A roofer working in San Jose must hold a C-39 roofing classification from the Contractors State License Board, and a C-39 roofer must carry workers' compensation coverage even with no employees. This guide explains how a homeowner checks both documents before any deposit is paid, what each document proves and the questions that belong in the file alongside them.
Key takeaways
- Roofing in California is licensed under the C-39 classification by the Contractors State License Board.
- A C-39 roofer must carry workers' compensation coverage even with no employees, according to the board's 2018 newsletter.
- A 2022 board bulletin on SB 216 says all active contractors need a valid certificate by 1 January 2026.
- A licence confirms permission to work; it does not confirm the quality of the work.
- Both documents should be checked on the day of signing and again if the job runs for many weeks.
What does a C-39 licence allow?
A C-39 licence allows the holder to carry out roofing work under the state's classification. The licence is issued by the state, and it applies in San Jose as it does in every other part of California.
A licence is a permission to work in a defined trade, and the board's classification sets the trade. A roofer who holds the C-39 licence may carry out the roof work the classification covers, and the scope should show that the work falls within it.
The licence says nothing about the quality of the work, which the scope and the inspection must establish. The homeowner should treat the licence as the first test and the scope as the second.
The classification also tells the owner what the roofer is not licensed to do. Work outside the roofing classification, such as a structural alteration to the frame beneath the roof, is a different trade and is named as such on the scope, so the owner knows which trade is responsible for each part.
How is the licence number checked?
The number is given by the roofer, checked on the board's website and the result is written in the file with the date. A mismatch between the name on the licence and the company that will sign the contract is a question to resolve before any payment.
The check takes only a few minutes. The owner notes the number, the name, the classification and the status shown, and the date on which the check was made.
If the record shows an inactive status or a different classification, the owner does not sign until the roofer has explained the difference in writing. A roofer who cannot do so should not be engaged.
- Ask for the licence number and the name on the licence
- Check the number on the board's website and note the date
- Confirm the classification covers the roof work
- Confirm the status is active on the day of the check
- Keep the record in the file with the scope
What does workers' compensation cover protect?
Workers' compensation cover protects a worker who is injured on the job. A C-39 roofer must carry it even with no employees, which the board's 2018 newsletter states directly, so the certificate is a document to ask for.
A roof is a steep and slippery place to work, and an injury there is serious. A roofer without a current certificate leaves an injured worker, and sometimes the property owner, without the cover the law expects.
The 2022 board bulletin on SB 216 says all active contractors need a valid certificate by 1 January 2026. The owner can ask for the current certificate and check its dates against the job.
What else belongs in the file?
The licence record, the certificate, the signed scope, the photographs and the change orders belong together. A short index at the front lists each document and its date.
The scope names each line of the work, the materials and the method. The warranty terms, whether from the manufacturer or the company, are read and kept, and the company's contact for the job is written down.
The owner also asks who the insurer contacts if the crew damages a neighbor's property, and how a worker's injury would be reported. Those answers are part of the file.
What do third-party guides add, and what is not confirmed?
Third-party guides list exam, bond and experience requirements for the classification. Those details are not confirmed on the board's website in this guide, so none are published here.
The homeowner who wants those details should check the board's own website, which is the source for the requirements. A figure taken from a commercial guide should not be relied on without that check.
This site does not publish a bond amount or an exam list for the classification. The questions to ask a roofer are whether the licence is active and whether the certificate is current, and both can be checked directly.
What if the licence is not confirmed?
A licence that cannot be confirmed means no contract and no deposit. The owner asks the roofer to explain the position in writing and looks for a roofer whose licence can be checked.
A deposit paid to an unlicensed roofer may be hard to recover, and the work may be left unfinished. The check is simple, so it should be made before any money changes hands.
A call to (833) 751-2102 can start the conversation about the roof, and the line can explain the process. The owner should still check the licence of the roofer who will do the work.
What does the homeowner check on the day of the visit?
On the day of the visit the homeowner checks that the person on the roof is the person named in the scope, that the licence number matches the paperwork and that the certificate is with the crew. The check is made before any work begins.
A crew arriving on a roof should be able to show the scope, and the crew lead should be able to say who is who. A homeowner who is unsure can ask for the licence number to be read aloud and checked against the file.
The crew's certificate is best kept in the truck or the office and produced on request. The owner asks for a copy for the file, and notes the date it was received.
How are subcontractors and crew changes handled?
A subcontractor who works on the roof needs a licence for its own work, and the owner should know who that is before the crew arrives. A change of crew after the scope is signed is recorded as a change order.
The owner asks for the names and licence numbers of anyone who will work on the roof, and writes them into the file beside the scope. A subcontractor who was not named is a question to raise in writing before the next visit.
A change order names the new person, the licence and the certificate, and the owner checks them before work resumes. The change is dated and signed by both parties.
What if a complaint about the roofer is needed?
A complaint about a licensed contractor goes to the state board, which keeps the licence record. The owner keeps the written exchange and the file as the basis for any complaint.
A question that cannot be settled with the roofer is put in writing, and the reply is kept in the file. A reply that avoids the question is useful information in itself.
The board's website explains the complaint process for a licensed contractor. This guide does not set out the steps in detail, since the board's own site is the source for them.
What should a homeowner expect from a licensed roofer?
A licensed roofer should be able to give the licence number on the phone, produce the certificate on request, write a scope before work and explain the reasons for each line. Those expectations are reasonable and they are easy to check.
The roofer should arrive when agreed, identify the crew lead and explain the day's plan. A roofer who cannot do those things is not failing a formal test, but the owner has a reason to slow down and check more carefully.
The roofer should also explain the protection of the house, the disposal of the old material and the clean-up. Those are lines of the scope, and a roofer who treats them as optional has not set out the whole job.
Why do the two documents differ from a warranty?
The licence and the certificate are documents about the roofer. A warranty is a document about the work, and it comes from the manufacturer or the company. The owner should keep the three apart.
The licence says the roofer may do the work. The certificate says the roofer's crew is covered if injured. The warranty says what will be repaired if the work or the product fails, for how long and on what terms.
This page states no warranty of its own. The owner reads the terms the manufacturer and the company provide and keeps them with the scope and the licence record.
How is the paperwork kept for a long job across the valley?
A long job across the valley's wet and dry seasons needs its paperwork kept current. The licence, the certificate and the scope are checked at the start, at the midpoint and before the final payment.
A job that runs through a wet season may outlast the certificate's dates or the licence's status. The owner notes each date in the schedule and asks the roofer for an updated certificate where the dates run out during the work.
The final payment is made only once the scope is signed off and the records are complete. The file then holds the licence record, the certificate, the scope, the photographs and the signed completion note, which is the full set for any future question.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check the licence myself?
Yes. The board's website shows the licence status and classification for the number the roofer gives.
Does a roofer with no staff need the certificate?
Yes. A C-39 roofer must carry workers' compensation coverage even with no employees, according to the board's 2018 newsletter.
How often should I recheck?
On the day of signing and again if the job runs for many weeks or the crew changes. A licence can change status during a long job.
Sources
- California Contractors State License Board
- California Contractors State License Board newsletter and industry bulletins, 2018 to 2022
This guide is general information for Santa Clara County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.