When considering the repair of your home, especially your roof, you can never be too cautious. Before hiring, it's essential to know how to check a roofing contractor license in Iowa and always vet your prospective contractor thoroughly.
Hiring a professional roofer is no different. Being licensed and insured should be at the top of your priorities when hiring a roofing contractor in Iowa. Go out of your way to ask if they are a licensed and insured contractor. We’ve compiled a list of 5 questions you should ask any prospective roofer before you agree to hire them.
To protect you and your home from an untrustworthy contractor, I’m going to show you exactly how to lookup an Iowa contactor’s license.
How you can check a roofing contractor license in Iowa
Thankfully the state of Iowa makes it pretty easy to look up a contractor license. All you need to do is simply visit the Iowa Workforce Development Registered Contractor website.
Rather than trying to find the exact URL, you can simply click here to go straight to the webpage.
From there, you’ll simply type in the business name, registration number (if you happen to have it), the county the business was established in (again if you have it), the city they’re located in, and the principal activity.
The principal activity provides a drop-down menu showing several options to choose from.
What if you can’t find your roofer’s contractor license
There’s a chance the contractor may be listed under a different name. This could be for various reasons (For example, their business entity could be formed as a DBA.)
If that’s not the case and you’re still uncertain, you can contact the Iowa Division of Labor Contractor Registration directly. Their email and other contact information are listed below.
Iowa Division of Labor - Contractor Registration
Phone: (515) 242-5871
What it takes to become a contractor in Iowa
According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, there are certain requirements they have to meet.
Contractor requirements:
Must be at least 18 years old.
Must provide documentation of criminal convictions related to the practice of the profession, which shall include a full explanation from the applicant.
Must file an application and submit appropriate fees.
Must provide required bond and information to be issued a Division of Labor Contractor Registration Number.
Must provide a valid unemployment insurance number, even if you have no employees.
Must provide the board with evidence that the applicant maintains a permanent place of business.
Iowa contractors also need to meet a few other requirements in addition to those above such as carrying liability insurance. You can visit the Iowa Department of Public Health for the full list of requirements.
Avoid unlicensed contractors
While there are certain red flags, like too low of a starting bid or storm chasers (i.e. unheard of contractors showing up at your door after a storm), one crucial step is knowing how to check a roofing contractor license in Iowa. This can tip you off to shady contractors, including those mentioning mystery roof damage.
Hiring an unlicensed roofer can be costly. So, choose to work only with a licensed roofing contractor and spare yourself from a world of financial problems.
At JB Roofing we take pride in our reputation and service. If you feel like someone is trying to scam you then give us a call at 515-554-1964. We’re always happy to provide an honest, up-front assessment of your home’s roof.