- Registration is needed for residential work with an estimated value of $10,000 or more, labor and materials included.
- Biennial, with a certificate of insurance uploaded at each renewal.
Do you need a state license in Vermont?
Vermont 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.
Registration is needed for residential work with an estimated value of $10,000 or more, labor and materials included.
Vermont license types for roofing work
Vermont 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 |
|---|---|
| Individual registration | Self-employed residential contractors with no employees |
| Business registration | Contractors with employees. Employees working for a registered business do not register |
Steps to get licensed in Vermont
- Register your business name with the Vermont Secretary of State business services.
- Get liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.
- Apply online with the Office of Professional Regulation as an individual or business.
- Pay the $75 individual or $250 business fee and attest that you use written contracts.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The board's pages do not list one.
The license to apply for. Residential Contractor registration (individual or business).
Vermont roofing exams
Trade exam. No trade exam.
Business and law exam. No business and law exam.
What it costs in Vermont
The board lists 2 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 |
|---|---|
| Individual registration | $75 |
| Business registration | $250 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, with proof at application and at each biennial renewal.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Biennial, with a certificate of insurance uploaded at each renewal.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Vermont
- Residential contracting is defined to include roofing on homes and buildings with four or fewer units.
- You must use a written contract with price, work dates, scope and a change order process.
- Subcontractors hired by another contractor, not the homeowner, do not need to register.
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 Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation, Residential Contractors 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.