Michigan Roofing License Requirements (2026)

Michigan does not have a stand-alone statewide commercial-roofer license. For compensated work on a residential structure or combination residential-commercial structure, LARA regulates residential builders and Maintenance & Alteration (M&A) contractors. Roofing is an M&A trade. An individual Residential Builder license covers complete residential construction and maintenance/alteration work; an M&A applicant selects one or more specific trades, including roofing. The current LARA application says an individual must choose either the Residential Builder route or M&A route—not both—and a company needs an individual qualifying officer. LARA tells homeowners that contractors offering $600 or more in labor and materials must be licensed. Fully commercial scope and permits should be checked with the local enforcing agency.

Who Regulates This Work

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (LARA BCC) is the primary authority or official reference used for this guide. The controlling authority cited here is Michigan Occupational Code, MCL 339.2401 et seq. (Article 24 — Residential Builders); Skilled Trades Regulation Act, MCL 339.5101 et seq.. LARA Bureau of Construction Codes administers Michigan licensing for residential builders, electricians, plumbers, and mechanical contractors through its trade-specific boards, adopts the Michigan building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes, and conducts disciplinary proceedings.

Official reference: https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc
Address: P.O. Box 30254, Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 241-9313

State and Local Eligibility Rules

There is no single statewide application for this work, so this guide does not impose a uniform applicant-age, identification, or tax-number rule. Check the business, specialty-trade, and local authorities that govern the actual project. The individual application requires a physical Michigan business address, not a P.O. box. An applicant using out-of-state photo identification must also provide the current notarized consent-to-service-of-process form.

State-level applicant screening

Applicants attest that they can serve the public fairly, honestly, and openly and address criminal or civil judgments relevant to the occupational license.

Background-check requirements

Use the current LARA application’s good-moral-character and conviction materials. This audit does not claim a universal roofing fingerprint requirement.

Experience and Scope Requirements

No single statewide year-based experience threshold governs the local or scope-specific path described here. The controlling requirement is No separate roofing-hours threshold was identified. Initial applicants complete LARA-approved 60-hour prelicensure education before examination or application, subject to the published military waiver process..

Relevant records and local documents

60-hour LARA-approved prelicensure certificate, photo identification, and current individual application materials.

Education and scope boundaries

The 60-hour course is the published initial education requirement; qualifying military applicants may request the specified waiver or credit.

Testing Requirements

There is no single statewide trade examination for the local or scope-specific path described here. The applicable testing rule is: PSI for LARA Residential Builder / M&A examinations

Examination fee: PSI examination fee; pay and verify the current amount when scheduling.

Retake policy: Follow the current PSI and LARA instructions.

Insurance, Bonds, and Project Requirements

No statewide contractor-license bond applies to the local or scope-specific path described here. A city, county, permit authority, public owner, or project contract may still require a bond, so confirm the actual project requirements before bidding.

General liability

The reviewed LARA builder/M&A licensing materials do not state a statewide minimum general-liability amount. LARA’s homeowner guidance recommends addressing liability insurance in the contract; local permitting authorities and customers may impose their own requirements.

Workers' compensation

Determine workers’ compensation coverage from the current Michigan Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency rules for the workforce and project; this review does not claim an unsupported universal roofing threshold.

Financial or filing requirements

No statewide builder/M&A financial-statement or Homeowner Construction Lien Recovery Fund contribution is stated in the current LARA materials reviewed; LARA lists that Fund as abolished in 2010.

State and Local Fees

Fee	Amount
Application or registration	$195
Initial credential or registration	$195
Renewal (every 3 years)	$150

To budget for the applicable registration, permits, insurance, and project requirements, open the cost calculator preloaded for Michigan roofing.

Renewal and Ongoing Compliance

Renewal of the Michigan Maintenance & Alteration Contractor — Roofing / Residential Builder comes due every 3 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $150. Renew by May 31 on the license cycle. Late fees are $20 before 60 days after expiration and $35 thereafter.

Continuing education: Individual Builder/M&A licensees: 21 hours in the first and second renewal cycles; 3 hours in the third and later cycles. Company license holders have no CE requirement for that company license itself.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Michigan Roofing Compliance Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the state, local, and project checks.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Credentials and Local Recognition

Michigan has no single statewide credential for this path to transfer through NASCLA. An authority may consider an outside license, examination, or experience record only under its own current rules.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

No general interstate reciprocity claim is made for the residential builder/M&A credential. Use the current LARA application and military/credential-recognition pathways where applicable.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Roofing license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Roofing Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Michigan's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before bidding or beginning work:

Indiana Roofing License Requirements — Indiana Roofing — Local Contractor Licensing and State Contract Rules
Ohio Roofing License Requirements — Ohio — No State Roofing License (Municipal Registration + Insurance)
Wisconsin Roofing License Requirements — Wisconsin Residential Roofing — Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier Credentials

Step-by-Step Compliance Roadmap

Choose the correct residential route. Use an M&A application with the Roofing trade for specialty work, or an Individual Residential Builder license for broader complete residential and remodeling scope. Do not apply for both individual routes.
Complete 60 approved prelicensure hours. The education includes the required business, design, contracts/risk, marketing, project-management, Michigan Residential Code, MIOSHA, and elective subjects.
Submit the individual application. Provide photo ID, the course certificate, a physical Michigan business address, and the $195 nonrefundable fee; out-of-state ID requires the service-of-process form.
Pass the applicable LARA examination. LARA approves qualified applicants for PSI scheduling. Do not rely on old published question counts, time limits, or passing-score claims.
Set up the business license correctly. The individual credential is not an LLC/corporation license. A company must use a current qualifying officer and maintain the applicable company license.
Use a complete contract and obtain permits. LARA consumer guidance calls for clear specifications, price/payment terms, start and completion dates, permit responsibility, insurance/compensation coverage, warranty, cancellation information, and signatures.
Renew on the three-year cycle. Individual M&A/Builder licenses renew by May 31 on the license’s cycle; company and qualifying-officer licenses must both remain active.

Pre-Work Checklist

Before bidding or beginning work, confirm each item below with the authorities that govern the project location and scope:

Choose Individual Residential Builder or M&A Contractor with Roofing trade
60-hour LARA-approved prelicensure certificate
Photo ID, Michigan physical business address, and service-of-process form if out-of-state ID
$195 individual application fee
PSI examination after LARA approval
Company license and qualifying officer, if operating through a company
Project-specific local permit, inspection, insurance, and workers’ compensation review

Common Compliance Mistakes

The issues below are the most likely to create an unlicensed-work, registration, permit, or scope problem for Michigan Roofing work, based on the official sources cited on this page.

Selecting both individual license routes

LARA’s current application permits either Individual Residential Builder or M&A, not both; select Roofing under M&A for specialty scope.

Using old renewal rules

Current LARA guidance distinguishes 21-hour CE for the first two cycles from 3 hours for later cycles and sets a $150 renewal fee.

Treating a company as the individual applicant

The initial application is for an individual. Companies need a current qualifying officer and their own license maintenance.

Skipping the local permit

State builder/M&A licensing does not replace the appropriate enforcing agency’s permit and inspection process.

Treating recommendations as state insurance limits

LARA consumer guidance suggests contract treatment of liability insurance, but the reviewed builder/M&A materials do not state the former claimed statewide $500k–$1m requirement.

Official References and Preparation Materials

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

LARA approved Builder/M&A course list — Michigan LARA. Use a currently approved 60-hour provider and the published subject matrix.
Michigan Occupational Code, Article 24 — Michigan Legislature. Residential Builder and M&A statutory framework.
LARA homeowner contract guidance — Michigan LARA. Practical contract and permit items for residential work.

Other Michigan Trade Licenses

If the Roofing license is not the right fit, the following published Michigan trade guides are also covered by CLR:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Michigan require a roofing license?

For covered residential work, roofing is a listed M&A trade. A broader Residential Builder license also covers maintenance and alteration work. LARA’s current homeowner guidance says contractors offering $600 or more in labor and materials must be licensed.

Should a roofer choose Residential Builder or M&A Roofing?

The Residential Builder route is broader. M&A is trade-specific and lists roofing as a selectable trade. LARA’s current application says an individual cannot apply for both routes.

Is the 60-hour course required?

Yes for the standard initial application: finish LARA-approved 60-hour prelicensure education before the exam or application. A specific military waiver process exists.

What is the initial fee?

The current individual Residential Builder or M&A Contractor application lists a $195 nonrefundable fee. The renewal fee is $150 every three years.

How much continuing education is required?

For individual Builder/M&A licensees, LARA requires 21 hours in the first and second renewal cycles and 3 hours in the third and later cycles. Company license holders do not take CE for that company license itself.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.