Roofing Contractor Licenses in Georgia: Checking a Roofer Who Works in Gilmer County

No roofing-only license in Georgia

Some states license roofers as their own trade. Georgia does not. Residential roofing work falls under the State Construction Industry Licensing Board's division for residential and general contractors, which operates under Title 43, Chapter 41 of the Official Code of Georgia. The Secretary of State's office administers the board.

The statute includes dollar thresholds, exemptions and categories that determine when a license is required. Those details change from time to time, so check them on the board's own page rather than relying on a number repeated by a contractor or a website. When you talk with a roofer, ask which license covers your job and get the number.

Plumbing, electrical and conditioned-air work are licensed by other divisions of the same board. If your roofing project includes moving a vent stack, wiring an attic fan or relocating HVAC equipment, ask who will do that work and under which license.

Using the GOALS lookup

The Secretary of State's GOALS system has a public license search. Enter the company name, the qualifying agent's name or the license number. The result shows whether the license is active and the license type. Look for an active residential or general contractor license, and note the name of the qualifying agent, the individual whose license the company operates under.

If the roofer's company name does not appear, search for the owner's name. Some companies operate under a qualifying agent with a different name. If nothing turns up, ask the roofer to explain.

Keep a screenshot of the lookup with the date. It becomes part of your project file along with the contract and permit.

Local registration in Gilmer County

Separately from the state license, Gilmer County Planning & Zoning issues business licenses for the county and lists a qualifying agent license form, a subcontractor affidavit and an authorized agent permit form among its building documents. Section 66-40 of the county code also lists business license fees based on the number of employees.

Ask whether the roofer holds a county business license and whether the crew on your roof will be employees or subcontractors. If subcontractors, ask whether they are covered by the roofer's insurance.

Inside Ellijay city limits, ask City of Ellijay Code Enforcement what the city requires of contractors pulling permits.

Insurance is separate from licensing

A license does not mean a roofer is insured. Ask for a certificate of general liability insurance and, if the company has employees, workers' compensation, sent directly from the insurance agent. Check the dates and the named insured.

If you have a storm claim, keep the insurance relationship your own. Georgia's Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner advises policyholders to keep copies of correspondence, ask for itemized settlement explanations, and get any denial and its policy basis in writing.

The Commissioner's Consumer Services Division accepts complaints about insurers and agents; complaints about contractors go to the licensing board.

What licensing does and does not tell you

A valid license tells you the qualifying agent met the board's requirements and that the license is active. It does not tell you how good the crew is at your type of roof. For that, ask for recent local jobs on similar roofs: steep cabin roofs, standing seam metal, low-slope porches, whatever your house has.

Ask how long the company has worked in Gilmer County and who you call if something goes wrong in year three. A local office and a named person matter more than a large advertising budget.

Then compare scopes. The roof cost guide lists the lines a fair quote should include.

Putting it together

A short checklist: active Georgia residential or general contractor license in GOALS; county business license if working in unincorporated Gilmer County; current liability and workers' compensation certificates from the agent; a written scope that names materials, flashing, decking unit price and the permit; and a payment schedule tied to inspection.

The choosing a roofer page expands on contracts and storm-season red flags, and the permit page covers the county process.

The Free Quote Request form passes your request to an independent roofer who works in Gilmer County. Run the same checks on them as on anyone else.

If something goes wrong

Most roofing problems are settled with a phone call: a missed nail pop, a drip at a vent boot, a gutter knocked out of line. Call the roofer first, describe the issue with photos, and put the request in writing by email or text so there is a record. A workmanship warranty is only as good as the company's willingness to come back, which is another reason to choose someone with a local presence.

If the roofer will not respond, look at your contract for the dispute process, and keep paying attention to the leak itself so the damage does not grow while the disagreement continues. A temporary repair by another roofer, with photos and receipts, protects the house.

Complaints about a licensed contractor's conduct go to the State Construction Industry Licensing Board through the Secretary of State. Complaints about an insurer go to the Georgia Insurance Commissioner's Consumer Services Division. Keep the two separate; each office handles only its own side.

Figures on this page come from: Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Residential and General Contractors (O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 41); Georgia Secretary of State: GOALS license lookup; Gilmer County, GA: Planning & Zoning (building permits, inspections, STR ordinance notice); Gilmer County, GA Code of Ordinances, Sec. 66-40, Building permit fees (Municode); City of Ellijay: Code Enforcement (building permits and inspections inside city limits); Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire: Insurance Claim Tips. Checked 2026-10-30.