Give your business a strong foundation

By Emma Peterson. 

From licensing boards to continuing education, get expert insights into what it takes to start a roofing business. 

In this Read Listen Watch® (RLW) webinar, Ashlee B. Poplin stopped by The Coffee Shops™ to chat about the how to start running your own roofing business from a legal perspective. Ashlee is a partner at the Adams and Reese law firm with extensive experience in civil litigation and construction law. She was recognized among the Best Lawyers® Ones to Watch in Construction Law and Litigation for three consecutive years (2022-2024) and selected among North Carolina Super Lawyers® Rising Stars for seven consecutive years (2018-2024). All of that to say, she is the perfect person to give advice on the essential legal aspects of starting and running a roofing business!  

The first things to consider when starting your own roofing business are obtaining the proper licenses, permits and requirements needed to operate in your state. Ashlee explained, “It is crucial to know what is required in your state. Some states require you to have a general contractor's license in order to do briefings. And so, you need to make sure that if you are in one of those states, you have properly studied, passed the exam and gotten your general contractor's license. And there are several different requirements per state that you must meet to be able to get that license.” To illustrate how these requirements vary between states, let’s look at when North Carolina (where Ashlee operates) and their neighbors, South Carolina require in order to get a license: 

• North Carolina: A general contractor’s license is required for roofing projects that exceed $40,000.  
• South Carolina: Any roofing project over $5,000 requires a general contractor’s license. 

This is just one example of the differences in requirements, licenses and permits between states. Another example of each state’s unique requirements is the difference in where contractors obtain their licenses. Ashlee explained, “Each office is not named the same in each state. For example, North Carolina is the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (NCLBGC). But in South Carolina, it is the South Carolina Licensing Department. Usually, you can find out who you need licensure from in your state through a simple internet search.” 

Further, each state has different tests and credits required to get that license. Ashlee shared, “Some states have a tiered system in their licensing and depending on what tier you're in, depends on whether you have to participate in the continuing education. Some states have done away with continuing education altogether, but each state has a specific set of requirements. A lot of them depend on your background and expertise. Things like your experience level and financial position play a part.”  

And then there’s the exam. This is one throughline – most states have an exam that you must take to get licensed. But that’s as far as the similarities go, as each exam is unique. Ashlee elaborated, “Even though North and South Carolina border each other, South Carolina also requires a law section to their exam. And so, they have two exams that you have to take for your South Carolina license where North Carolina only requires the general contractors licensing test. It definitely varies.” At the end of the day, it’s crucial to research the requirements in both the state you are starting your business in and any states you want to operate in. 

Read the transcript, Listen to the episode or Watch the recording to learn more about the legal side of starting a roofing business.