How to Obtain a Roofing Contractor License in Massachusetts
Published on July 9, 2024 by Nate Bortz
Massachusetts professionals who want to work on roofing projects need a license. In this blog, we’ll explain the requirements for a Massachusetts construction roofing license and how you can prepare for the contractor certification exam.
Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License
According to the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS), a general contractor is defined as a Construction Supervisor. Roofers, along with most contractors, need what’s called a construction supervisor license (CSL). However, different construction jobs call for different types of licenses. Here’s a breakdown of the different CSL types.
Unrestricted CSL
This license type allows someone to work on the following:
- Buildings of any use containing less than 35,000 cubic feet
- One- and two-family dwellings with any additional accessory
- Buildings or structures for agricultural use
- Walls less than 10 feet (from the base of the footing to the top of the wall)
This type is best for employees who work for a company that does large-scale residential and commercial roofing work.
CSL One- and Two-Family Dwellings (Restricted)
This license type is only for one- and two-family dwellings with any additional accessory. Most residential re-roofing jobs fall under this category.
Specialty CSL
There are many different specialty CSLs for those who want to focus on particular construction work, including masonry, windows and doors, demolition, insulation, solid fuel-burning appliances, and roof coverings.
A Specialty Roof Covering CSL allows licensees to construct, reconstruct, alter, repair, and remove roof coverings. They can also replace 25% of sheathing and 25% of sistering roof rafters.
Home Improvement Contractor Registration
A Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration is different from a CSL. Roofing contractors who perform home improvement work on an existing, one-to four-unit, owner-occupied residential property must register with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.
You can register as an individual, a proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation. If filing under a trade name or doing business as (DBA) name, include a current copy of the business certificate filed with the city or town clerk where your business is based.
Depending on your company’s size, you will have to pay a registration fee and a mandatory payment to the Guaranty Fund. You can register online using an online portal or by mail.
Learn more about the fees and application process here.
Licensing Requirements
After determining the license type you want, a few steps remain in the application process.
Before applying, you must:
- Verify your work experience.
- Submit the completed candidate exam registration form to Prometric, the exam provider.
- Schedule and take your exam.
- Mail the exam score report to BBRS.
Work Experience
Applicants must prove three years of noncontinuous full-time (40 hours per week) work experience from the past 10 years.
Work experience may be verified in one of two ways:
- Tax forms: Submit the W-2s, IRS Schedule C or 1099 forms related to your three years of full-time experience. For education-based experience, submit a copy of your diploma or degree.
- Letter of Attestation: Instead of tax records, a letter of attestation from an individual (engineer, architect, employer, military supervisor, licensed contractor, or other) stating that you have at least three years of construction and/or design experience is acceptable.
Work experience exceptions include:
- Completing a three- or four-year vocational high school or vocational school program in building construction or receiving a bachelor, master or PhD degree from an accredited college or university satisfies one year of work experience.
- A bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD degree from an accredited college or university in architecture or science, engineering, or technology in a related field satisfies two years of work experience.
- Active military service relevant to construction may be considered full-time experience.
Union affiliation alone is not accepted as work experience.
Contractor Certification Exam
Exams test your knowledge of the Commonwealth’s Building Code (780 CMR) and general construction practices.
Here’s an exam breakdown:
- Unrestricted: 75 questions with a three-hour time limit
- Restricted: 60 questions with a three-hour time limit
- Roof Covering: 35 questions with a two-hour time limit
To take the exam, you must:
- Complete the exam registration form on Page 15 of the Candidate Information Bulletin.
- Contact Prometric to schedule your exam appointment approximately 10 days after mailing your registration form.
- Prepare for the exam.
- Bring a government-issued ID and take the open-book exam.
Exams are open book, but you’ll still need to know where to find everything in code books to make the most of your time. Relieve yourself from test-taking anxiety and increase your chances of passing with our online exam prep courses. The course content is based on the candidate bulletin but presents it using clear and engaging lessons.
The courses also include sample questions to hone your knowledge, useful illustrations, and a video that explains how to use the Massachusetts code books and amendments.
Submit Your Score and Get Licensed
Once you pass your exam with a score of 70% or higher, you’ll get a score report with instructions for obtaining your license. License applications take about 30 days to process. Submit the application and licensure fee to the Office of Public Safety and Inspections (OPSI) within one year of the date you passed your exam.
For those applying for a specialty license category, there’s a way to save money on the application fees. Rather than paying fees for every exam and license type, you may apply for a single license card from the DPS for a single fee for any combination of the specialty license categories.
However, you must apply for all license categories on a single application to pay the reduced licensure fee.
Conclusion
Becoming a licensed roofing contractor in Massachusetts doesn’t need to be a stressful process. Simply follow this guide or contact our licensing experts. And with our exam prep courses, you can boost your exam-taking confidence, too.