Utah roofing license: what your S280 covers, whether gutters and siding are included, and your first 30 days

Published November 3, 2026 · Utah Code Title 58 Chapter 55 (current and as rewritten for January 1, 2027), DOPL rule R156-55a (August 2026), DOPL's contractor application (version 20260930), the Labor Commission, Utah's asbestos and lead rules and city building departments checked November 3, 2026

• Free. The printable checklist comes by email. The full checklist and the job table are on this page too, nothing held back.
• Deepsel is our product: free estimate, invoice and scheduling software for contractors (scheduling and dispatch, quotes, invoicing, card payments). The section before the FAQ says where it fits and where it doesn't.
• Not legal advice. Every rule links to the statute, DOPL rule, form or agency page it comes from. Ask DOPL or a Utah attorney before you bet a job on my reading.

Your S280 lets your company put on any kind of roof covering in Utah (shingles, metal, tile, slate or a flat-roof membrane) on houses and commercial buildings, with no dollar limit per job. Gutters, siding and soffit aren't in it. Rain gutters and siding are S230 work, and since March 30, 2026 DOPL's rule says an S280 "may not subcontract or hire any person to perform work on a project outside the scope," electrical work excepted.¹ Every contractor class must carry general liability of $1,000,000 per incident and $2,000,000 in total with DOPL as certificate holder, plus workers' comp or a Labor Commission waiver.^{1, 4} The date to watch is January 1, 2027. From then the rewritten licensing act asks every contractor applicant, specialty classes included, for two years of paid construction experience and a five-hour business and law course.³ If you mean to add the S230 for gutters and siding, ask DOPL now whether that reaches you.

Ten of the 18 roofing companies on our list whose websites I could read also sell siding or gutters. One owner described the mix: "The window/siding type exterior trades keep us going through the slow roofing seasons, but margins are slim and the projects take more involvement" (r/Roofing). Utah splits those trades across licenses, and the pages that rank for "utah roofing license" stop at the application. Google's AI answer for that search, the day I wrote this, still offered "$100k/$300k depending on specific filings" for insurance, a minimum that ended on March 29, 2026.¹ This page starts after the license arrives: what it covers, where it stops, crews and comp, permits, a job table and a 30-day checklist. The general classes and the $7,000 handyman line are in the Utah handyman license article, the contract notices (lien, cancellation, storm repair) are in the Utah contract template, and the electrician's side of solar and attic fans is in the Utah electrical license article.

The checklist also comes as a printable sheet with blanks for your license, policy, waiver, bond and permit numbers and your renewal dates. Get it three ways: make your own copy in Google Docs (lands in your Drive), download the Word version (.docx), or download the PDF. Pick a format, enter your email and I'll send the links.

Utah roofing contractor license classes: S280 and the licenses next to it

Utah licenses the business, not the roofer on the roof. DOPL (the Division of Professional Licensing) issues a contractor license to the company, or to a sole proprietor in their own name, through a qualifier who meets the requirements.⁸ There's no individual roofer license.

What your S280 covers on the roof

• Shingles, metal, tile and flat roofs. The scope names shingles, shakes, tile and slate, then adds "any other material" that seals a roof, which covers metal panels and the membranes on a low-slope or flat roof (TPO, EPDM, built-up, modified bitumen). Nothing in the rule limits it to houses, so a commercial flat roof is S280 work too.¹
• Flashing, vents, drip edge and ice barrier. "Any material attached to the roof" is in your scope.¹ I read that as the flashing at a chimney or wall, pipe boots, static vents and drip edge. Utah adopts the 2021 International Residential Code without changes to its roofing chapter, which wants an ice barrier from the eave to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall where the local design table shows ice damming.¹⁷
• Skylights. Non-electric skylights are yours. An electric one is yours to set "if the electrical connection is performed by an E200 or E201 contractor," and that's the one trade the rule lets you sub.¹
• Insulation. The S280 rule includes "installation of any insulating media in buildings and structures for the sole purpose of temperature control," so adding attic insulation on a reroof fits.¹
• Decking. The rule doesn't mention sheathing, and Utah sets no square-foot or percentage line for it. The code treats the deck as part of the roof assembly, and cities inspect it as part of the reroof: North Salt Lake defines roof replacement as "removing the existing roof covering, repairing any damaged substrate and installing a new roof covering," and Salt Lake City lists a "Deck or sheathing inspection."^{17, 18, 20} My reading: replacing deck sheets on a reroof is part of your job. Rafters, trusses and other structural repair are carpentry (S220) or general contractor work.¹ If full re-decks are a big part of what you sell, get DOPL's answer in writing.
• Incidental work. Any specialty contractor may do work outside its class if it's incidental: it "arises from, and is directly related to" the licensed work, "does not exceed 10% of the overall contract," and isn't electrical or plumbing.^{1, 2} That covers swapping a rotten fascia board behind the new drip edge. It doesn't cover a whole-house gutter job.

Gutters and siding: the S230 license in Utah

Rain gutters and siding sit in the S230, and the S230 also names "roof flashings, gravel stops, and metal ridges."¹ Your S280 doesn't name gutters, siding, soffit or fascia. The bigger change came with DOPL's rule rewrite on March 30, 2026, which gave the specialty classes their own subcontracting sentences. Yours reads: an S280 "may not subcontract or hire any person to perform work on a project outside the scope," except an E200 or E201 for electrical work. The 2023 version of the rule had no such sentence for roofing.¹ Read literally, you can't sell a roof-and-gutters package and hand the gutters to an S230 sub.

That leaves three ways to sell the gutters:

1. Incidental. A few lengths of gutter or a downspout replaced as part of the reroof, under 10% of the contract.¹
2. Separate contract. The homeowner signs directly with an S230 company. You can still refer them and coordinate the schedule.
3. Add the S230. DOPL's Add Classification form charges $175 per new classification, and your current qualifier can hold up to three specialty classes. An R101 qualifier can't hold any other.^{1, 5} You've already done the 25-hour course. The catch is the date: the act that takes effect January 1, 2027 says "each applicant for a license under this part" completes the five-hour business and law course and shows "two-years' full-time, paid employment experience in the construction industry," with no carve-out for specialty classes.³ Whether DOPL applies that to an added classification I couldn't confirm. Ask before December 31.

Soffit and fascia aren't named in any roofing scope. Metal soffits and trim are listed under S220 carpentry, and I'd treat vinyl or aluminum soffit sold with siding as S230.¹ Treat anything beyond incidental repair as one of those classes.

If your license is the S230, it's the mirror image: gutters, siding, roof flashings and metal ridges are yours, and the shingles aren't.

The qualifier behind your license

The qualifier is the person whose standing gets the company licensed. DOPL's rule asks that the qualifier be an owner with at least 20% (paid in profit distributions) or an officer or manager on W-2 wages, paid for at least 12 hours of work a week (less in a very small shop, but never under 20% of everyone's total hours), and qualifying no more than three licensees without written approval.¹ When a qualifier leaves, both the qualifier and the company tell DOPL in writing within 10 days, and the company has 60 days to name a new one. "The license stays with the company; it does not 'belong to' nor does it 'go with' the qualifier."^{8, 9} A replacement named after January 1, 2027 may face the new experience rule, so have a backup in mind.

Someone may ask you to qualify their roofing company. You'd sign an affidavit that says "it is my responsibility to make sure both myself and the contractor comply with all contractor laws and rules. Violation may result in civil, administrative, or criminal sanctions against me, the contractor's owners, and the contractor."⁵ And a qualifier in name only is lending a license, which DOPL calls a class A misdemeanor for both sides: "The 'loaner' for 'aiding and abetting' and the 'borrower' for contracting without a license."⁸ Only say yes to a company where you actually make the decisions.

What keeping the license costs

• Liability insurance. "Coverage amounts of at least $1,000,000 for each incident and $2,000,000 in total," DOPL as certificate holder, covering "the scope of work performed," in force the whole license period, with any material change reported "immediately."¹ It applies to every class: DOPL's notice says "Applies to all contractors."⁴ The minimum was $100,000 and $300,000 until March 29, 2026.¹ Read your exclusions, because "Alot of roofers get a binder for a GL policy to show they have GL insurance but the policy EXCLUDES roofing" (r/Roofing). For a sense of price, one solo owner wrote: "I applied for $1million in coverage, $10,000 deductible, the best quote I got so far is $5,500 a year" (r/Roofing, February 2025).
• Workers' comp or the waiver. Next section.
• Bond. None by default. If DOPL's financial review finds debts, judgments or liens of $1,000 or more, the bond is the greater of 30% of them or $15,000 for a specialty class; a recent bankruptcy means 30% of the liabilities.^{1, 10}
• Fees. $50 per qualifier, $175 per classification and $1 on the application.⁵
• No recovery fund. Utah's Residence Lien Recovery Fund used to be paid for by contractor fees. The Legislature stopped collecting them in 2018, and the fund "is currently unable to pay new claims."²⁹ You pay nothing into it, and it won't pay you either.

Crews, subs and the Utah workers' compensation waiver

Your own crew on W-2 payroll works under your license. A crew you pay on a 1099 is a different matter. DOPL puts it bluntly: "A 1099 is only appropriate when using an independently licensed contractor or a licensed sub-contractor. Individuals that are paid on a 1099 without being licensed could have action taken against them for contracting without a license and the party that hired them for hiring an unlicensed contractor."⁸ Hiring an unlicensed person who isn't your employee is unlawful conduct.²⁵ So a roofing sub crew needs its own S280, and you should look it up before it starts.

Workers' comp follows the people. With employees, or owner-workers holding less than 8%, you need a comp policy naming DOPL as certificate holder, an unemployment insurance account with Workforce Services and a withholding account with the Tax Commission.^{4, 5} With nobody but the owners working, you file a Workers' Compensation Coverage Waiver instead. The Labor Commission's rules:¹¹

• Sole proprietors with no employees, partners with no employees and LLC members can qualify. Corporations "that contract out their work, for example construction contractors," can't use the corporate officer exclusion and should apply for a waiver.
• The fee is $50, nonrefundable. You show two of: a DOPL license, a liability policy, a city or county business license, or last year's business tax return (or one of those plus proof of a business bank account, phone and location, and advertising).
• It runs a one-year term and can be revoked if you become ineligible.
• DOPL's application adds: "If the applicant later hires employees, the applicant must notify the Division in writing ... BEFORE work is performed."⁵

Subs are where the bill lands. Under Utah's statutory employer rule, if you hire a contractor for work that is part of your trade, "the contractor, all persons employed by the contractor, all subcontractors under the contractor, and all persons employed by any of these subcontractors, are considered employees of the original employer." You're covered only if you get, and rely on, the sub's comp certificate or its Labor Commission waiver.¹² Insurers price that in. WCF Insurance's Utah application says subs "who cannot provide a Certificate of Workers' Compensation Insurance ... shall be included in the applicant's payroll and premium paid by the applicant."¹³ That's why one owner pays two prices: "100/sq for an insured sub and 75-80 if I'm having to cover WC for them" (r/Roofing). Keep a current certificate or waiver for every sub, for every day they work. Skipping comp you owe brings "Penalties of at least $1,000," possible injunctions and the loss of the "exclusive remedy," so an injured worker can sue you.¹¹

Fall protection, asbestos and lead on a Utah roof

Fall protection. Federal rule 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13) says each employee doing residential construction "6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system." A written fall protection plan is the exception, allowed only when "the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems," and OSHA presumes they're feasible. The plan must be written by a qualified person for that specific site and kept current.¹⁴ In Utah, UOSH (the Labor Commission's safety division) enforces it, and its construction emphasis program on falls and three other hazards runs through August 2029.¹⁴ One owner's lesson: "I got a OSHA fine a couple years ago for being more than 12' off the ground in the basket of my genie lift, doing siding, but sans harness and arrestor" (r/Roofing).

Asbestos. The federal asbestos rule (NESHAP) excludes "residential buildings having four or fewer dwelling units," so it rarely reaches a house reroof. Utah's rule does. "Contractors are required to have an asbestos inspection performed by a Utah certified asbestos inspector working for a Utah certified asbestos company," with the report on site, while owners working on their own home of up to four units are exempt.¹⁵ Since a 2025 change, houses built on or after January 1, 1992 need no inspection. Houses built from 1981 to 1991 need only the listed materials checked, "asbestos cement siding or roofing materials" among them. Older houses need the affected area inspected, though the inspector may assume suspect material is asbestos instead of sampling it.¹⁵ On commercial buildings NESHAP applies too, and it counts asbestos "asphalt roofing products" as Category I material.¹⁵

Lead. Shingles aren't painted, so a plain tear-off rarely triggers the lead rules. Painted fascia, soffit and trim do. Utah runs its own lead renovation program: on a home built before 1978, disturbing more than 20 square feet of painted surface outside, or replacing windows, needs a Utah-certified firm and a certified renovator.¹⁶

Where your Utah roofing license stops

• Gutters, siding, soffit and fascia beyond incidental work: S230 or S220, as above.
• Structure. Rafters, trusses, cutting a new skylight opening, a sagging ridge: carpentry (S220) or a B100.¹ The customer contracts with that contractor, because you can't sub it.
• Electrical. Wiring a powered attic fan, heat cable or an electric skylight is E200 or E201 work, and this is the one trade you may sub.¹
• Solar panels. Setting modules is S202 solar work and the wiring is electrical; an E200's scope covers both.¹ Subbing an E200 for the removal and reinstall is the cleanest reading of your rule, or the homeowner hires the solar company directly. More in the Utah electrical license article.
• Plumbing vents. The boot and flashing around a vent pipe are yours. Cutting, extending or moving the pipe is plumbing, which the incidental rule excludes and you can't sub.¹
• Chimneys. Flashing is yours. Rebuilding the brick is S230 masonry.¹
• Windows and doors. Glass is S230 and doors are S220.¹
• Insurance claims. Repairing storm damage is yours. Negotiating the claim is insurance adjusting, which needs an adjuster license.³²

There's no dollar ceiling to stop at. The S280 rule has none, unlike the R101's $50,000.¹

Reroof permits in Utah: who pulls them and who inspects

Utah builds to the 2021 International Residential Code, and its list of work exempt from permits has nothing on roofing; Utah's amendments to that list cover retaining walls, decks and storage containers only.¹⁷ The code also sets the tear-off rules: "Roof replacement shall include the removal of existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck," and a layover isn't allowed "where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering," or where the old roof is water-soaked or is slate or tile.¹⁷ How each city handles it differs:

• Salt Lake City: "A permit is required to reroof a structure in Salt Lake City." Send the re-roofing questionnaire with the application; if the new roofing adds more than 3 pounds per square foot, "an evaluation report from a licensed Utah engineer is required," and unreinforced masonry parapets or chimneys need bracing design. Reroofs go through the quick review queue (1 to 3 business days), and inspections can include the deck or sheathing, the ice barrier or underlayment, and a final. A home in a local historic district needs a Certificate of Appropriateness first.^{18, 19}
• North Salt Lake: an over-the-counter permit for $50.50 for a residential reroof, with a final inspection. Repairs under 20% of one roof surface or 10% of the whole roof need no permit. Old plank decks must be covered with 7/16-inch plywood or OSB, and deck repairs must be "installed and inspected before any new roofing materials are installed."²⁰
• Provo: "Most construction projects require a building permit," repairs included; the exemptions are sheds and cosmetic interior work. Call the Building Division at 801-852-6428 if unsure.²¹

You pull the permit. Salt Lake City lets an owner pull permits for their own primary residence, or for maintenance under $3,000 (which "does include roofing"), but a rental or commercial building needs the contractor.¹⁹ State law makes it unlawful to pull a permit you aren't licensed for, to pull one for someone unlicensed, or to skip one that's required.²⁵ Your license number goes on every permit application.⁹

I found no city roofing license in Utah; the S280 works statewide. What cities add is a business license (Salt Lake City wants one from any business working inside its limits "either permanently or temporarily"), their own permit process, and rules for door-knocking.²² Utah County, for example, makes each door-to-door seller get a certificate of registration with a background check, and bans soliciting at a home before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. without the resident's permission.²³ Check each city's ordinance before your crew knocks.

Can I take this job? A table for Utah S280 roofers

The verdicts assume an active S280 with a qualifier, a house in Utah unless the row says otherwise, and the city's normal permit process. "Not yours" means the customer contracts directly with the other licensee, because your license can't subcontract outside its scope except electrical work.¹

Storm work gets one row here on purpose. A separate article covers claim law for roofers in Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska and Colorado; Utah's notices are in the Utah contract template.

Your first 30 days: the checklist

This is the whole checklist. The printable version is the same list laid out to tick off, with blanks for the numbers.

A. License and scope, week 1

1. Look up your license in DOPL's license search and write down the classifications and the expiration date. Contractor licenses expire November 30 of odd years (next: November 30, 2027).⁶
2. Decide how you'll sell gutters and siding: incidental only, a separate contract with an S230, or add the S230 ($175). If you'll add it, ask DOPL whether applying before January 1, 2027 matters.^{1, 3, 5}
3. Qualifier: an owner with at least 20% or a W-2 manager, paid for at least 12 hours a week, qualifying no more than three licensees. If they leave, written notice within 10 days and a new qualifier within 60.^{1, 9}
4. Work and advertise only under the name on the license; register any DBA and file it with DOPL.^{8, 25}
5. Report changes to the name, address, phone or email of the qualifier or owners within 10 days.¹
6. Optional: opt in to DOPL's Construction Business Registry, the free list homeowners search.³³

B. Insurance, workers' comp, registrations and crews

7. General liability: $1,000,000 per incident and $2,000,000 in total, DOPL as certificate holder, covering roofing, for the whole license period. Check for a roofing exclusion. Give proof within 30 days to DOPL or anyone with a claim who asks.¹
8. Workers' comp, or a Labor Commission waiver ($50, one-year term) if only the owners work. Tell DOPL in writing before a new hire starts.^{5, 11}
9. Registrations: your entity with the Division of Corporations (renew it yearly; a lapsed entity "automatically expires the contractor license") and an EIN; with employees, unemployment insurance with Workforce Services and withholding with the Tax Commission.^{4, 8}
10. Bond: none unless DOPL's financial review requires one ($15,000 or 30% of the debts for a specialty class).¹
11. Sub crews: their own S280 and a comp certificate or waiver on file before day one.^{8, 12}

C. Safety

12. Guardrails, nets or personal fall arrest for anyone 6 feet or more up; a written, site-specific plan only where you can prove those are infeasible.¹⁴
13. On houses built before 1992, a Utah-certified asbestos inspection before tear-off, with the report on site.¹⁵
14. On pre-1978 homes where you'll disturb painted trim, Utah lead-safe firm certification and a certified renovator.¹⁶

D. The cities you'll work in

15. Salt Lake City: a business license if you work inside city limits, a Citizen Access Portal account, and the re-roofing questionnaire with every reroof permit.^{18, 22}
16. Every other city: its reroof and repair permit rules, its business license, and whether your door-knockers need a solicitor certificate.^{20, 21, 23}

E. Quotes, contracts, tax and liens

17. Your license number on every bid, contract, agreement and permit application. Nothing requires it on trucks or ads, but customers look you up.^{9, 25}
18. Contract notices: the lien-protection notice on residential contracts, the 3-day cancellation notice when you sign at the customer's home, the storm-repair and deductible notices on wind or hail jobs. The wording is in the Utah contract template.^{28, 31}
19. Sales tax: on a furnish-and-install job you pay tax when you buy the materials, and you don't charge the homeowner sales tax or show "any amount that appears to be tax" on the invoice.³⁰
20. A State Construction Registry account. File a preliminary notice within 20 days of starting work, or you can't claim a lien.²⁹
21. Contacts for work you can't contract for: an electrician, a solar company, a plumber, a framer, and an S230 if you don't hold it.

F. Renewal and continuing education

22. Calendar every renewal with a 90-day reminder: the license (November 30, 2027; DOPL emails at least 60 days ahead), the entity, liability policy, comp or waiver, city business licenses, lead certification.⁶
23. Continuing education: 6 hours per two-year term, at least 3 core, at least 3 live (a live webinar counts), at least 1 on energy conservation, from an approved provider such as AGC, ABC, the Utah Home Builders Association, or the Utah Roofing Contractors Association for its members. Keep certificates two years. I found no rule that reduces the hours for a license issued in 2026.^{1, 6, 7}

What happens if you cross the line

• It's a crime. Contracting without the right license, working "beyond the scope of the license held," hiring unlicensed non-employees, skipping a required permit, pulling one for someone unlicensed, and letting your license be used by another are each a class A misdemeanor: up to 364 days in jail and a $2,500 fine.^{25, 26} Advertising counts: the statute's "contractor" includes anyone who offers the work "on a website or social media."²
• Citations. DOPL can cite instead: up to $1,000 for a first offense, $2,000 for a second and $2,000 a day after that. A citation is grounds for immediate suspension.²⁶
• Getting paid. You can't sue to collect for licensed work "without alleging and proving" you were "appropriately licensed when the contract sued upon was entered into, and when the alleged cause of action arose."²⁷ Courts have applied it to subcontractors and to liens: in A.K.&R. Whipple Plumbing and Heating v. Aspen Construction (1999) an unlicensed sub recovered nothing, and in George v. Oren (1983) an unlicensed contractor lost his lien.²⁷ My reading: a gutter job done without the S230 carries the same risk.
• The city. In Salt Lake City, unpermitted work means a red tag, a possible double fee, a citation and a notice recorded on the property.¹⁹
• The customer. Claiming a license you don't have is a deceptive act, and the customer can recover actual damages plus court costs.²⁸
• Comp. Penalties of at least $1,000 and the loss of the exclusive remedy, as above; uninsured subs land on your premium.^{11, 13}
• Your own policy. DOPL's rule wants liability coverage "for the scope of work performed."¹ I found no Utah rule on what out-of-scope or unpermitted work does to a claim, so ask your agent in writing whether gutter, siding or solar work is covered, and keep the reply.

More for new roofing companies

• Roofing price per square: what to charge, crew pay and your real margin, with a free rate sheet.
• Roofing estimate template and checklist: every line from tear-off to dump fee, with a free spreadsheet and roof sheet.
• Roofing contract template: the decking and extra-layer clauses that stop you eating the cost.
• Roofing insurance and workers comp: what it costs in your state, the official comp rates and what can sink you, with a free checklist.
• Insurance claims, what a roofer may and may not say, and the notice your contract needs: Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska.

Where Deepsel fits

Deepsel is the field service software I build, and it doesn't know Utah's roofing rules. It won't pull a permit, track your license, insurance, waiver or CE dates, measure a roof or handle an insurance claim. What it does: the price book takes any unit you type, so you can price by the square, and quantities take decimals (24.33 squares). Quotes can carry options, say standard against architectural shingles, and the customer approves and signs on screen, with an optional card deposit credited on the final invoice. The shop-wide terms text you set once is copied onto every quote, so your DOPL license number, the lien notice and the 3-day statement go on each bid without retyping. And you can build an internal checklist template in Settings (asbestos report on file, permit pulled, deck inspection passed, final passed) and attach it to every reroof quote, with the reports filed on the job. Free covers 30 estimates and 30 invoices a month for your whole team; Pro is $29 a month with unlimited estimates and invoices and adds estimate templates (pricing).

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to do roofing in Utah?

Yes, to sell roofing work as a contractor: an S280 Roofing Contractor license from DOPL, or a general license whose scope includes roofing, such as a B100. The one exception is a small job: a project worth less than $7,000 in total (labor, materials and every change) is exempt from licensing, with a DOPL affirmation and liability insurance over $3,000. The people on your crew don't need their own license if they're your W-2 employees. A crew you pay on a 1099 does.

What is required to get an S280 roofing license in Utah?

Until December 31, 2026: a 25-hour pre-licensure course from ABC, AGC or the Utah Home Builders Association, no DOPL exam and no experience requirement for a specialty class like S280. You also need a qualifier (an owner with at least 20% or a W-2 manager), general liability of $1,000,000 per incident and $2,000,000 in total with DOPL as certificate holder, workers' comp or a Labor Commission waiver, a registered business entity and an EIN, and fees of $50 per qualifier, $175 per classification and $1. From January 1, 2027 the rewritten act asks every contractor applicant for two years of full-time paid construction experience and a five-hour business and law course as well.

Does a Utah S280 license cover gutters and siding?

No. Rain gutters and siding are in the S230 Masonry, Siding, Stucco, Glass, and Rain Gutter classification. A roofer may do them only as incidental work on a roofing job, meaning no more than 10% of the contract and arising from the roofing. Since March 30, 2026 the S280 rule also says you may not subcontract work outside your scope, except electrical work to an E200 or E201. To sell gutters and siding on your own contract, add the S230 to your license for $175.

What is an S220 license in Utah?

The S220 Carpentry and Flooring classification: structural, non-structural and finish carpentry, trim, doors, cabinets, metal soffits, flashings, skylights and flooring. It matters to roofers because rafters, trusses and other structural framing sit there (or under a general license), not in the S280. Trim such as fascia boards and metal soffits are listed under carpentry too, and siding is S230.

How do I get a Utah workers' compensation waiver?

Apply to the Utah Labor Commission for a Workers' Compensation Coverage Waiver (WCCW) online, by email or by mail, with a nonrefundable $50 fee. Sole proprietors with no employees, partners with no employees and LLC members can qualify. You show two of: a DOPL license, a liability insurance certificate, a city or county business license, or last year's business tax return (other combinations are listed on the Labor Commission's page). The waiver runs for one year. Corporations that contract out construction work can't use the corporate officer exclusion and should apply for a waiver instead. If you hire anyone, tell DOPL in writing before they start.

How do I renew a Utah contractor license, and how much continuing education do I need?

Online through DOPL with a UtahID, by November 30 of odd years, so a license issued in 2026 is next due November 30, 2027. DOPL emails a notice at least 60 days before. You need 6 hours of contractor continuing education in the two-year term (at least 3 core, at least 3 live, and at least 1 on energy conservation), a current liability insurance certificate naming DOPL, workers' comp or a waiver, and a renewed business entity. I found no rule that reduces the hours for a license issued partway through the term.

Do roofers on my crew need a license in Utah?

Not if they're your employees. Utah licenses the contracting business, and DOPL says the only legal way to work under someone else's license is as an officer or W-2 employee. A sub crew paid on a 1099 must hold its own contractor license (an S280 for roofing), and hiring an unlicensed person who isn't your employee is unlawful conduct. Get a workers' comp certificate or a Labor Commission waiver from every sub before they start.

Does Utah have reciprocity for roofing contractor licenses?

Utah calls it licensure by endorsement. DOPL's application asks that the company holds a contractor license in another state, that at least 50% of the ownership is the same and no more than 50% has changed in the last year, and that the qualifier is the same person. You still need the Utah insurance, workers' comp or waiver, and registrations.

Sources

1. Utah Admin. Code R156-55a, Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act Rule, effective August 7, 2026: 102(8) incidental work (10% of the contract, no electrical or plumbing); 301c B100 (all specialty scopes); 301d E200 (includes S202); 301w R101 ($50,000); 301z S220 (structural, non-structural and finish carpentry; trim; metal soffits, flashings, skylights); 301af S230 (siding, rain gutters, roof flashings, gravel stops, metal ridges; no subcontracting outside scope); 301ai S280 (scope, inclusions, no subcontracting outside scope except E200 or E201 for electrical work); 301ak S202; 301am (specialty contractors confined to their scope; three specialty licenses; R101 holds no other); 302a (no exam except the Business and Law exam for general classes); 302d ($1,000,000 and $2,000,000, DOPL as certificate holder, coverage for the scope of work, report changes immediately); 303b (6 hours, 3 core, 3 live, 1 energy conservation); 304 (qualifier remuneration, 20% owner or W-2, 12 hours, three specialty classes, three licensees); 501 (notice within 10 days, insurance proof within 30 days); 602 (bonds). adminrules.utah.gov. Compared with the versions effective March 30, 2026 (7736, S280 subcontracting sentence present; $1,000,000 and $3,000,000) and March 9, 2023 (5273, same S280 and S230 scope, no S280 subcontracting sentence; $100,000 and $300,000). Read November 3, 2026.
2. Utah Code 58-55-102 (effective October 1, 2026): (17)(a)(ii) a contractor includes a person who advertises the work "on a website or social media," (53)(b) incidental work, le.utah.gov; Utah Code 58-55-302 (effective May 7, 2025): (1)(c)(i) no exam for a specialty contractor, (1)(e)(ii)(A) "no employment experience is required for licensure as a specialty contractor," (1)(e)(iii) 25-hour course, (1)(e)(iv) five-hour course for general, plumbing, electrical and HVAC classes, le.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
3. Utah Code 58-55-203, Qualifications for licensure, effective January 1, 2027: (1)(c) 25-hour course, (1)(d) five-hour business and law course, (1)(f) "two-years' full-time, paid employment experience in the construction industry," (6) incidental work, (10) comp or waiver, insurance and registrations, le.utah.gov; 58-55-204 (six hours of CE), le.utah.gov; H.B. 40, Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act Amendments, 2026 General Session, chapter 42 ("This bill takes effect on January 1, 2027"), le.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
4. Utah Division of Professional Licensing, "Contracting" ("New Contractor Licensing Requirements Effective April 20, 2026 ... Applies to all contractors ... $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate"; approved pre-licensure providers), commerce.utah.gov; "Apply for a Specialty Contractor License" (25-hour course; insurance; entity and EIN; comp certificate, withholding and unemployment registrations, or a waiver), commerce.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
5. DOPL, "Contractor Application All Classifications," version 20260930 (comp for employees or owner-workers under 8%; waiver and written notice before hiring; financial responsibility questions and bond note; qualifier "Owner of at least 20% OR W-2 Employee in Management Position"; qualifier affidavit; fees of $50, $175 and $1; endorsement terms), commerce.utah.gov; "Add or Replace Qualifier OR Add Classification Form," version 20261001 ($175 per new classification, $50 per new qualifier), commerce.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
6. DOPL, "Renew a License" (contracting licenses expire November 30 of odd years; notice at least 60 days before; 6 CE hours, 3 live; renewed entity; insurance certificate; comp or waiver), commerce.utah.gov; license verification search, secure.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
7. Utah Code 58-55-302.5 (effective May 6, 2026: six hours per two-year cycle; approved providers including the Associated General Contractors of Utah, Associated Builders and Contractors, the Utah Home Builders Association and the Utah Roofing Contractors Association, which may offer courses to its members). le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
8. DOPL, "Contracting Frequently Asked Questions" (qualifier leaving: 10 days and 60 days, license stays with the company; loaning a license; 1099 workers; "The only legal way to 'work under' any license is as an officer or W2 employee"; entity lapse expires the license; DBAs; sole proprietors). commerce.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
9. Utah Code 58-55-304: license number on permit applications, contracts, agreements and bids; qualifier with material authority; notice within 10 days when a qualifier leaves, 60 days to replace. le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
10. Utah Code 58-55-306, financial responsibility (questionnaire or bond). le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
11. Utah Labor Commission, "Workers' Compensation Coverage Waivers" (eligibility, $50 fee, documents, one-year term), laborcommission.utah.gov; "Employers" (corporate exclusion not for construction contractors that contract out work; penalties of at least $1,000, injunctions, loss of the exclusive remedy), laborcommission.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
12. Utah Code 34A-2-103(7) (statutory employer; (7)(e) certificate or waiver relied on). le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
13. WCF Insurance, "Application for Utah Workers' Compensation and Employers Liability Insurance," WCF 1001-3, Rev. 8/19 (uninsured contractors and subcontractors "shall be included in the applicant's payroll and premium paid by the applicant"). wcf.com, read November 3, 2026.
14. 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13), osha.gov; 29 CFR 1926.502(k), osha.gov; OSHA, "Utah State Plan," osha.gov; UOSH Directive 2024-002, Construction Industry Local Emphasis Program (effective August 12, 2024, expires August 12, 2029), laborcommission.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
15. 40 CFR 61.141 (facility excludes "residential buildings having four or fewer dwelling units"; Category I nonfriable ACM includes asphalt roofing products), law.cornell.edu; Utah Admin. Code R307-801-9(1) (contractors need an inspection by a Utah-certified inspector; owners of residential structures of four units or less exempt), law.cornell.edu; R307-801-10(3) and (5) (1981 and later: listed materials including "asbestos cement siding or roofing materials"; inspector may assume ACM), law.cornell.edu; Utah DEQ, "Asbestos Program" (no inspection for residences of four or fewer units built on or after January 1, 1992), deq.utah.gov; Division of Air Quality, "Amendments to the Utah Asbestos Rule UAC R307-801 Overview" (July 17, 2025), deq.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
16. EPA, "Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program" (Utah runs its own program), epa.gov; Utah DEQ, "Lead-Based Paint Program," deq.utah.gov; Utah Admin. Code R307-840-2 (minor repair: 20 square feet or less outside, not window replacement), law.cornell.edu; R307-841-3 and R307-841-7 (renovations for pay in pre-1978 housing; firm certification), law.cornell.edu. Read November 3, 2026.
17. Utah Code 15A-2-103 (2021 International Residential Code), le.utah.gov; 15A-3-202 (effective July 1, 2026; R105.2 amendments), le.utah.gov; 15A-3-203 (no amendment to IRC chapter 9), le.utah.gov; International Residential Code 2021, R105.2, codes.iccsafe.org, and chapter 9 (roof assembly includes the roof deck; R905.1.2 ice barriers; R908.3 roof replacement; R908.3.1.1 roof recover not allowed), codes.iccsafe.org. Read November 3, 2026.
18. Salt Lake City Building Services, "Re-Reroofing Questionnaire" (permit required; 3 psf engineer's evaluation; URM parapets and appendages), slc.gov; "Building Code for Roofing" (permits typically issued in 1 to 2 days; deck or sheathing, ice barrier or underlayment and final inspections; Certificate of Appropriateness in historic districts), slc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
19. Salt Lake City Building Services, "FAQ's" (permits for "Roofing repairs or replacements"; re-roofs in the 1 to 3 business day queue; owner-occupied primary residence and maintenance under $3,000 "does include roofing"; rentals and commercial need a contractor; contractor obtains the permit; red tag, double fee, citation, Certificate of Non-Compliance). slc.gov, read November 3, 2026.
20. City of North Salt Lake, "Reroof & Roof Repair Policy," revised March 5, 2026 (repairs under 20% of a surface or 10% of the roof need no permit; residential reroof permit $50.50; plank deck overlay; decking inspected before new roofing; definition of roof replacement; commercial reroofs and the IEBC). nslcity.org, read November 3, 2026.
21. Provo City, "When is a building permit required? Do I need a permit for my project?" provo.gov, read November 3, 2026.
22. Salt Lake City, "Business Licensing" (any business "either permanently or temporarily" within city limits), slc.gov; Utah Code 10-1-203 (municipal business licensing), le.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
23. Utah County Code, Chapter 14, Residential Solicitation (14-1-2 certificates for door-to-door solicitors of licensed businesses; background check waiver; 14-1-19 no soliciting before 9:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. without permission). utahcounty.gov, read November 3, 2026.
24. Utah Code 58-55-305(1)(h) (projects under $7,000; affirmation over $3,000) and (1)(j) (owners on their own property). le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
25. Utah Code 58-55-501, unlawful conduct: (1) unlicensed, (2) beyond scope, (3) hiring unlicensed non-employees, (4) and (6) permits, (7) no permit, (10) letting a license be used by another, (11) a name other than the one on the license, (25) sign contractors' vehicles. le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
26. Utah Code 58-55-503 (class A misdemeanor; immediate suspension on a citation; fines up to $1,000, $2,000 and $2,000 a day), le.utah.gov; Utah Code 76-3-204(1)(a) (up to 364 days), le.utah.gov; 76-3-301(1)(c) (fine up to $2,500), le.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
27. Utah Code 58-55-604, proof of licensure to maintain or commence action (58-55-210 from January 1, 2027), le.utah.gov; Utah State Courts, small claims judges' training, "Contracts, Contractors & Small Claims Issues" (February 23, 2018), summarizing A.K.&R. Whipple Plumbing and Heating v. Aspen Construction, 977 P.2d 518 (Utah Ct. App. 1999) and George v. Oren Ltd. & Associates, 672 P.2d 732 (Utah 1983), utcourts.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
28. Utah Code 13-11-4(2)(i) (claiming a license the supplier doesn't have) and (2)(m) (3-day cancellation notice on direct solicitation sales), le.utah.gov; 13-11-19(2) (actual damages plus court costs), le.utah.gov; 38-11-108 (lien-protection notice), le.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
29. Utah Code 38-1a-501 (preliminary notice within 20 days of starting work, or no lien), le.utah.gov; DOPL, "Residence Lien Recovery Fund - General Information" (fees discontinued in 2018; "currently unable to pay new claims"), commerce.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
30. Utah State Tax Commission, Publication 42, "Sales Tax Information for Sales, Installation & Repair of Tangible Personal Property Attached to Real Property" (Rev. 07/26), tax.utah.gov; Utah Admin. Code R865-19S-58, law.cornell.edu. Read November 3, 2026.
31. Utah Code chapter 13-50, Residential Construction Contracts: 13-50-102 (repair work on "siding, gutters, a roof system, or a window system" damaged by wind or hail), 13-50-202 and 13-50-203 (cancellation after an insurance denial and the required notice), 13-50-302 (no deductible rebates), 13-50-303 (deductible notice; no payment until signed and delivered to the insurer). le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
32. H.B. 58, Insurance Code Modifications, 2026 General Session (effective May 6, 2026; enacts 31A-26-403.1, a property policy "may prohibit the assignment of a right or benefit ... to a property repair contractor, roofing company"), le.utah.gov; Utah Code 31A-26-102(6) (adjusting means "directing or conducting the investigation, negotiation, or settlement of a claim" on behalf of an insurer, policyholder or claimant), le.utah.gov; 31A-26-201 (no insurance adjusting without a license), le.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
33. Utah Code 58-55-702, Construction Business Registry. le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.