9 Dangerous Risks of Unlicensed Roofing Work (With Case Studies)
Sep 29, 2025
Unlicensed roofing contractors can face heavy fines, cease-and-desist orders, and extensive legal actions. However, the most severe penalty for unlicensed roofers is the hindrance of this career. Internet users are strongly against unlicensed roofing.
In this article, we'll discuss why unlicensed roofing work in Illinois is a risk. We sifted through 10 discussion threads from Reddit, Roofing Talk, and BiggerPockets to gather user sentiments and reasons. Here are links to some of the discussion threads:
4 Risks of Unlicensed Roofing Work for Roofing Contractors
Fines and stunted careers are the biggest dangers of working as an unlicensed roofing contractor. Unlicensed roofers also have to lower costs by cutting corners to compete with licensed contractors. Here are some details on the 4 risks of working as an unlicensed roofer:
1. Fines and Penalties
Unlicensed roofing is illegal in Illinois and can lead to:
- Fines: Civil penalties up to $5,000 (or more) per offense
- Cease-and-Desist Orders: State bodies can force you to stop working
- Criminal Liability: Some violations may be misdemeanors
- Disciplinary Action: Other licenses can be revoked, suspended, etc
According to the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, you need a limited or unlimited roofing license to work on residential or commercial roofing projects, respectively. Working on any project without the necessary license leads to fines.
These civil penalties and fines have been bolstered after the Illinois Assembly's recent Act SB2503. Please do not risk your finances and acquire a license.
2. Lack of Work
A license guarantees your skill in every trade, like BBB Accreditation for any business. Naturally, roofers without a roofing license are considered untrustworthy. We sifted through countless Reddit threads to understand user sentiments.
According to the threads we analyzed, an overwhelming 61% of people advised against hiring an unlicensed roofer. Some of the most common reasons that people used to justify their opinion were:
- Distrust in skills and value
- Legal repercussions, including fines and lawsuits
- Lack of insurance coverage
87% of homeowners are strongly against hiring unlicensed roofers. As an unlicensed roofer, you cannot progress your roofing career. On the contrary, you will ruin your local reputation and future post-licensing growth.
3. Building Codes, Permits, and Compliance
Unlicensed roofing contractors lack the skills and knowledge about local building codes and techniques. Unqualified contractors can often mess up roofing installation. The homeowners can sue or proceed with other legal actions.
The journey you take to get your license gives you the knowledge to perform your duties effectively. A license is your seal of approval that guarantees your skills and knowledge. That's why licensed professionals have lower building code violations.
4. Negative Sentiments from Fellow Roofers
Roofers cannot operate without the support of their peers. You'll need connections from fellow workers in the same or adjacent industries, like HVAC, Plumbing, and Siding. Unfortunately, most of these have negative sentiments about unlicensed work.
We analyzed 39 responses from tradesmen, and here are their insights on unlicensed roofers:
- They're taking revenue from licensed contractors
- They're breaking the law
- They're hurting the roofing industry
- Workers comp: $28 per $100 of payroll
- Licensing/bonding fees: $500+
- Higher insurance premiums
- Cannot compete on price while following the law
- Create an unfair competitive advantage
- Drive down market prices artificially
- Make legitimate contractors look "high on price"
Unlicensed contractors often have to lower prices, while licensed roofers have to account for liability, workers' compensation, and other insurances. In retrospect, this makes licensed roofers seem expensive compared to unlicensed roofers.
Lower charges disrupt the market, promote poor workmanship, and force licensed roofers out of business. That's why most professionals prefer roofers who get an Illinois roofing license.
5 Risk of Unlicensed Roofing Work for Homeowners
There are countless dangers of hiring an unlicensed roofing contractor. For example, subpar work can reduce your property's value. Homeowners might also have to pay for costly repairs and potential damages.
That's why 87% of homeowners are strongly against unlicensed roofing contractors. Here's a small chart to put things into perspective:
1. Insurance Issues
According to Illinois State Laws, insurance agents can refuse damage claims for unlicensed roofing work. According to most forum users, hiring unqualified roofing contractors is the easiest way to get an insurance company to deny claims.
According to our research:
- 61% of people were against hiring unlicensed roofers because of insurance problems.
- 71.8% homeowners were strongly against using an unlicensed roofer for this very reason.
Insurance is your backup plan for when something goes wrong. Unfortunately, this plan becomes void if the involved parties do not operate legally. Insurance companies have an extra incentive to deny your claims if they find a legal breach.
2. Quality and Safety Risks
During our research, we found countless homeowners recounting their experiences with unlicensed roofers. For example, one roofer on Reddit explained why you should never hire an unlicensed roofer with pictures of an ill-installed roof.
The roofer in question was called for a valley repair. However, while surveying the damage, he found numerous poorly-installed asphalt shingles with loose nails. You can find other harrowing stories from homeowners in similar situations.
This happens because unlicensed roofing contractors often lack skills. In service skill industries, licenses are a testament to your skills. That's why every homeowner should look for a licensed contractor.
3. Extra Repair Costs
Hiring an unlicensed contractor may be cheaper in the short term, but it can result in long-term technical debt. This happens because:
- Unlicensed roofing contractors might cut corners to save costs
- Unlicensed roofers cannot acquire warranties on roofing materials
- Unlicensed roofers might not follow building codes
These three factors lead to hidden long-term costs. For example, a loss of warranty means you cannot claim any losses because of faulty roofing materials. This can even bring down the resale value of your house.
Furthermore, you will have to replace the whole roof if the workmanship is subpar. Here's one account from a homeowner to put this into perspective:
"As someone who bought a house with a new roof installed by a 'unlicensed but skilled' contractor, and then, within 2 months of moving in had to get the entire roof redone by an actual licensed contractor... hire the guy licensed to do the work.
Our roof looked professionally done and passed inspection... but it turned out the unlicensed contractor didn't apply the flashing correctly, and we started getting leaks... Also, because the guy was just a guy and didn't have a business or license, there was no recourse for us to get repairs or money back. Dude just ghosted."
4. Legal Costs
According to various threads and user experiences, unlicensed roofers can hold you liable for injuries sustained while working on your property. Since they do not have insurance, you will become the most likely recipient of legal action.
We found that 89% of people in every thread cited a lack of liability insurance as a risk of hiring unlicensed roofers. Homeowners fear this because there have been cases where roofers without liability insurance have sued for injuries.
5. Roofing Related Scams
While not as common, there have been strings of roofing-related scams. In May of 2025, the BBC wrote a news piece on roofing scams in Portsmouth. Journalists uncovered a string of scams and extortion from fake, unlicensed roofers.
One victim was an elderly lady, Veronica, who was charged £35,000 for a repair worth only £2,000. The bogus tradesmen asked for £500 in cash and £8,000 in an immediate cheque. After "completing" the work, they asked for a further £26,500 in cheques.
Fortunately, Veronica cancelled the second cheque after a friend informed her of the scam. The men in question were operating without a license, falsely under the name of DC Roofing and Sons, owned by Darren Comben.
There have been other scams as well, such as:
FAQs on Unlicensed Roofing Work
Do you need a license to become a roofer in Illinois?
Yes, according to the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, you need a roofing license to become a roofer. Working on roofing projects without a license leads to fines and legal penalties.
What is Section 17 of OSHA?
Section 17 of OSHA outlines penalties for violations of workplace safety regulations. It authorizes fines for employers who fail to comply with standards, increased penalties for willful or repeated violations, and criminal charges for knowingly violating requirements that result in worker death.
What is the maximum fine for a violation of OSHA?
The maximum fine for a serious OSHA violation in 2025 is $16,131 per violation. Willful or repeated violations carry a maximum fine of $161,323 per violation. Failure-to-abate violations accrue daily penalties of up to $16,131 until corrected. These fines adjust annually for inflation.
Bottom Line on Risk of Unlicensed Roofing
According to our research 87% of homeowners are strongly against hiring unlicensed roofing contractors. This implies lower job opportunities, revenue, and risks of fines for people operating without a license.
This deterrence also extends to people in the same profession. During our research, we found that professional roofers are against unlicensed roofers. Their reasons include market disruptions, price gouging, and negative PR for the roofing industry.
Unlicensed roofing is an unnecessary financial risk in Illinois. You can get an Illinois roofing license with only a month of diligent preparation. Boost your career and operate legally, join our roofing licensure classes today.