InstaBidsHow do I check a roofing contractor in Florida myself?
Read the roofer's DBPR entry, the relevant Broward contractor card or Palm Beach Certificate of Competency, and Florida DFS workers' compensation coverage or exemption results yourself, keeping each search date beside the proposed roofing agreement.
Source: DBPR lookup, read 14 October 2026.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Broward county card, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Palm Beach Certificate of Competency, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Carrier-reported DFS coverage, read 14 October 2026.
Source: DFS person search, read 14 October 2026.
Key facts
- DBPR lists roofing contractor (CC certified / RC registered).
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
- DBPR's roofing scope includes specified roof-deck, sheathing, fascia and roof-to-wall work.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
- DBPR defines current, active in its construction FAQ as current with practice allowed within scope.
Source: Current/active status, read 14 October 2026.
- Broward’s CC Number field is for the county card number; state licence numbers belong in the DBPR search.
Source: Broward county card, read 14 October 2026.
- An exemption is issued to an officer or LLC member, not the business, according to DFS.
Source: Officer/member exemptions, read 14 October 2026.
Which public records can I look up for a roofing contractor?
Read the DBPR roofing record (CC/RC), a county record from Broward's contractor card search or Palm Beach's Certificate of Competency, and Florida DFS workers' compensation Proof of Coverage or exemption search. You can consult all three yourself, dating each result for the roofing business or employer named.
Source: DBPR lookup, read 14 October 2026.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Broward county card, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Palm Beach Certificate of Competency, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Carrier-reported DFS coverage, read 14 October 2026.
Source: DFS person search, read 14 October 2026.
Start with the company making the offer, not a name on a material brochure. DBPR's instructions say to open matching records to see the licensee and associated business. If the name on your contract differs, ask the bidder to explain the relationship before you carry the record forward.
Source: DBPR business identity, read 14 October 2026.
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Post your requestHow do I read the state licence record?
Read the expiry date and the name of record for the roofing contractor (CC certified / RC registered); confirm future expiry and a company identity matching your contract. Read DBPR’s status alongside the roofing scope, then relate that scope to the covering replacement and any proposed wood repairs.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
Source: How to check a contractor licence, read 14 October 2026.
DBPR also describes evaluation and enhancement of roof-to-wall connections for structures with wood decking, with conditions tied to roof covering repair or replacement. Ask the roofer which related work is actually proposed; a category description does not fill an empty line in your contract.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
On 14 October 2026, the construction FAQ's explanation of the status Current, Active is that the licence is current and the contractor may practise within its scope. Keep the status as displayed on the day you choose to search, together with the individual and business identity.
Source: Current/active status, read 14 October 2026.
DBPR explains that a certified (C) licence applies statewide, while a registered (R) licence applies only in the local jurisdictions where the contractor is registered.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
Read the limits around related roof work, as well as the main category label. DBPR's roofing description includes sheathing or fascia repair needed during roof repair or replacement and specified work on roof-deck attachments. It also describes roof-to-wall connection evaluation and enhancement for structures with wood decking under stated conditions. Those conditions matter when the offer combines a covering replacement with structural-sounding work.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
Ask the roofer to identify the particular operation behind a phrase such as roof reinforcement. Give DBPR that written description if you need help reading the category's boundary. Keep separate questions for what the category permits and what the contractor has actually included: a broad category cannot settle whether your detached garage or a particular fascia section is part of the contract.
Trace a revised agreement back to its signatory. If an estimate names a salesperson but the agreement names a different business, request the individual contractor number and the business associated with it. DBPR's instructions explain how to open that relationship in the record. Retain the result with the version you are considering, so an old proposal heading does not become your only identity reference.
Source: DBPR business identity, read 14 October 2026.
Does the county also keep a record?
Check Broward's contractor card search or Palm Beach's county directory for a local roofing record. The county card and DBPR state category are separate identifiers, so start with the number and business name supplied for the correct register.
Source: Broward county card, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Palm Beach contractor directory, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Palm Beach Certificate of Competency, read 14 October 2026.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
Broward's search has a field labelled 'CC Number' for the county card number; a DBPR state licence number belongs in the DBPR search instead.
Source: Broward county card, read 14 October 2026.
Source: DBPR lookup, read 14 October 2026.
For roofing, CC on DBPR describes the state category; the county's similarly named field does not establish that the roofer holds that category. Ask which authority issued the number on the proposal before attempting a search. An RC record also calls for attention to the local registration territory.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Broward county card, read 14 October 2026.
Broward supports name searches and requires JavaScript and session cookies; use the contractor-record phone line on Broward's Building Code page if needed. Palm Beach's Contractor Regulations directory provides separate county and state search links.
Source: Broward county card, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Broward record enquiries, read 14 October 2026.
Source: Palm Beach contractor directory, read 14 October 2026.
How can I check workers' compensation coverage?
Ask who employs the roofing crew before making an optional DFS lookup, especially if tear-off and installation are assigned separately. The Proof of Coverage database contains selected carrier-reported information, so keep the search date and employer identity with your project notes.
Source: Carrier-reported DFS coverage, read 14 October 2026.
Write down the names supplied for the crew removing the covering, the crew laying the new material and any separate wood-repair team. Ask the contracting business to explain the staffing arrangement in writing. Use those answers to formulate a records question rather than guessing which employer name to search.
For an owner who provides an exemption, use DFS's separate exemption search. The department states that exemptions belong to corporate officers and LLC members, not businesses. Ask DFS about a record you cannot interpret, keeping that enquiry separate from your decision about the roof specification.
Source: Officer/member exemptions, read 14 October 2026.
Source: DFS person search, read 14 October 2026.
DFS says “Upon issuance of an exemption, the officer or member is not considered an employee of the business and may not recover workers' compensation benefits.”
Source: Officer/member exemptions, read 14 October 2026.
What should I ask for in writing about insurance?
Ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as certificate holder for the roofing business on your written scope. Supply the project address and request issuer contact details; direct questions about the document to the insurer before you decide to sign.
Source: FTC estimate and insurance checklist, read 14 October 2026.
Keep the certificate with the roof proposal it accompanied. Ask the roofer to explain a different business name, and identify whether the proposal includes another contractor for wood repairs or gutter removal. Describe those boundaries in your document request without trying to decide what the certificate covers.
Palm Beach asks homeowners to request “Liability and Workers Compensation insurance”.
Source: Palm Beach contractor directory, read 14 October 2026.
Source: FTC estimate and insurance checklist, read 14 October 2026.
How do I describe the roofing job before checking anyone?
Describe each roof area on a drawing or photograph taken from a safe location. Identify the proposed covering, skylights, attached roofs and excluded structures, then ask how deck or fascia repairs discovered during tear-off will be documented.
Outline the work on photographs taken from a safe location: one roof plane, an entire covering replacement or a particular leak investigation. Ask whether detached structures, skylights and the edge of an attached patio roof are included. These are scope questions to settle with the roofer, not findings about your property.
Ask the roofer to organise your preliminary description around the actual surfaces: the main roof, an attached patio roof and any detached building you want included. Note skylights, changes in roof level and areas the contractor should discuss with you. Use photographs taken from the ground or another safe location; preparation of the request does not require you to climb onto the roof.
A useful intake note separates the result you want from the roofer's diagnosis. Describe a leak location inside the building as an observation, then ask the roofer how it proposes to investigate. Do not label the entry point on the outside of the roof unless the contractor has identified it and explained its finding.
Ask for a responsibility drawing or annotated photograph when several roof areas meet. Have the bidder mark where its proposed covering work stops, whether an adjoining roof is included and which openings require separate discussion. Keep a written description available if a photograph does not show the area clearly.
For a covering replacement, request the proposed material and the condition in which the roofer intends to leave the roof edges. Ask how it will document wood work discovered after removal. If the proposal includes fascia, identify the sections rather than treating the word as a promise to replace every perimeter component.
For a skylight, ask whether the proposed operation concerns the surrounding roofing, the skylight itself or both. Request the intended treatment and the identity of any other business involved. Keep the product question separate from the person responsible for installing it.
Make a roof-area schedule from safe ground-level observations and the roofer's annotated proposal. It should identify the surfaces being priced without asking you to diagnose hidden conditions or climb onto the building.
| Roof area or junction | What to mark on the request | Written roofing decision |
|---|---|---|
| Main roof planes | Which slopes or covering areas are included in replacement | What covering and underlayment are proposed for each identified area? |
| Attached patio | Where the patio covering meets the main building | Is that junction and the patio surface included, excluded or quoted as a separate operation? |
| Detached structure | Garage, shed or other building you want discussed | Does the offer include its covering, edges and cleanup, or only the house? |
| Skylight | Location and whether you want to discuss retaining the unit | Is the proposal treating surrounding roofing, replacing the skylight, or assigning another contractor? |
| Roof edge | Sections where fascia work has been proposed | Which lengths or locations are included, and how will newly exposed repair needs be documented? |
| Wood decking | Any area the roofer identifies for discussion after removal | What record of the exposed condition and proposed repair will be supplied before your decision? |
| Delivery and debris | Available driveway or shared access, as known to you | Where are materials and removed covering intended to go, and what cleanup is promised? |
Reconcile the marked surfaces with the product schedule after the roofer revises either document. A material name by itself leaves the area of application and the treatment at adjoining roofs unresolved.
Review the drawing against the written agreement after any revision. Ask the contractor to resolve differences between the marked areas and the material description before you decide. Keep a separate list of work you are deliberately leaving out, such as a detached building you may address later.
How does InstaBids work, in one paragraph?
Homeowners pay InstaBids nothing. Contractors who take part estimate from your photos and a written scope card, so nobody visits before you see any prices. The contractor you pick may visit once before settling the final price against the percentage the bid stated.
Source: How InstaBids works, read 14 October 2026.
Contractors in your trade see the scope card, your photos and your 5-digit ZIP code.
Source: How InstaBids works, read 14 October 2026.
Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection. The contact-detail filter can miss disguised contact details.
Source: Pilot FAQ, read 14 October 2026.
What should I do before I sign?
Compare the roofer's written scope with the roof areas you marked, then settle the deck-repair and disposal exclusions. Ask what happens if removal exposes additional wood work, including how the contractor will document the finding and request your written decision.
Source: FTC estimate and insurance checklist, read 14 October 2026.
Source: CC/RC roofing and related wood work, read 14 October 2026.
Read the covering specification separately from the hidden-work procedure. Ask for the product, installation boundary, treatment around roof openings and whether related fascia or skylight work appears in the accepted document. Put any promise about a detached roof or attached patio roof in that same version instead of relying on the original discussion.
Ask who requests the permit, who arranges inspections and which completion documents you will receive. Set a written process for material substitutions and extra work discovered during removal.
Next: How to check a contractor licence, Florida contractor licence guide, Florida hiring checklist.
Home jobs in Broward and Palm Beach counties. InstaBids is new in your area, so finding contractors can take longer, and a request may get no bids.
Source: Pilot FAQ, read 14 October 2026.
Sources for the facts on this page
Read the roofing scope published by DBPR before comparing a covering replacement with related deck work, then follow the county and DFS links for optional dated records; the FTC supports requesting a written estimate and proof of insurance.
Sources checked: 14 October 2026.
- DBPR lookup.
- DBPR business identity.
- Pilot FAQ, checked 14 October 2026.
- CC/RC roofing and related wood work.
- Current/active status.
- Broward county card.
- Broward record enquiries.
- Palm Beach contractor directory.
- Carrier-reported DFS coverage.
- Officer/member exemptions.
- DFS person search.
- FTC estimate and insurance checklist.
- How InstaBids works, checked 14 October 2026.
- Palm Beach Certificate of Competency.
- How to check a contractor licence, checked 14 October 2026.
Parent: InstaBids home.