Home › Guides › Do Roofers Need a License Number on Their Website? State by State
Do roofers need a license number on their website?
Short answer: In many states, yes. Several state boards require a roofer's license or registration number in all advertising, and some name websites on the list. Florida, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, Massachusetts and Maryland all have a rule. Some states have no state roofing license, so no state rule. Even there, put your number in your footer.
- Florida, Nevada, Minnesota and Oregon name websites or internet advertising in the official sources we read.
- Massachusetts treats a home improvement ad without the registration number as a prohibited act.
- Maryland says each home improvement ad must show the contractor's name and license number.
- Washington makes it a gross misdemeanor to use a false or expired registration number to buy an ad.
- Put your number in the footer of every page as plain text, not inside an image.
- We did not find a rule in every state, and a missing rule does not mean none exists.
A license number is the number a state or local agency gave your business when it licensed or registered you. Some states call it a registration number, and the rules treat it the same way. It lets a homeowner look you up and see that you are allowed to work.
This page covers what we confirmed on official sources. Rules change and many are written for "advertising" in general. Check with your own board before you rely on this page.
Is a roofing website "advertising"?
Mostly, yes. A page that says you do roof repairs and tells people how to hire you reads as an ad. Some boards say so outright.
Florida's contractor board defines "advertise" to include "electronic media including Internet sites," and says the license number belongs on advertisements, signs, bids, contracts and vehicles that show the contractor's name. Promotional items like pens, hats and shirts are not covered (Florida DBPR: Construction Industry Licensing Board FAQs).
Nevada lists "Website" next to vehicles, business cards, letterhead, signs and directories on its advertising page (Nevada State Contractors Board: advertising requirements).
Other boards say "all advertising" and do not name sites. Assume a website counts. It costs you one line of text to be safe.
What do the states say? A quick table
These are the states where we found a written rule and opened the official source.
| State | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | The number goes on advertisements, signs, bids, contracts and vehicles with the contractor's name. Internet sites count as advertising. | Florida DBPR FAQs |
| Nevada | All business advertising must show the license number. Websites are on the board's list. | Nevada State Contractors Board |
| Minnesota | A residential licensee's number "must appear in any advertising." The examples include signs, vehicles, websites and internet ads. | Minn. Stat. 326B.87 |
| Oregon | Internet ads, including website ads, must show the contractor's license number visually. | OAR 812-003-0120 |
| Massachusetts | A home construction or improvement ad without the registration number is a prohibited act. | M.G.L. c. 142A, section 17 |
| Maryland | Each home improvement ad must contain the contractor's name and license number. | Maryland Dept. of Labor: MHIC advertising |
| Washington | Using a false or expired registration number to buy an ad that requires one is a gross misdemeanor. | RCW 18.27.020 |
That is not the full list. Other states have roofing or home improvement boards that may have their own wording. We did not find a rule in every state, and "we did not find one" does not mean none exists.
Florida and Nevada: the clearest cases
Florida is direct. If you hold a certified or registered roofing license, put the number wherever your business name and an offer to do work appear. That means the site, your truck, your estimates and your contracts. The same FAQ says roofing work cannot be subcontracted to unlicensed roofers, so a crew that works for you must be your employees or leased through a licensed employee leasing company (Florida DBPR FAQs). If you use crews, your site should not suggest otherwise. See our Florida page.
Nevada's board says "Advertising Without a License Is Illegal" and sends readers to NRS 624.720. The page does not describe a penalty for a missing number. See our Nevada page.
Minnesota, Oregon and the "licensee" states
Minnesota's rule covers residential contractors who hold a license, and it names websites and internet ads. Minnesota licenses residential roofers under a roofer, residential building contractor or residential remodeler license (Minnesota DLI: who needs a roofer license). If you work in the state, put the number on every page. See our Minnesota page.
Oregon's rule says website advertising must show the number visually (OAR 812-003-0120). "Visually" is plain. A number in an image that a screen reader cannot read is weaker than text. Use text. See our Oregon page.
Massachusetts, Maryland and Washington
Massachusetts and Maryland write the rule into home improvement law. In Massachusetts, a home improvement ad that lacks the registration number is a prohibited act, and so is advertising that you are registered without an accurate reference to the certificate (M.G.L. c. 142A, section 17). Check the state's other credential rules for roofers too, since the registration is one piece. See our Massachusetts page.
In Maryland, the Home Improvement Commission says each ad must show the contractor's name and license number (Maryland MHIC). That page does not cite a statute for the rule, so check the commission's current wording. See our Maryland page.
Washington's statute is about misuse. Using a false or expired registration number to buy an ad that requires one is a gross misdemeanor (RCW 18.27.020). Keep your registration current, because an expired number on a live page is a problem. See our Washington page.
What if my state has no roofing rule?
Some states do not license roofers at the state level, and we did not find an advertising rule there. A city or county may have its own. Even so, put your number on the site if you hold any local license. Here is why:
- Homeowners can look you up and see you are real.
- It separates you from storm-chasing crews who work off a phone number.
- Google and AI assistants read your page for facts like this. A number in plain text is something they can quote.
- If a city sets its own rule, you are already covered.
If you have no license because your state does not issue one, say what you do have. List your insurance, your business registration and your permit history, such as "We pull the building permit on every re-roof." Do not invent a number or the word "licensed."
Where should the number go?
A simple habit works. Anywhere your business name appears with an offer to roof, the number goes next to it.
- Website footer on every page, next to the business name.
- Contact page and estimate request form.
- Google Business Profile. Put it in the business description or the "from the business" text if your state requires it in ads. Our guide to roofer Google Business Profile tips covers what to put there.
- Trucks, yard signs, door hangers and flyers. Roofers do a lot of yard signs after a job. Put the number on them.
- Estimates, contracts and invoices.
- Social pages that sell your services.
Does the rule cover Google, social media and flyers?
The rules we read say "advertising" or list items such as signs, cards and vehicles. None of the pages we opened named Google Business Profile or social media. That gap is not permission. If a profile sells your services, treat it like any other ad and put the number there too.
How do you add your license number to a roofing website?
Step 1: Find the exact wording your board uses
Some states want "License No." Others want a prefix such as "MHIC No." or a state name. Look at your board's advertising page and copy the format.
Step 2: Match the business name
Use the same legal name that your license shows. A license for "Smith Roofing LLC" does not cover a site that says "Smith Bros Roofing" unless your board lists that name.
Step 3: Put it in the footer template
Add it once to the footer so it shows on every page, including new ones. Do not rely on remembering it for each page.
Step 4: Make it plain text
Type it as text. Do not hide it inside an image. Text can be read by people, screen readers, Google and AI assistants.
Step 5: Link it to the lookup page
If your board has a public lookup, link the number to it. A homeowner can verify you in one tap. This matches what they check anyway; see how homeowners tell if a roofer is legit.
Step 6: Check your trucks and print
After the site, walk around your own truck and read your estimate form. If the number is missing on any, fix it now.
What happens if you leave it off?
It depends on the state. Washington treats misuse of a false or expired number as a gross misdemeanor. Massachusetts calls a missing number a prohibited act. We did not find a penalty on the Florida, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon or Maryland pages we read. Whatever the penalty, a complaint to your board is a headache you can avoid with one line in your footer.
What if you are not licensed yet?
Do not advertise as licensed. A number you do not hold is the worst thing you can put in a footer. In Minnesota, contractors under $15,000 in yearly gross residential receipts can claim an exemption, but the exemption is a certificate you must get each year (Minnesota DLI). Wait until you hold the license or registration, or work under a licensed contractor. Your state board's website will list the steps.
If you need a site that carries your number and your proof on every page, the list is in roofing website must-haves.
Common questions
Does a roofer have to put a license number on a website?
In many states, yes. Florida, Nevada, Minnesota and Oregon name websites or internet advertising in the sources we read. Other states say "all advertising," which a regulator can read to include a site. Check your board, and when in doubt, add it.
Where on the website should my roofing license number go?
The footer of every page is the usual place, next to your business name. Add it to the contact page and estimate form too. Use plain text and match the wording your board uses.
What if my state has no roofing license?
Then there is probably no state advertising rule. Local rules may apply, so check with your city or county. List your insurance and permits on the site so a homeowner can still check you.
Do I need the number on my truck and yard signs?
Often yes. Florida's FAQ lists signs and vehicles that carry the contractor's name, and Nevada lists vehicles and signage. Promotional items like pens and shirts are excluded in Florida.
Can I show a license number from another state?
Show only the number that applies where you work, and say which state issued it. If you work in two states, list each number with its state. Never show a number that is not yours.
If you want a site where the number, insurance and reviews are set up properly from day one, you can see a free demo site.
Sources
- Florida DBPR: Construction Industry Licensing Board FAQs (2026)
- Nevada State Contractors Board: Advertising requirements (2026)
- Minnesota Revisor of Statutes: Minn. Stat. 326B.87 (current)
- Minnesota DLI: Who needs a roofer license (2026)
- Cornell LII: Oregon Administrative Rules 812-003-0120 (current)
- Massachusetts Legislature: General Laws, Chapter 142A, Section 17 (current)
- Maryland Department of Labor: MHIC home improvement advertising (2026)
- Washington State Legislature: RCW 18.27.020 (current)
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