Missouri Roofing License Requirements (2026)

Missouri does not license roofing contractors at the state level. Regulation is entirely municipal — Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, Independence, and Lee's Summit each operate separate contractor registration programs with their own fees, bonds, and insurance rules. Statewide, every Missouri roofer is bound by RSMo §407.850 (the Residential Roofing Contractor Fraud Act), which prohibits insurance deductible waivers on residential roofing contracts, requires a three-day rescission disclosure, and makes violation an unfair trade practice under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.

Regulatory Body Profile

Authority over this credential rests with Missouri — No Statewide Contractor Licensing (Municipal Authorities) (MO-LOCAL), which issues and polices it under No statewide contractor licensing statute. Authority flows from Missouri home-rule charter cities under Mo. Const. art. VI §19 and §20, enforced through municipal building codes.. Missouri has no state contractor board. Licensing, testing, bonding, and enforcement are handled entirely by individual municipalities. Kansas City (Code Compliance Division, City Planning and Development Department) and St. Louis (Building Division, Department of Public Safety) are the two dominant licensing authorities, with Springfield, Columbia, Independence, and St. Louis County operating their own independent programs.

Official portal: https://www.mo.gov/
Address: Varies by municipality (Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, and other home-rule cities)
Phone: Kansas City Code Compliance: (816) 513-1500 | St. Louis Building Division: (314) 622-3313

The Eligibility Audit

Eligibility begins with two baseline checks: the applicant must be 18 or older and must provide a valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). No Missouri residency requirement.

Good moral character

Kansas City and St. Louis applications review construction fraud.

Background investigation

Most cities run background disclosure on contractor applications.

Experience and Education Standards

The cited source set does not publish a fixed year-based experience threshold for this credential. The controlling requirement is no statewide experience threshold; Kansas City requires two years supervisory experience for the General Contractor Class A–C.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Municipal application statement

Education substitution

Not applicable.

The Exam Syllabus

Testing is handled by ICC or PSI depending on city. Kansas City requires an ICC supervisor exam for general contractors.. The applicant has to pass each part listed here before the credential is granted:

Kansas City Roofing / Siding Specialty — ICC exam — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 75%
St. Louis County Roofing Specialty (Prov exam) — 60 questions, 180 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: City exam fees $100–$200.

Retake policy: Per city policy.

Bonding, Insurance & Financial Security

There is no statewide surety bond tied to this credential in the cited record. Bonding can still surface at the project level — permit, license, or public-works bonds — so check before you bid.

General liability

Kansas City requires $300,000 GL for roofers. St. Louis requires $500,000 to $1,000,000. Other cities typically $500,000 minimum.

Workers' compensation

Mandatory for every Missouri construction employer with one or more employees under RSMo §287.061. (General employer threshold is five; construction is one.)

Additional financial requirements

No state financial requirement. Some cities require municipal bonds ($5,000–$25,000) at registration.

Schedule of Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$325
Examination	$150
Initial license	$325
Renewal (every year)	$325

Renewal and Continuing Obligations

The Missouri — No State Roofing License (Municipal + RSMo 407.850) runs on a year renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $325. Annual renewal per city.

Continuing education: No state CE.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Missouri Roofing License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Reciprocity

For this classification, Missouri does not recognize the NASCLA Accredited Examination.

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

No state license to reciprocate. City programs do not cross-recognize.

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

The Application Roadmap

Register the business entity with the Missouri Secretary of State. LLC or corporation filing plus EIN and Missouri tax ID.
Register with Kansas City Regulated Industries if working in KC. $325 application plus bond and insurance certificate.
Register with St. Louis County Public Works if working in St. Louis. Roofing specialty registration with bond and insurance.
Bind general liability and workers compensation. Workers comp mandatory at one construction employee under RSMo §287.061.
Adopt RSMo §407.850 compliant contract template. Written contract with deductible non-waiver, three-day rescission, and written disclosure of insurance policy terms.
Register with Missouri Department of Revenue for sales tax. Material purchases and resale certificates.
Renew city registrations annually. Fees vary; typically $50–$325 annually.

Pre-Application Checklist

Before submitting to MO-LOCAL, the applicant should have each of the following ready:

☐ Missouri Secretary of State entity registration
☐ Kansas City and/or St. Louis contractor registration
☐ City exam pass certificates where required
☐ City bond per registration (if required)
☐ General liability certificate of insurance
☐ Missouri workers compensation declaration page
☐ RSMo §407.850 compliant contract template

Where Applications Stall

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost Missouri Roofing applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Deductible rebating after hailstorms

Missouri sits in hail alley. RSMo §407.850 violations draw AG enforcement plus private class-action liability under MMPA.

Tornado tear-off timing

Leaving roofs open during severe weather watches creates catastrophic exposure. Missouri storms hit fast.

Working Kansas City without registration

KC Regulated Industries enforces aggressively. Unregistered roofers draw stop-work orders on active jobs.

Missing three-day rescission notice

RSMo §407.850.2(4) requires written rescission disclosure on every residential roofing contract signed after a storm. Missing it voids the contract.

Construction one-employee workers comp rule

Construction employers are subject to the one-employee workers comp threshold — far lower than general business five-employee rule. Many new roofers miss this and face uninsured penalties.

Recommended Study Materials

The following references are cited by the regulator, used in the application process, or commonly used to prepare for the trade scope. Listed for reader convenience; CLR receives no compensation for these recommendations.

RSMo §407.850 — Residential Roofing Contractor Fraud Act — State of Missouri. Required reading for every Missouri roofer.
Kansas City Code Chapter 78 — Contractors — City of Kansas City. Licensing and registration rules.
NRCA Roofing Manual — National Roofing Contractors Association. Primary technical reference.

Other Missouri Trade Licenses

Looking at a different trade? CLR also publishes these Missouri licensing guides:

Common Questions

Does Missouri license roofing contractors?

No. Regulation is municipal only. State law under RSMo §407.850 governs insurance-claim roofing contracts but does not license roofers.

What is RSMo §407.850?

The Missouri Residential Roofing Contractor Fraud Act. Prohibits insurance deductible waivers on residential roofing contracts, requires a three-day rescission disclosure, and makes violations unfair trade practices.

What does Kansas City require?

Kansas City Regulated Industries contractor registration with bond, GL certificate, and $325 fee. ICC exam required for general contractor classes.

Is workers comp required?

Yes for every construction employer with one or more employees under RSMo §287.061 (the one-employee threshold for construction is a lower bar than the standard five-employee threshold).

Can one city license cover Missouri?

No. Each city runs its own registration. Kansas City licenses do not authorize work in St. Louis and vice versa.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-26 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-24