Checking a Texas roofer's association claims, step by step

What Texas licenses, and what it leaves to associations

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's list of regulated industries includes electricians and air conditioning and refrigeration contractors, and it has no roofing entry. The Texas Department of Insurance points homeowners to the State Board of Plumbing Examiners for plumbers and to TDLR for other trades such as electricians. Public adjusters must hold a TDI license, according to TDI's home insurance guide.

Roofing sits outside all of that. A 2025 committee analysis of House Bill 3344, which proposed a TDLR license for reroofing contractors, begins by saying Texas does not currently require one. The bill's history stops at a committee report sent to Calendars on May 8, 2025. Cities fill part of the gap: Amarillo, Midland and Lubbock all require contractors to register locally. The National Roofing Directory summarizes the statewide picture on its Texas licensing page.

Step 1: Ask which association, and which program

When a roofer mentions RCAT, it can mean membership, the association's own license, or both. The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas runs company membership and, separately, an individual credential it calls the RCAT Licensed Roofing Contractor program, and its licensing page says the two are separate programs. NRCA, the national body, runs company membership and its own individual certifications. Ask the roofer to name the organization and the program, in writing if the claim appears in a bid.

Step 2: Search the directory yourself

Do not rely on a link the contractor sends you. Go to each directory directly.

• NRCA. The member directory searches by member type, company, city, state, ZIP code and roof system type, with a radius of 10 to 100 miles. It also filters by certification type: CERTA, ES-1, GT-1, Intentional Trainers and ProCertified.
• RCAT. The statewide directory covers companies in RCAT membership, in its licensing program or in both, according to RCAT's consumer page.
• RCAT chapters. RCAT's chapter list names the Central Texas, Houston Area, Lubbock Area, North Texas and Texas Panhandle associations, and notes that the Abilene chapter has suspended membership. The Panhandle and Lubbock chapters publish their own searches at web.tprca.com and web.larca-tx.com.

If a company is missing from every list, ask why before you sign. A new or lapsed membership is possible; so is a borrowed logo.

Step 3: Read an RCAT license for what it certifies

RCAT's program guidelines set out what stands behind the word "licensed" in an RCAT context:

1. The license belongs to an individual, not a company, and that person must be a principal in a roofing company domiciled in Texas for at least two continuous years before applying (RCAT). The company may then market itself as licensed.
2. The company must show financial responsibility: for residential work, $300,000 of general liability cover or evidence it can obtain a $100,000 surety bond, plus workers' compensation or a filed notice of non-coverage (RCAT).
3. The applicant must score 70% or better on a business and safety exam and on the residential or commercial roofing exam (RCAT).
4. The license runs for one year, and renewal requires 8 continuing education hours; RCAT's Licensing Advisory Board can terminate a license for failing requirements or for disciplinary reasons (RCAT).

That is a meaningful bar for experience, insurance and knowledge. It is still an association credential, not a state one, and it does not replace a city permit.

Step 4: Know what NRCA's certifications cover

NRCA describes ProCertification as its national program for validating roof system installation knowledge and performance, with tracks for crew members, contractors, designers and educators. Because it certifies people and specific systems, ask which employee holds it and whether that person will be on your roof.

Step 5: Close the gaps membership leaves open

• Insurance today. TDI suggests getting the contractor's certificate of insurance and bond certification and calling the companies listed to confirm coverage.
• The permit. Ask whose name the permit is under; cities such as Amarillo require one for all roofing projects.
• Your deductible. TDI warns that it is illegal for a contractor to waive your deductible or help you avoid paying it.
• The claim. Texas Insurance Code section 4102.163 bars a contractor from acting as a public adjuster on a property it is working on or may work on. RCAT's membership rules also require members' marketing to comply with Texas rules on the unauthorized practice of public adjusting.

Other roofing groups you may see named

The Roofing Alliance calls itself the foundation for the industry and brings together contractors, manufacturers and suppliers around scholarships and awards for roofing workers. Its site centers on scholarships, awards and industry programs rather than a contractor search. The National Roofing Directory's Roofing Alliance profile sits alongside its entries for NRCA and RCAT.

For roofing companies

If your company already belongs to an association, make the rest of your record easy to check. You can claim your listing, and the pricing page explains that at the Verified level a person checks phone, email, website, logo, services, rating, insurance and license. Weekly trade news and state storm alerts come with The Roofing Wire.

Frequently asked questions

Is RCAT a government licensing agency?

No. RCAT describes itself on its about page as a statewide trade association founded in 1975, and its licensing program is voluntary. Texas itself does not require a state-issued license for reroofing contractors, as a 2025 House committee bill analysis notes.

Can a roofing company hold the RCAT license?

RCAT licenses individuals, not companies. Under its program guidelines, a license holder must own, operate or manage a qualifying roofing company, and that company may then market itself as licensed.

What does NRCA membership tell me about a roofer?

It tells you the company is in NRCA's member directory and chose to belong to the national trade body. NRCA's own contractor checklist still tells homeowners to check insurance certificates, references and a written proposal.