- The commercial license does not apply to residential buildings with four or fewer units or to roofers applying shingles only. Contractor registration is not needed when all contracts on one project total less than $500 and the work is minor.
- Commercial license applicants must state their skills, training and experience. No set number of years found.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Commercial license every two years with 12 hours of continuing roofing education. Contractor registration is valid for one year.
Do you need a state license in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island licenses some roofing work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
The commercial license does not apply to residential buildings with four or fewer units or to roofers applying shingles only. Contractor registration is not needed when all contracts on one project total less than $500 and the work is minor.
Rhode Island license types for roofing work
Rhode Island splits the work into 2 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Commercial Roofing License | Roofing on commercial and industrial buildings, not homes with four or fewer units |
| Contractor registration | All residential and commercial construction work, including roofers |
Steps to get licensed in Rhode Island
- Complete 5 hours of pre-registration education and register with the CRLB.
- Carry liability insurance of at least $500,000, and workers comp if required.
- For commercial roofing, pass the board exam and get $2,000,000 per occurrence insurance.
- Make sure field crews have the 10 hour OSHA course.
- Apply for the commercial roofing license and pay $400.
- Renew every two years with 12 hours of roofing education.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Commercial license applicants must state their skills, training and experience. No set number of years found.
The license to apply for. Commercial Roofing License (residential roofers: contractor registration).
Rhode Island roofing exams
Trade exam. Yes, for the commercial roofing license: an exam approved or given by the board.
Business and law exam. Registration needs 5 hours of pre-registration education.
What it costs in Rhode Island
The board lists 3 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Commercial roofing license | $400 |
| Commercial roofing renewal (every two years) | $200 |
| Contractor registration | $150 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Commercial roofers: $2,000,000 per occurrence with the board as certificate holder. Registered contractors: at least $500,000 combined single limit.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Commercial license every two years with 12 hours of continuing roofing education. Contractor registration is valid for one year.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Rhode Island
- All field crew of a commercial roofer need a current 10 hour OSHA safety course certificate.
- New residential contractor licenses (Home Builder and Structural Remodeler) are planned for January 2028.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a roofer near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB) and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how roofing companies run on Koira.