The Short Answer
Search the contractor on LARA's licensee lookup (aca-prod.accela.com/LARA) by license number or business name. For roof work on a house you want an active Residential Builder license, or a Maintenance and Alteration license that lists roofing, in the same name as your contract, with an expiration date after your job ends. A license proves the holder met state requirements; it does not prove insurance, skill or a clean complaint history.
Key Points
- Michigan licenses residential roof work under MCL 339.2401 to 339.2412; an M&A license must name roofing as one of its trades.
- A company needs its own license plus a licensed qualifying officer, and the name on the record should match your contract.
- Licenses run three years; a lapsed license counts as no license at all under Michigan law.
- The license number belongs on the contractor's ads, your contract and any permit application.
- A license doesn't show insurance coverage or workmanship, so verify those separately.
Who Needs a Michigan License for Roof Work
Article 24 of Michigan's Occupational Code, MCL 339.2401 to 339.2412, licenses two kinds of residential contractors. A residential builder undertakes, for pay, the construction, replacement, repair or alteration of a residential structure. A residential maintenance and alteration contractor, usually shortened to M&A, undertakes the repair, alteration or improvement of a residential structure, but only in the crafts and trades printed on the license. MCL 339.2404 lists 12 of them, and roofing is one.
The law's definition of a residential structure is narrower than many people assume. MCL 339.2401 defines it as a detached one- or two-family dwelling, or a townhouse of not more than three stories with its own means of egress, plus related facilities such as a detached garage. Work on those buildings is what the state license covers.
There is a small-job exception. LARA's homeowner guidance states that contractors offering work that totals $600 or more in labor and materials must be licensed, and the statute blocks splitting one job into smaller contracts to stay under the line. Owners working on their own homes are also exempt. Our handyman article covers those exemptions in detail.
Handyman or licensed roofer?
The $600 exemption, owner exemptions, and how a handyman and a roofer differ on insurance and warranty.
Handyman vs rooferApartment buildings, stores, offices and churches fall outside the residential structure definition, so a residential builder license is not the test for commercial roof work. For those, ask the local building department what it requires of contractors pulling permits.
How to Search LARA's License Database
LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes moved residential builder licensing onto its Accela Citizen Access system in 2019. The public search needs no account. Searching takes about two minutes once you know which license types to pick.
- Step 1
Get the License Number in Writing
Ask for it on the estimate or in an email, not just spoken at the door. A licensed contractor should already print it on ads and contracts, so a contractor who hesitates to give it has told you something.
- Step 2
Open the Licensee Search
Go to aca-prod.accela.com/LARA and choose the licensee search, or start from LARA's Residential Builders page on michigan.gov, which links to it. The form lets you search by license type, license number, first and last name, business name, address or city.
- Step 3
Search by Number First, Then by Name
A license number search returns one record. Then run a second search by the business name on your estimate, with License Type left blank, so you see every license tied to that name, including the company license and any branch office license.
- Step 4
Pick the Right License Type if You Filter
The roofing-relevant types are Residential Builder Company, Residential Builder Individual, Residential Builder M and A Company and Residential Builder M and A Individual. A sales rep appears as Residential Builder Individual Salesperson. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical licenses on the same list are different trades.
- Step 5
Open the Record and Save a Copy
Click into the license detail and take a screenshot or print it with the date showing. If a dispute ever comes up, a dated copy of what the record said when you signed is useful.
If you can't find a record, call LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes before you assume the worst. A name may be spelled differently in the database, or the license may be under the owner's personal name with the company as a separate record.
What Each Part of the License Record Means
The record answers more questions than whether a license exists. These are the fields worth reading slowly, and what the statute behind each one says.
License type: builder or M&A
MCL 339.2404
A Residential Builder license covers building and remodeling across the residential trades that don't need their own license. An M&A license covers only the trades it lists. The statute says an M&A license shall specify the particular craft or trade, so for a roofer, roofing must appear. A contractor licensed only for siding and gutters, for example, can take on roof work only where it is incidental and supplemental to the licensed trade.
Company or individual
MCL 339.2405
When a corporation, LLC or partnership applies, it must designate a qualifying officer who passes the exam, holds an individual license, and is responsible for supervising the construction operations. The company license and the individual license are separate records. A company that contracts in its own name should have its own company license, not just an owner with a personal one.
Status and expiration
MCL 339.2404(5)
Builder and M&A licenses are issued for three years. You want an active status and an expiration date after your job's expected finish. Under MCL 339.601(3), a person whose license is suspended, revoked or lapsed is considered unlicensed, so an expired record is not a technicality.
Address
MCL 339.2404(4)
Licensed builders and M&A contractors must maintain a place of business in Michigan, and each additional Michigan location needs a branch office license. A record that lists only an out-of-state address deserves a question about where the Michigan office is.
Qualifying officer link
MCL 339.2405(2) to (4)
A company license is suspended if its qualifying officer's license is suspended, revoked or denied, or if that person stops serving as qualifying officer (LARA can allow a reasonable time to name a replacement). So when you check a company, check the qualifying officer's individual license too.
When the Name on the Truck Doesn't Match the License
The most common gap is not a missing license but a mismatch. The estimate says one name, the truck says another, and the license record says a third. Sometimes there is an innocent explanation: a trade name used by a licensed LLC, a recent change of company name, or an owner who holds the license personally. MCL 339.2409 requires licensees to report a change of name or address to LARA within 30 days, so an old name lingering for a year is itself a sign something isn't being kept up.
There are also explanations that should stop you. MCL 339.2411(2)(j) makes it a violation for a licensee to allow its license to be used by an unlicensed person, or to act as the licensed front for an undisclosed person who controls the work. That arrangement, sometimes called license renting, is a known storm-season pattern: an unlicensed operation borrows a local license number for the paperwork.
The fix is simple. The company named on your contract should be the company named on an active license record, and the person who signs should be able to explain how they are connected to it. If the answer is vague, keep looking.
- Contract name, license record name and permit applicant should be the same business.
- Ask who the qualifying officer is and check that person's individual license.
- Crews working as subcontractors to a licensed contractor are allowed, but you contract with, and pay, the licensed company.
- Sales reps who solicit for a licensed contractor need a salesperson license tied to that contractor.
Where the License Number Should Show Up Besides LARA
The lookup is one check. Michigan law also puts the license number on several documents you will see anyway, which makes it easy to cross-check without extra effort.
Advertising
R 338.1532
LARA's administrative rule requires a licensee to show its name, license number and actual business address, as shown on the license, in all advertising. A phone number or post office box alone is prohibited. A yard sign or flyer with no license number is worth asking about.
Pocket card
LARA guidance
LARA's homeowner page says the wall license must be displayed at the place of business and that contractors and their salespersons must carry a pocket card, which you should ask to see. Compare the name and number on the card with the database.
The contract
MCL 339.2404a
A licensee must, as part of the contract, provide information about its individual license and any license it holds as qualifying officer of another entity. What else a Michigan roofing contract should contain is covered in our contract requirements article.
Contract requirementsThe permit application
MCL 125.1510
A licensed contractor applying for a residential building permit must list its license number and expiration date and either its workers' compensation carrier or the reason it is exempt. Permit applications are public records, so the building department can usually tell you what was filed for your address.
What a Michigan License Proves, and What It Doesn't
A license is a floor, not a recommendation. To get one, an applicant must pass an exam that, in the words of MCL 339.2404(2), establishes a fair knowledge of a contractor's obligations to the public and the statutes relating to licensure. Since June 2008, new applicants must also complete 60 hours of approved prelicensure courses covering business management, contracts and risk, project management, the current Michigan Residential Code and MIOSHA construction safety standards (MCL 339.2404b). Licensees first licensed in 2009 or later must log 21 hours of continuing competency activities in each three-year cycle, and at renewal must state that they have a current copy of the Michigan Residential Code.
None of that inspects a roof. The license record will not tell you whether the contractor carries general liability or workers' compensation insurance today, how many roofs they have repaired, whether their crews use fall protection, whether a manufacturer has certified them, or whether they will still answer the phone in five years. Those are separate checks.
- Insurance: ask for a certificate of insurance sent by the contractor's agent and confirm it is current.
- Complaint history: LARA publishes yearly Disciplinary Action Reports for builders and M&A contractors; the Attorney General and BBB keep their own records.
- Workmanship: ask for recent addresses or photos of similar repairs, and ask what the written warranty covers.
- Manufacturer credentials: check them on the manufacturer's own contractor locator, not a logo on a flyer.
How to hire a roofer in Michigan
Insurance certificates, permits, deposits, lien waivers and the full hiring checklist.
Hiring guideWhat Happens When the Contractor Isn't Licensed
Michigan puts real consequences on unlicensed contracting. Under MCL 339.2412, a contractor cannot bring or maintain a lawsuit to collect payment for work that required a license without alleging and proving it was licensed during the work, and cannot impose a lien on the property unless it was licensed during the work. Unlicensed residential building is also a misdemeanor with fines of $5,000 to $25,000 under MCL 339.601(6).
Those rules mostly restrain the contractor. They don't fix a leak or pay for a ruined ceiling. And the licensing complaint process runs against licensees: LARA can discipline a license, which means an unlicensed operator is largely outside its reach. Complaints against a licensee must be filed within 18 months after completion, occupancy or purchase for an M&A contract (MCL 339.2411(1)), which is one more reason to know, before you sign, whether you are dealing with one.
This describes what the statutes say, not how they apply to your situation; for a specific dispute, talk with an attorney.
Consumer protection and complaint routes
Unfair practices under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, and how complaints to the Attorney General and LARA work.
Consumer protectionLiens and payment
Why license status matters to lien rights, and what to collect when you pay.
Construction Lien ActChecking a License When Crews Arrive After a Storm
After a big wind or hail event, out-of-area crews often knock on doors across West Michigan. Some are legitimate companies with a Michigan license and a Michigan office. Others work under a borrowed number or no number at all. The license check is the fastest filter you have, and it takes less time than the sales pitch.
Ask three things on the porch: the license number, the name of the company that will sign the contract, and the Michigan address of its place of business. Then look all three up before you sign anything, including an insurance authorization or a contingency agreement. A salesperson must be licensed to the specific contractor they sell for, so a rep who can't name the licensed company they work for is a red flag. If you do sign at home, Michigan's home solicitation rules usually give you a short window to cancel.
Door-to-door roofing sales rules
Michigan's Home Solicitation Sales Act, the three-day cancellation right, and local solicitor permits.
Door-to-door rulesCommon roofing scams in Michigan
Storm chasers, deposit grabs and the patterns to recognize.
Roofing scamsLook Up Stellar the Same Way
We'd rather you check than take our word for it. Stellar Roofing Company's owner, Paul Aikens, holds Michigan Residential Builder license #262000779, and you can run that number through the same LARA search described above. We carry workers' compensation and general liability insurance and can have a certificate sent to you, and our manufacturer credentials, including GAF Certified Plus and CertainTeed ShingleMaster, can be checked on those manufacturers' own sites.
What to Check on a LARA License Record
| Field | What you want to see | Worth a question |
|---|---|---|
| License type | Residential Builder, or M&A with roofing listed | M&A with only other trades; a salesperson license only |
| Name | Same business as your estimate and contract | A different company, or only an individual for an LLC |
| Status | Active | Expired, lapsed, suspended or revoked |
| Expiration date | After your job is expected to finish | Expiring within weeks of your start date |
| Address | A Michigan place of business | Out-of-state only, or a P.O. box |
| Qualifying officer | An active individual license | No qualifying officer license you can find |
Based on MCL 339.2401 to 339.2412 and Mich. Admin. Code R 338.1532. Save a dated screenshot of the record before you sign.
Want a Licensed Second Opinion?
Our roof inspection is free. You'll get photos, a written explanation and our license number on everything we hand you.
Related Guides
Handyman vs Roofer for a Roof Repair
The $600 exemption and what each can legally do.
Learn MoreThe Michigan Consumer Protection Act and Roofers
Unfair practices and where to file a complaint.
Learn MoreHow to Hire a Roofer in Michigan
Licenses, insurance, permits, contracts and lien waivers.
Learn More12 Questions to Ask a Roofer
The questions that separate a solid contractor from a risky one.
Learn MoreQuestions We Hear
Is there a separate roofing license in Michigan?
Not as a standalone license. Roofing is one of the 12 trades a Residential Maintenance and Alteration contractor license can include, and a Residential Builder license also covers roof work on houses. So a roofer working on homes should hold one of those two licenses, and if it's an M&A license, roofing should be printed on it. Commercial roofing isn't covered by this state license.
Can I verify a Michigan contractor license by phone?
Yes. LARA's homeowner guidance says that if a contractor can't show you a license, you can check the department's license database or call the Residential Builders' Section at 517-241-9309. Have the license number or exact business name ready, and ask whether the license is active, what type it is, and when it expires.
My roofer's license expired during the job. Does that matter?
It can. Michigan law treats a lapsed license as no license, and a contractor's right to sue for payment or claim a lien depends on being licensed during the performance of the work. Ask the contractor to renew right away and to confirm it in writing, and check the record again. For anything beyond that, talk with an attorney.
Does a Michigan license mean the roofer is insured?
No. The license record doesn't show insurance. Michigan's permit application asks licensed contractors to list a workers' compensation carrier or the reason they're exempt, but for your own protection ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly by the contractor's insurance agent, and call the agent to confirm general liability and workers' compensation are current.
How do I check if a roofer has been disciplined in Michigan?
LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes posts yearly Disciplinary Action Reports for residential builders and M&A contractors on its website, which you can search for a name. The Michigan Attorney General's Consumer Protection team and the Better Business Bureau keep separate complaint records. None of these lists every unhappy customer, so read them alongside reviews and references.
What This Page Cites
- MCL 339.2401, Definitions (residential builder, maintenance and alteration contractor, residential structure, salesperson), Michigan Legislature (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-339-2401), accessed October 2026
- MCL 339.2404, License requirements; crafts and trades; place of business; duration; renewal, Michigan Legislature (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-339-2404), accessed October 2026
- MCL 339.2404b, Prelicensure course of study and continuing competency, Michigan Legislature (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-339-2404b), accessed October 2026
- MCL 339.2405, Qualifying officer of a corporation, LLC or other entity, Michigan Legislature (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-339-2405), accessed October 2026
- MCL 339.2411, Complaint deadline; conduct subject to penalty, Michigan Legislature (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-339-2411), accessed October 2026
- MCL 339.2412, Action for collection of compensation; liens; license required, Michigan Legislature (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-339-2412), accessed October 2026
- MCL 339.601, Unlicensed practice; lapsed license; penalties, Michigan Legislature (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-339-601), accessed October 2026
- MCL 125.1510, Building permit application; licensee information, Michigan Legislature (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-125-1510), accessed October 2026
- Mich. Admin. Code R 338.1532, Advertising, via Legal Information Institute (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-338-1532), accessed October 2026
- Helpful Information for Homeowners, LARA Bureau of Construction Codes (https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sections/licensing-section/residential-builders/lic-info/helpful-information-for-homeowners), accessed October 2026
- Residential Builders and Maintenance & Alteration Contractors (Accela transition, licensee search), LARA Bureau of Construction Codes (https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sections/licensing-section/residential-builders), accessed October 2026
- Disciplinary Action Reports, LARA Bureau of Construction Codes (https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sections/enforcement-section/reports/disciplinary-action-reports), accessed October 2026