Check Your Roofer Before You Sign

The Checklist

Call the number yourself. Use the phone number on the company's Google profile or its own website, not only the one on a flyer or door hanger.
Look up the address. A real local office or yard is a good sign. A mailbox store is a question to ask.
Ask for proof of insurance, and call the insurance agent on the certificate to confirm it is active.
Check city registration. Arlington, Southlake and North Richland Hills require contractors to register. Call your city's building department.
Ask who pulls the permit, if your city requires one (see the table below).
Get more than one written bid and check references and phone numbers.¹
Check complaints with the Better Business Bureau.¹
Read every line. Never sign a contract with blank spaces.¹
Keep your deductible yours. A roofer who offers to waive or cover it is breaking Texas law.²
Pay in stages. Do not pay in full up front, and hold the final payment until the work is done.¹

From each city's own building page, opened November 10, 2026. Other cities: call the building department.

City	What the city says	Source
Fort Worth	Fort Worth's roofing FAQ says replacing only the shingles on a one- or two-family home, with no decking replaced, does not need a permit. Replacing any decking does.	source
Arlington	Arlington requires a building permit to replace roof covering unless the area replaced is 10 percent or less of the roof, and every contractor must be registered with the city.	source
Southlake	Southlake requires a building permit for a roof replacement, and contractors must register with the city as a general contractor.	source
Grapevine	Grapevine's residential re-roofing sheet says a permit is required.	source
North Richland Hills	North Richland Hills does not require a permit to replace only shingles on a one- or two-family home, but does when decking is repaired or replaced. Contractors doing permitted work must register with the city.	source

Can a roofer pay or waive my deductible?

No. It is illegal in Texas for a contractor to offer to waive, rebate or absorb a policyholder's deductible (TDI).

Can my roofer talk to my insurance company for me?

A roofer cannot act as your public adjuster on a claim for work they are also doing (TDI).

Is there a state roofing license I can look up?

No. Texas does not currently require a state license for reroofing contractors (Texas House bill analysis, 2025). RCAT, a trade group, offers a voluntary license (trade source, 2017).

How much should I pay up front?

TDI says not to pay in full up front, and not to make the final payment until the work is done (TDI). It does not set a dollar figure.