Hiring a roofer in Broward or Miami-Dade is a big-money, high-stakes decision - and the single cheapest way to protect yourself costs nothing: verify the license before you sign. Florida makes contractor records public, so in a few minutes you can confirm a roofer is legally allowed to work, carries insurance, and has no disciplinary history. Here is exactly how to check a South Florida roofing contractor's DBPR license, local Broward or Miami-Dade registration, insurance, and the HVHZ credentials that actually matter in Florida's two High-Velocity Hurricane Zone counties.
Certified vs. registered: the two kinds of Florida roofing license
Florida licenses roofing contractors in two ways, and the difference matters when you are checking credentials:
- A Certified Roofing Contractor (license prefix CCC) is licensed by the state and can work anywhere in Florida
- A Registered Roofing Contractor (prefix RC) is only authorized in the specific local jurisdictions that granted the registration - the license is not statewide
- Either one must be Current and Active to legally contract for roof work
For most Broward and Miami-Dade homeowners, you want to see a CCC number, or an RC number tied to a local competency card that covers your city. A roofer who only holds a general handyman registration, an occupational license, or another trade's license is not licensed to replace your roof - and a permit office will reject the application.
How to verify a roofing license on myfloridalicense.com
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) runs a free public license lookup. To check a roofer:
- Go to myfloridalicense.com and choose Verify a License
- Search by the license number the contractor gave you, or by the company or individual's name
- Confirm the license type is a roofing classification (CCC or RC) and the status reads Current, Active
- Check the expiration date, and open the record to see any disciplinary actions or complaints on file
- If anything looks off, call DBPR directly at (850) 487-1395 to confirm
One tip specific to lead-generation and door-knocking: the name on the contract must match the name on the license. Salespeople sometimes sign homeowners under a company that then subcontracts to whoever is cheapest that week. Verify the exact entity that will pull your permit.
What a clean license record should show
A roofer you can safely hire will have a record that shows all of the following:
- License status Current, Active - not null, delinquent, suspended, or expired
- A license classification that actually covers roofing (CCC or RC), not an unrelated trade
- The company or qualifier name matching the business on your contract and estimate
- No open disciplinary orders, and no pattern of consumer complaints
- Insurance information on file with the state
Florida also requires contractors to include their license number in advertising. A roofer who advertises with no visible license number, or who cannot produce one on request, is telling you something important before you have signed a thing.
Broward and Miami-Dade add a local layer
Statewide certification is not the whole story here. Both HVHZ counties run their own local licensing and code administration on top of the state:
- Broward County issues local Certificates of Competency through its Central Examining Boards and administers the building code through its own Board of Rules and Appeals (BORA); you can search local contractor licenses on the Broward County Building Code Services site
- Miami-Dade County similarly maintains local contractor licensing and product approval for work in the county
- A registered (RC) contractor must hold the correct local competency card for the city where your home sits
This is part of the HVHZ permitting process that makes South Florida different from the rest of the state. If a roofer cannot pull a permit in your city, they are not the right roofer - no matter how good the price looks.
Verify insurance and workers' comp - separately
A license is not proof of insurance. Confirm both, because if an uninsured worker is hurt on your roof, the exposure can land on you:
- Ask for a current general liability certificate of insurance, and call the insurer or agent listed to confirm it is active
- Confirm workers' compensation coverage, or a valid state exemption on file with the Florida Division of Workers' Compensation
- Make sure the coverage names the same entity that signs your contract
- Never accept a photocopied certificate as the final word - verify it at the source
Roofing is one of the higher-risk trades, so workers' comp is not a formality. A legitimate roofer will hand this over without hesitation.
Red flags that should stop you before you sign
Some warning signs show up long before the shingles do. Slow down if you see any of these:
- Reluctance or refusal to give a license number you can verify
- A large upfront deposit demand, or pressure to pay in cash
- Door-to-door solicitation right after a storm, especially from out-of-area crews
- No written contract, or a contract that omits the license number, scope, and payment schedule
- An offer to "waive your insurance deductible" - which is illegal in Florida
- Pressure to sign today for a price that "expires" tonight
None of these guarantees a bad job on their own, but each one is correlated with the complaints that fill DBPR's disciplinary records. Treat them as reasons to verify harder, not to hurry.
The HVHZ credentials that actually matter here
In Broward and Miami-Dade, a license is the floor, not the finish line. The roofer also has to work to High-Velocity Hurricane Zone code:
- Products must carry a current Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) - a statewide Florida Product Approval alone is not sufficient in the HVHZ
- The permit should be pulled in the contractor's name, not yours - an owner-pulled permit can shift liability onto the homeowner
- HVHZ roofs require multiple inspections (typically deck/nailing, dry-in, and final), more than most of Florida
- If work touches more than 25% of a roof section in 12 months, the Florida 25% rule can require the whole section to be brought to current code
A roofer who knows this material cold - NOAs, the uniform HVHZ permit, the inspection sequence - is signaling real local experience. A roofer who waves it off is signaling the opposite.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a roofer is licensed in Florida?
Go to myfloridalicense.com, choose Verify a License, and search by the contractor's license number or name. Confirm the classification covers roofing (CCC or RC) and the status reads Current, Active. You can also call DBPR at (850) 487-1395.
What is the difference between a CCC and RC roofing license?
CCC is a state Certified Roofing Contractor, valid anywhere in Florida. RC is a Registered Roofing Contractor, valid only in the local jurisdictions that granted the registration. In Broward or Miami-Dade, an RC contractor must also hold the correct local competency card for your city.
Do I need to verify insurance if the license is active?
Yes. A license does not prove current insurance. Confirm general liability and workers' compensation (or a valid exemption) directly with the insurer and the Florida Division of Workers' Compensation, and make sure they name the same company on your contract.
Is a Florida Product Approval the same as a Miami-Dade NOA?
No. In the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, roofing products generally need a current Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). A statewide Florida Product Approval on its own is not sufficient for HVHZ work in Broward and Miami-Dade.
Getting started
Verifying a roofer takes minutes and can save you tens of thousands of dollars and a great deal of grief. Confirm the DBPR license, check local Broward or Miami-Dade registration, verify insurance and workers' comp at the source, and make sure the roofer speaks fluent HVHZ - NOAs, permits, and the inspection sequence. When you are ready to gather quotes, Renomatix is a free service that connects South Florida homeowners with licensed contractors in our network who work the HVHZ every day. One request, several quotes, zero cost to you - you compare written estimates side by side and choose, or walk away. Financing is available for qualifying homeowners: no upfront cost* (*third-party financing, subject to credit approval; not all homeowners qualify). Always verify any contractor's license yourself at myfloridalicense.com before you sign. This is general information, not legal advice.