Who Can Sign a Roof Certification?

The short answer

Most often, a licensed roofing contractor signs a roof certification. Many insurers also accept a licensed home inspector or general contractor, and some accept an engineer or architect. Your insurer decides whose signature counts, so ask before you book. A good letter gives the address, roof type and age, remaining life in years, photos, a signature, and a license number.

Is this you?

Your insurer asked for a roof certification and you do not know who to call.
A report you sent was rejected because of who signed it.
A relative or handyman offered to write the letter for you.
You want to be sure the letter you pay for will be accepted the first time.

The usual signers

Who	Often accepted?	Good to know
Licensed roofing contractor	Yes, the most common choice for a roof-only letter	May also want to sell you repairs or a new roof
Licensed home inspector	Often, especially on combined forms like a 4-point inspection	Some states do not license home inspectors at all
General, building, or residential contractor	Often, and listed on Florida forms	Ask whether they are comfortable rating roof life
Building code inspector	Listed on some Florida forms	Not often hired for private jobs
Professional engineer or architect	Sometimes, and named in Florida law	Useful for unusual roofs or disputes; ask the price first

Notice the word licensed in every row. Insurers want someone whose license they can look up. A note from a handyman, a relative, or the homeowner will very likely be turned down. New to all this? Start with our guide to roof certification for insurance.

Example: what Florida requires

Florida spells out more than most states, so it is a useful example. Under Florida law (section 627.7011), an insurer cannot refuse a policy only because a roof is under 15 years old. For older roofs, the insurer must allow an inspection by an “authorized inspector” before it requires a new roof. If that inspection shows at least five years of useful life left, roof age alone cannot be the reason to refuse. The law lists who can do that inspection, as long as the insurer approves them:

A licensed home inspector
A certified building code inspector
A licensed general, building, or residential contractor, or a roofing contractor
A licensed professional engineer
A licensed architect
Anyone else the insurer recognizes as qualified

Insurer forms can be narrower than the law. Citizens Property Insurance, Florida’s state-backed insurer, says its Roof Inspection Form must be completed by a general, residential, building, or roofing contractor, a building code inspector, or a Florida-licensed home inspector. Engineers and architects are not on that form’s list. Citizens also says it may reject a form if the professional’s Florida license is inactive or cannot be verified. For more on Florida, see our Florida roof insurance guide.

Outside Florida: no single national rule

There is no national standard for who can sign. Each insurer sets its own rules, and licensing is different in every state. Two examples:

Some states do not license home inspectors. California, Colorado, and Georgia are among the states with no home inspector licensing, according to a 2026 Newsweek review.
Texas does not license roofers. A 2025 Texas House bill analysis noted that the state does not require a state license for reroofing contractors. The bill to change that did not pass. See our Texas roof insurance guide.

In states like these, ask your insurer what it means by “qualified.” It may want a roofer who is registered with your city, carries liability insurance, or has a manufacturer certification. Get the answer in writing.

What the letter should include

Whoever signs it, a strong certification leaves no room for guessing. Citizens’ Roof Inspection Form is a good model, because it asks for most of these items:

Your name, the property address, and your policy or application number
The date of the inspection
The roof covering type (shingle, tile, metal, flat), listed for each section if there is more than one
The roof age, and how it was confirmed, such as the date of the last roofing permit
The overall condition, with any problems named: cracking, curling, granule loss, missing shingles or tiles, soft decking, hail damage, or leaks
Remaining useful life as a number of years, not just “good condition”
Photos of each roof slope and of every problem noted
The signer’s name, company, license type and number, signature, date, and phone number

Want to see what these letters look like? Our page of roof letter examples shows common formats.

How to get it right the first time

Ask your insurer three questions in writing. Is there a required form? Which licenses do you accept? How recent must it be?
Look up the license yourself. Use your state’s licensing website before the visit. In Florida, that is the Department of Business and Professional Regulation license search.
Give the signer your insurer’s form ahead of time, so nothing is left blank.
Read the finished letter before you send it. Check the address, the roof age, the years of life left, the license number, and the photos.
Keep copies of everything you send, and note the date you sent it.

Good to know

Citizens says it may reject an inspection form if the license cannot be verified. Spend two minutes on your state’s license lookup before you pay anyone. An expired or wrong license type can cost you the fee and precious time before your deadline.

Need a licensed roofer to look at your roof?

A local roofer can inspect your roof and tell you whether it can be certified, needs a few repairs, or needs more. Free, with no obligation.

Talk to someone about my roof

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Common questions

Can a home inspector certify my roof?

Often yes, if your state licenses home inspectors and your insurer accepts them. In Florida, licensed home inspectors are named both in the law and on the Citizens roof form. Ask your insurer first.

Is an engineer’s letter better than a roofer’s?

Not always. Florida law includes engineers, but some insurer forms do not list them. An engineer can be helpful if two roofers disagree or the roof is unusual. Confirm your insurer accepts it before paying.

Can the roofer who wants to replace my roof sign the certification?

Yes, if they hold an accepted license. Just keep in mind they may have a reason to say the roof is worn out. A second opinion protects you.

What if two professionals give different years of life left?

Send your insurer the report you trust, with photos, and ask how it handles different opinions. Keep both reports in your records.

Where to go next

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