedule
Per project
ORS 701.325(1)
CONDITIONAL
§ 03 · Year-One Cost

What it costs to start roofing in Oregon.

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.

Year-one ledger
Oregon · Roofing
CCB licenseTwo-year term; $400 for new applications since July 1, 2025$400
CCB examPer attempt$60
Pre-license training16 hours, private approved providerProvider rate
Surety bond$20,000 bond — premium set by suretyMarket premium
Liability insurance$300,000 minimumMarket premium
Year-one floor$460 in CCB fees + bond & insurance premiums
Excludes tools, vehicle purchase, payroll, and marketing.
NOTE
The fee went up

The CCB raised the two-year license fee from $325 to $400 — renewals from July 1, 2024 and new applications from July 1, 2025. Older guides quote $325 or $250.

NOTE
Two endorsements, two bonds

Working on both residential and large commercial structures takes both a residential and a commercial endorsement — two bonds, and one liability policy at the higher required amount.

NOTE
No local license stack

ORS 701.325(6) bars cities and counties from layering their own contractor licenses or bonds on top of the CCB license — only general business license fees and permits.

§ 04 · Path to First Job

From day zero to first inspection.

A practical sequence for a new roofing contractor in Oregon. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.

1
STEP 1
Choose your endorsement
RSC for one or two trades
2
STEP 2
16-hour pre-license training
CCB-approved provider
3
STEP 3
Pass the CCB exam
$60 · 80 questions · 70%
4
STEP 4
Register the business
Oregon Secretary of State
5
STEP 5
Bond + liability insurance (+ workers' comp)
Surety / carrier
6
STEP 6
File the CCB application
CCB — $400, six to eight weeks
§ 05 · Compliance Checklist

Check them off.

Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.

01
License before you bid
The license must be current and properly endorsed when you bid or sign — and stay current the whole job — or you lose lien and collection rights.
STATEESSENTIALORS 701.131
CCBIssuing authority
02
Pass training and exam
Your responsible managing individual completes 16 hours of pre-license training and passes the 80-question exam at 70%.
STATEEXAMORS 701.122
CCBIssuing authority
03
Written contract over $2,000
Residential work with an aggregate price over $2,000 requires a written contract using CCB standard terms; if a smaller job grows past $2,000, deliver one within five days.
LEGALRESIDENTIALORS 701.305
YouIssuing authority
04
Keep CE current
Residential licensees complete 8 hours per two-year cycle (3 on laws, regulations, and business practices) — 16 if not licensed for the whole prior six years.
RENEWALEDUCATIONORS 701.082
CCBIssuing authority
05
Hire only licensed subs
A contractor may not hire another contractor unless that sub is CCB-licensed and properly endorsed for the work, or exempt.
LEGALSUBSORS 701.026(1)
YouIssuing authority
§ 06 · Enforcement

What the law does about unlicensed roofing work.

Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.

§
ORS 701.990(1)Statute

Unlicensed contracting

Undertaking, offering to undertake, or bidding construction work for compensation without a current CCB license violates ORS 701.021 — a crime, not just a licensing infraction.

ConsequenceClass A misdemeanor
§
ORS 701.131Statute

No lien, no lawsuit

A contractor that was not licensed and properly endorsed when it bid or contracted, and continuously while working, may not perfect a construction lien, file a CCB complaint, or sue or arbitrate for payment.

ConsequenceNo right to collect
§
ORS 701.992(1)Statute

CCB civil penalties

The board may assess a civil penalty for any violation of ORS chapter 701 or CCB rules, in addition to any other sanction.

ConsequenceUp to $5,000 per offense
§ 08 · Oregon FAQ

Questions roofing contractors ask about Oregon.

Q01Do roofers need a license in Oregon?+
Yes — a CCB license. Oregon has no roofing-specific license, but roofing for compensation is construction work under ORS chapter 701, and the CCB lists roofing explicitly among covered activities.
Q02Which endorsement does a roofing company need?+
Usually Residential Specialty Contractor, which covers one or two unrelated building trades on homes and small commercial structures. The CCB's own example is a specialty contractor doing masonry and roofing on one job and concrete on another.
Q03Can I do small roof repairs without a license?+
Only casual, minor, or inconsequential work totaling under $1,000 on one structure — and only if you never advertise as a contractor (ORS 701.010(4)).
§ 09 · Sources

Primary authorities, not secondary summaries.

Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.

Pending verification: Cost of the 16-hour pre-license training course (set by private CCB-approved providers; not published by the CCB) · CCB processing time of six to eight weeks is as stated on the CCB license page and may vary

General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.

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