Starting a roofing company where the storms are

Why storm country is its own market

The numbers explain the appeal. NOAA's Storm Events Database records 4,379 hail events of 1 inch or larger across Oklahoma counties from 2016 through 2025, along with 948 county-level tornado events, and 3,021 hail events of that size in Minnesota over the same years. Both states also regulate who may do the roofing, and Oklahoma's registration law names nonresident contractors outright.

This site takes those rules one at a time, so a new company knows them before the first storm, not after the first complaint.

Step 1: find out what your state requires

Each state writes its own rules, and the answers range widely:

• Texas has no state-issued license for reroofing contractors, according to a 2025 Texas House bill analysis.
• Minnesota requires residential contractors who do roofing to hold a state license, with an exam for the company's qualifying person.
• Oklahoma requires registration with the Construction Industries Board for resident and nonresident roofers alike, and is adding a residential endorsement.
• Florida splits roofers into certified and registered contractors, and only certification lets you work statewide.

The licensing guide covers nine storm states, from Florida to Colorado, each linked to the official board or statute. Read licensing by state. For the other states, the National Roofing Directory keeps a state-by-state licensing reference.

Step 2: protect the crew and the company

Falls are the first safety problem in this trade. OSHA's fall prevention campaign reports 389 fatal falls to a lower level among 1,034 construction deaths in 2024, and fall protection was OSHA's most frequently cited standard in fiscal year 2025. On houses, the governing rule is 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13).

Insurance comes next, and it is mostly a state question. Florida requires construction employers with even one employee to carry workers' compensation, while Texas lets most private employers choose. Licensing boards add their own liability minimums. Read safety and insurance.

Step 3: work your first storm season legally

The first big storm is the test. Kansas law defines roofing contractor to include nonresident contractors and subcontractors, and the act requires a registration certificate before anyone acts as one. The Texas Department of Insurance says it is illegal for a contractor to offer to waive a customer's insurance deductible. Colorado requires a written residential roofing contract that lets the owner rescind within 72 hours. In Colorado Springs, the regional building department says getting a roofing license takes six to eight weeks. The storm-season guide puts these rules in the order you will meet them: registering, contracting, permitting and billing. Read the first storm season guide.

Step 4: get found

The National Roofing Directory says on its membership page that every roofing company it could find in public records is already listed, which likely includes yours. What changes when you act is what customers see.

• Claim your listing. Claiming costs a one-time $5.00 fee and lets you edit your company's description, services, address, photos and logo. Claim your listing.
• Get Verified. At Verified, a person at the directory checks your phone, email, website, logo, services, rating, insurance and license, your contact details are published, and inquiries on your page come to you.
• Move up when you are ready. The membership ladder runs Claimed, Verified, Gold and Platinum, with more of your work published and better placement at each step.
• Watch the weather you sell into. The Roofing Wire is free: a weekly issue with OSHA enforcement news, a Monday Storm Watch email of National Weather Service alerts for the states you pick, and a monthly tool giveaway for confirmed subscribers.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a license to start a roofing company?

It depends on the state. Minnesota, Illinois and Florida license roofers, Oklahoma and Kansas require registration, and Texas has no state-issued license for reroofing contractors. Cities and counties can add their own, as the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department does around Colorado Springs. The licensing guide links each state's official page.

How much liability insurance do roofers need?

State minimums vary. Oklahoma's Construction Industries Board requires at least $500,000 for residential roofing registration and $1,000,000 for a commercial endorsement, while Minnesota requires $300,000 per occurrence for its roofer license.

What is OSHA's fall protection rule for residential roofing?

Under 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13), workers doing residential construction 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems, unless the employer can show those are infeasible or more hazardous and uses a fall protection plan that meets OSHA's requirements.

How do I get my company listed?

Your company is probably listed already. Claim it on the National Roofing Directory, correct the details, and choose a membership level when you want your contact information published.