Check five things before you sign. Get a certificate of insurance, a written scope and price, a permit plan, local jobs you can ask about, and the name of whoever issues the warranty. Texas has no statewide roofing license, so these checks are your protection.
Dallas Roof Works is a referral service. We connect you with an independent roofer in DFW. We aren't a roofer. Use this checklist on every roofer who calls you, including the one we introduce.
Written by the Dallas Roof Works team. Last updated October 13, 2026.
The checklist at a glance
| Check | Ask for | Walk away if |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance | A current certificate of insurance | They'll "send it later," or never do |
| Written estimate | Scope, materials and price on paper | You only get a number by phone or text |
| Permit | Who pulls it, and when | "You don't need one," with no reason |
| Local jobs | Two recent jobs near you that you can call about | No jobs, no names, no addresses |
| Warranty | Who issues it, for how long, in writing | "Lifetime" with nothing on paper |
| Deductible | Nothing. You pay your deductible. | They offer to pay it for you |
| Payment | What any deposit buys and when each payment is due | Pressure to pay a large amount or sign today |
What "licensed" means in Texas
Texas doesn't issue a statewide roofing license. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) lists the programs it regulates, and roofing isn't one of them (TDLR program list, checked October 13, 2026). House Bill 3344 (2025) would have created a license. The Legislature's record shows no enactment (bill history, checked October 13, 2026).
So when a roofer says "licensed," ask what that means. It might be a city registration or an insurance policy. Ask to see the paper.
In Dallas, a registered roofing contractor files the roofing permit application. So can an owner who lives in the home and does the labor (City of Dallas, checked October 13, 2026). Ask the roofer for their Dallas registration.
Ask for a certificate of insurance
Ask every roofer for a current certificate of insurance before you authorize work. It is a one-page proof of coverage. It shows who the insurer is, the policy dates and what the policy covers. Call the insurance agent named on the certificate and confirm the policy is active.
Get the estimate in writing
A written estimate should list:
- The company's name, address and phone number.
- Materials, by brand and product line.
- Tear-off (removing the old roofing) and disposal.
- Flashing (the metal that seals joints and edges) and ventilation.
- What happens, and what it costs, if rotted decking (the boards under the shingles) turns up.
- The permit, and who pays for it.
- Start and finish dates.
- The payment schedule.
- Warranty terms, with the name of who issues each one.
- What the price leaves out.
Get at least two or three written bids and compare them line by line. Don't compare only the bottom number. Ask what the lowest bid leaves out.
Ask who pulls the permit
The City of Dallas requires a residential roofing permit when the total value of the roofing work, materials plus labor, is over $500. Most full re-roofs are. Structural repair to rafters or joists needs a separate building permit. Minor repairs and temporary tarps need none. Questions go to the city at (214) 948-4480 (City of Dallas, checked October 13, 2026).
Fort Worth works differently. For a single-family or two-family home, shingles-only work with no decking replaced needs no permit. Replacing any decking does (Fort Worth roofing FAQ, checked October 13, 2026).
Neither city page shows a date, and other DFW cities set their own rules. Confirm with your city before work starts.
Check local jobs and reviews
Ask for two recent jobs near you and call those homeowners. Search the company's name with the word "complaints" and read the low reviews and how the roofer answered. A star average alone tells you little.
Money: deposits and your deductible
Ask what any deposit pays for and when each later payment is due. Get both in the written contract.
Your deductible is yours to pay. Texas Insurance Code 707.002 says "A person insured under a property insurance policy shall pay any deductible." Texas Business and Commerce Code 27.02 covers a seller who knows you'll pay with insurance money. It's an offense for that seller to waive, absorb or rebate your deductible, unless your insurer agrees. It's a Class B misdemeanor. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) answers "Can a contractor waive my deductible?" with "No."
Section 27.02 also covers contracts of $1,000 or more that you expect to pay from an insurance claim. Those call for a bold notice that Texas law requires you to pay the deductible. Look for it in your contract.
If you think a contractor has broken these rules, call your insurer. The Texas Attorney General consumer line is 800-621-0508 (listed on TDI's page, updated December 9, 2025).
Who deals with your insurance company
You do. Texas Insurance Code 4102.163(a) says "A contractor may not act as a public adjuster or advertise to adjust claims." That covers any property the contractor is working on or could work on.
A roofer can tell you what they find and put it in a written report with photos. A contract or form that lets the roofer deal with your insurer for you is a red flag.
To see what to photograph and keep for your insurer, read does insurance cover roof replacement in Texas.
Red flags after a hailstorm
Crews that travel to a hail-hit area and knock on doors are called storm chasers, and the people at your door are door-knockers. Not every roofer who knocks is one, and a local company can also be a poor choice. Ask anyone who knocks for everything on this page. Walk away if you see any of these:
- An offer to pay your deductible for you, or a pitch for a "free roof."
- "Sign today" pressure, or a deal that ends tonight.
- A claim of "extensive damage" with no dated photos of what they found.
- A contract that hands your insurance claim to the roofer.
- A large payment due before any materials are ordered.
- No certificate of insurance, no written estimate, no local address.
Questions Dallas homeowners ask
How do you tell if a roofer is lying?
Put the pitch next to this page. If a roofer offers to pay your deductible for you, won't write the price down or won't show a certificate of insurance, walk away.
Are roofing contractors licensed in Texas?
Not by the state. Texas has no statewide roofing license. Ask each roofer what registrations and insurance they hold, and ask to see the paper.
Should you pay a roofer up front?
Get the deposit amount and the payment dates in the contract. Be careful with any large payment before work starts.
How do you check that a roofing company is legit?
Get the certificate of insurance, a written estimate, the permit plan, two local jobs to call about and the warranty terms. If a company can't produce one of them, keep looking.
Next step
Want an independent roofer to look at your roof and put what they find in writing? Send us a request or call (737) 530-8330. We connect you with an independent roofer in your part of DFW. The roofer gives the price, does the work and issues the warranty.
Your request goes to one independent roofing partner, not to a list of companies. That partner sees your details so it can contact you, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
Sources (checked October 13, 2026)
- TDLR, programs licensed and regulated: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/licenses.htm
- Texas Legislature, HB 3344 (89th Legislature) bill history: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3344
- Tex. Ins. Code 707.002: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/IN/htm/IN.707.htm
- Tex. Bus. & Com. Code 27.02: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/BC/htm/BC.27.htm
- Tex. Ins. Code 4102.163: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/IN/htm/IN.4102.htm
- TDI, Can a contractor waive my deductible? (updated December 9, 2025): https://tdi.texas.gov/tips/can-a-contractor-waive-my-deductible.html
- City of Dallas, Planning and Development guide: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/guide/Pages/default.aspx
- City of Dallas, storm damage repair information: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/Pages/storm_damage_repair_info.aspx
- City of Fort Worth Development Services, roofing FAQ: https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/development-services/documents/roofing-faq.pdf
This page is general information, not legal advice.