How to check an Alabama roofer, and which permit your roof needs
Since 2019 Alabama has licensed residential roofers, and after every hurricane the licensing board publishes the same warning about the trucks that show up without one. Here is what the law requires, how to verify a roofer in two minutes, and how permits work on both sides of the bay.
The Alabama roofer license
Since January 2019, any residential roofing job in Alabama over $2,500 requires a roofer license from the Home Builders Licensure Board (Chapter 14A of Title 34, Code of Alabama). The license requires a $10,000 License/Permit Bond naming the Board as obligee, renewed every year with the license, which homeowners can claim against; proof of a municipal or county contractor business or occupational license in Alabama; and a $150 annual fee (plus a $100 new-application fee). There is no exam, which is worth knowing: the license proves the roofer is bonded, registered and accountable to the Board, not that they're skilled. Unlicensed roofing over $2,500 is a Class A misdemeanor, and the Board must be told within 10 days of any court verdict against a licensee. General contractors need a separate HBLB builder license for repair or rebuilding over $10,000, and commercial roofing over $50,000 falls under the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors.
How to verify one in two minutes
Ask to see the Board's credit-card-sized license card. It is a different document from a city business license, and the Board's post-hurricane advisories say so specifically. Then verify the number at hblb.alabama.gov or by calling 334-242-2230. Ask for the certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers' compensation, from the insurer, not a verbal promise; if a worker is hurt on your roof and the company has no workers' comp, the question of who pays can land on you. Check references on jobs more than a year old. And get the quote and the contract in writing; the Board says that's required by law for roofing, and an honest roofer has no reason to resist it.
The post-hurricane warning
After Zeta in November 2020 the Home Builders Licensure Board issued its standard advisory, and it will issue the same one after Isaias: out-of-state crews arrive within days of a storm, knock on doors, offer a "free roof" by waiving the deductible, ask for a signature on an assignment of benefits in the driveway, take a deposit, and leave. Waiving a deductible is insurance fraud for both parties. An assignment of benefits signs your claim to the contractor. A deposit to a company with no Alabama license and no local address is gone. The rules: license card, verification, insurance certificate, references, written contract, no deductible games, no driveway signatures, and no large deposit before materials are on site. Read our hurricane claims guide for the rest.
Which permit your roof needs
| Where the house is | Who issues the roof permit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| City of Mobile (inside the limits) | City of Mobile building department, 251-208-7696 | Structural changes (dormers, pitch, skylights) need engineered plans; minor repairs generally don't need a permit |
| Unincorporated Mobile County (Tillmans Corner, Theodore, Grand Bay, parts of west Mobile) | Mobile County Public Works, 251-574-3507 | Issued on a contract or signed estimate on letterhead with the HBLB number; 0.5% of contract (July 2026 schedule); 2024 IRC/IBC with county amendments |
| Semmes, Saraland, Satsuma, Creola, Prichard, Chickasaw, Bayou La Batre, Dauphin Island | Each city or town's building department | Inside their own limits |
| Daphne, Fairhope, Spanish Fort | Each city's building department | Baldwin County handles unincorporated parcels |
| Historic districts in Mobile (Oakleigh, Old Dauphin Way, Leinkauf and others) | Architectural Review Board plus the City permit | Visible changes in material, color or shape need Board approval; like-for-like is routine |
The Mobile County roof permit form asks what the contractor is installing: underlayment type, starter shingle, whether the shingles are Class H fiberglass, and whether metal is involved, and the applicant attests to the 2024 building codes with the county's amendments effective July 1, 2026. That's useful to a homeowner because it means the County expects to see the same things the FORTIFIED standard does. Requests filed after 4 p.m. are processed the next business day. HOAs in the newer subdivisions on both sides of the bay often restrict materials and colors, and that's a separate check from the permit.
What we do
Our HBLB roofer license number and insurance certificate are printed on every contract, the quote is itemized and in writing, we pull the permit your address requires and itemize the fee, and we handle Architectural Review Board applications in the historic districts. If a roofer tells you a permit isn't needed for a full replacement, ask them to put that in writing too.
Common questions
Is a city business license the same as a roofer license?
No. A business license is a tax registration. The HBLB roofer license is a state credential with a $10,000 bond and a license card, and it's the one the law requires for residential roofing over $2,500.
Does a small repair need a licensed roofer?
Under $2,500, the state license isn't legally required. A roofer who holds one anyway is bonded and accountable to the Board for the small jobs too.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof?
In most of the Mobile area, yes, for a full replacement. Mobile County issues them on a signed estimate at 0.5 percent of the contract; the City of Mobile and each Eastern Shore city have their own offices. Minor repairs generally don't need one.
What's the $10,000 bond for?
It's a surety bond homeowners can claim against if a licensed roofer violates the licensing law. It isn't a warranty, and it isn't insurance; ask for the insurance certificate separately.
A roofer says they're 'licensed and insured' but won't show the card. Now what?
Walk away. The card and the certificate are easy to produce and the Board tells homeowners to ask for both. A roofer who won't show them is telling you something.
Related: Insurance claims · Hurricane claims guide · Roof replacement · About us