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Roofing license

Roofing license requirements in Connecticut

Yes — Connecticut requires roofing contractors to register as Home Improvement Contractors with the Department of Consumer Protection before contracting on any residential job over $200; it's a registration with an insurance requirement, not a trade exam or license.

The short answer

Yes — Connecticut requires roofing contractors to register as Home Improvement Contractors with the Department of Consumer Protection before contracting on any residential job over $200; it's a registration with an insurance requirement, not a trade exam or license.

Do you need a license to roof in Connecticut?

Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration — covers roofing along with other residential home-improvement trades. Registration is separate from any specialty trade license (electrical, plumbing, etc.), none of which roofing itself requires.

Who issues it: Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP).

Last verified: 2026-07-19

Connecticut 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 Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration — covers roofing along with other residential home-improvement trades. Registration is separate from any specialty trade license (electrical, plumbing, etc.), none of which roofing itself requires.

Issuing board

Exam required

No

Experience / qualification

No minimum years of experience or trade exam is required for Home Improvement Contractor registration; the requirements are general liability insurance and the registration fee below. Work where the contract is less than $200 is excluded from the registration requirement.

Bond

No surety bond is required for standard HIC registration. Instead, registrants contribute to the state's Home Improvement Guaranty Fund, which reimburses consumers for certain contractor misconduct.

Insurance minimum

General liability insurance of no less than $20,000 is required to be eligible for registration (confirmed on portal.ct.gov).

Application fee

$220 non-refundable application fee, submitted online (confirmed on portal.ct.gov).

Renewal

Registrations expire annually on March 31 and must be renewed online for the same $220 fee (confirmed on portal.ct.gov).

Reciprocity

None — Connecticut has no reciprocity for Home Improvement Contractor registration; out-of-state roofers must register the same way as in-state contractors, meeting the same insurance and fee requirements.

How to get a roofing license in Connecticut

  1. Decide whether to register as an individual/sole proprietor or as your legal business entity — an individual registration does not cover a separate LLC or corporation.
  2. Obtain general liability insurance of at least $20,000.
  3. Complete the Home Improvement Contractor application through DCP's eLicense portal.
  4. Pay the $220 non-refundable application fee.
  5. Renew online every year by March 31 for $220.

Working without a license in Connecticut

Contracting without a current HIC registration is a crime under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-427: a class B misdemeanor if the job's total cash price is $10,000 or less, and a class A misdemeanor if it's more than $10,000. DCP can also levy civil fines (cited up to $1,500 per violation), and violations are treated as unfair trade practices under CUTPA, exposing unregistered contractors to additional civil liability.

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: portal.ct.gov/dcp/license-services-division/all-license-applications/home-improvement-applications

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