Roofing license
Roofing license requirements in Alabama
Yes — Alabama requires a license to work as a residential roofer once a job's cost exceeds $2,500, and a separate commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor license for commercial/public work of $50,000 or more.
The short answer
Yes — Alabama requires a license to work as a residential roofer once a job's cost exceeds $2,500, and a separate commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor license for commercial/public work of $50,000 or more.
Do you need a license to roof in Alabama?
Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB): Residential Roofers License (triggered once a roofing job's cost exceeds $2,500) or the broader Unlimited Home Builders License. Licensing Board for General Contractors (LBGC): Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor specialty license for commercial or public work of $50,000 or more.
Who issues it: Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB).
Last verified: 2026-07-19
Alabama roofing license at a glance
Every figure here is a plain-English starting point read from the official state board — always confirm the current requirements at the source before you rely on them.
License type / class
Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB): Residential Roofers License (triggered once a roofing job's cost exceeds $2,500) or the broader Unlimited Home Builders License. Licensing Board for General Contractors (LBGC): Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor specialty license for commercial or public work of $50,000 or more.
Issuing board
Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB) — hblb.alabama.gov
Exam required
Varies by locality
Experience / qualification
For the HBLB Residential Roofers License, applicants must provide documentation of a business or occupational contractor license issued by an Alabama municipality, township, or county that is currently held (or was held within one year prior to application) — no state exam is required for the Roofers License (exams apply only to Unlimited licenses). For the LBGC's commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor license, the qualifying party must pass the trade exam and the Business and Law exam.
Bond
A $10,000 license/permit bond naming the Home Builders Licensure Board as obligee is required for the Residential Roofers License (confirmed on the Board's how-to-get-licensed page).
Insurance minimum
The LBGC requires proof of general liability insurance for its commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor license. The HBLB's Roofers License application materials reviewed did not state a specific minimum insurance amount — confirm current requirements on the Board's application packet.
Application fee
HBLB Residential Roofers License: the Board's how-to-get-licensed page does not state a specific license/application dollar amount — see the current HBLB fee schedule (the Board does charge $25 to mail a physical application package; the download is free). LBGC Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor (commercial): an application/license fee plus a construction-education fee apply — confirm the current amounts on the LBGC fee schedule before relying on a figure.
Renewal
HBLB licenses renew annually — online renewal opens October 1 and is timely through 11:59 PM November 30; a $50 late fee applies December 1–31, and licenses not renewed by January 1 are expired. Renewal requires 6 hours of Board-approved continuing education (for licensees/DQRs under 60), at least 2 of which must be from an Alabama-specific course. LBGC licenses renew annually on a rotating schedule tied to the first letter of the company name; confirm current renewal fees on the LBGC fee schedule, and note that missing the renewal window by more than a year can require retaking the trade and Business and Law exams.
Reciprocity
The HBLB waives only the Skills portion of its exam (never the Business and Law portion) for residential builders already licensed in Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, or North Carolina. The LBGC offers a similar limited exam-waiver reciprocity for general contractors from a short list of states — full automatic licensure is not available from any state.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| License type / class | Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB): Residential Roofers License (triggered once a roofing job's cost exceeds $2,500) or the broader Unlimited Home Builders License. Licensing Board for General Contractors (LBGC): Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor specialty license for commercial or public work of $50,000 or more. |
| Issuing board | Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB) — hblb.alabama.gov |
| Exam required | Varies by locality |
| Experience / qualification | For the HBLB Residential Roofers License, applicants must provide documentation of a business or occupational contractor license issued by an Alabama municipality, township, or county that is currently held (or was held within one year prior to application) — no state exam is required for the Roofers License (exams apply only to Unlimited licenses). For the LBGC's commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor license, the qualifying party must pass the trade exam and the Business and Law exam. |
| Bond | A $10,000 license/permit bond naming the Home Builders Licensure Board as obligee is required for the Residential Roofers License (confirmed on the Board's how-to-get-licensed page). |
| Insurance minimum | The LBGC requires proof of general liability insurance for its commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor license. The HBLB's Roofers License application materials reviewed did not state a specific minimum insurance amount — confirm current requirements on the Board's application packet. |
| Application fee | HBLB Residential Roofers License: the Board's how-to-get-licensed page does not state a specific license/application dollar amount — see the current HBLB fee schedule (the Board does charge $25 to mail a physical application package; the download is free). LBGC Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor (commercial): an application/license fee plus a construction-education fee apply — confirm the current amounts on the LBGC fee schedule before relying on a figure. |
| Renewal | HBLB licenses renew annually — online renewal opens October 1 and is timely through 11:59 PM November 30; a $50 late fee applies December 1–31, and licenses not renewed by January 1 are expired. Renewal requires 6 hours of Board-approved continuing education (for licensees/DQRs under 60), at least 2 of which must be from an Alabama-specific course. LBGC licenses renew annually on a rotating schedule tied to the first letter of the company name; confirm current renewal fees on the LBGC fee schedule, and note that missing the renewal window by more than a year can require retaking the trade and Business and Law exams. |
| Reciprocity | The HBLB waives only the Skills portion of its exam (never the Business and Law portion) for residential builders already licensed in Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, or North Carolina. The LBGC offers a similar limited exam-waiver reciprocity for general contractors from a short list of states — full automatic licensure is not available from any state. |
How to get a roofing license in Alabama
- Determine whether your roofing work falls under the Home Builders Licensure Board (residential, jobs over $2,500) or the Licensing Board for General Contractors (commercial/public work of $50,000+).
- For HBLB: gather proof of a prior municipal or county contractor license held currently or within the past year, and arrange a $10,000 license/permit bond naming the Board as obligee.
- For LBGC: register your business with the Alabama Secretary of State, obtain general liability insurance, and pass the Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractor trade exam plus the Business and Law exam.
- Submit the notarized application with the required fee — check the current HBLB fee schedule for the Roofers License, and the LBGC fee schedule for the commercial license and construction-education fee.
- Once approved, renew annually — HBLB by November 30 with 6 hours of continuing education (2 Alabama-specific), LBGC on its rotating name-based schedule.
Working without a license in Alabama
Unlicensed residential home building — including roofing over $2,500 — is a Class A misdemeanor under Ala. Code § 34-14A-14(a), the Board can levy administrative fines up to $5,000 per violation, and an unlicensed contractor cannot sue to enforce a construction contract. Unlicensed commercial contracting under the LBGC's jurisdiction is likewise a Class A misdemeanor under Code of Alabama § 34-8-6, with cease-and-desist and injunction powers plus fines up to $5,000 per offense.
Last verified: 2026-07-19
Roofing license rules change and often vary by city and county. This page is a plain-English starting point, not legal advice — always confirm the current requirements with the state board linked below before you rely on them.
Verify at the source: hblb.alabama.gov
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